General Says Full Withdrawal From Afghanistan Will Make Tracking Terrorists Difficult
Afghanistan - The head of U.S. Central Command, General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr has stated that it would be "extremely difficult" to track and counter terrorists and terrorist activity in Afghanistan after the United States withdraws from the region
Top military advisors advised US President Biden to keep a small force in the region to make tracking terrorists easier, and to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a terrorist base, but Biden rejected the advice with a declaration that all troops are to be withdrawn. Military advisors say that weakens U.S. leverage in the region and alleviates western pressure currently on the Taliban from carrying out terrorist activities.
Because Afghanistan is remote and land locked, it remains a long distance from any current US bases which makes it a perfect place for terrorists organization to hide out and carry out their operations.
Though McKenzie stated it would be difficult, he made it clear it would not be impossible stating, "I don’t want to make light of it, I don’t want to put on rose-colored glasses and say it’s going to be easy to do, it will be harder to do that, it is not impossible."
McKenzie also stated that terrorist groups located within Afghanistan continually plot attacks against the United States, stating "I think that’s a reasonable concern and I share that concern frankly."
It has been reported that there will be a boost in deployment into Afghanistan to ensure that the withdrawal process goes well. The military is still strategizing on ways to deter terrorist activities in Afghanistan without forces actually being present in the region.