Donald Trump has called President Joe Biden’s Afghanistan troop withdrawal ‘incompetent’ and warned that a US absence will allow China and Russia to reverse-engineer American military equipment that was left behind.
Trump told ‘Full Measure’ host Sharyl Attkisson that Biden’s handling of the withdrawal could endanger the country while helping its enemies.
‘How can they take this equipment? I guarantee that China, Russia already have our helicopters, they’re taking them apart to find out exactly how they’re made,’ he said during Sunday’s interview.
‘They’re the best in the world by far. And they’re taking them apart so they can make the exact same equipment. They’re very good at that. It’s a disgrace.’
The former president added that he doubted whether the war in Afghanistan was truly over, while citing the widespread refugees who have poured into the United States, where they are often resettled without any vetting process.
‘How can they take this equipment? I guarantee that China, Russia already have our helicopters, they’re taking them apart to find out exactly how they’re made,’ Trump said
‘I don’t know because you have people going all over the world and being dropped all over the world right now, and nobody knows who the hell they are,’ Trump told Attkisson (pictured)
‘I don’t know because you have people going all over the world and being dropped all over the world right now, and nobody knows who the hell they are, Sharyl,’ Trump said.
‘These aren’t the interpreters that we took. These were people that rushed into the planes, and they were so interested in trying to make it sound like ‘Oh, they’re doing a good job.’ These people, many of these people are going to be terrorists. Okay? They’re going to be terrorists. They were very powerful. They were very energetic in getting onto the aircraft.’
When asked about his thoughts on the processes in place for resettling Afghan refugees in the US and across the world, the former president said there isn’t enough in the way of background checks or vetting of said refugees, as thousands flee the war-torn country.
‘They’re not doing that and you can’t because there is no documentation in that country. There’s virtually no documentation. They didn’t vet them,’ Trump said.
‘They didn’t even try to vet them. They’re trying to vet them now, but it’s a little bit late. They’re dropping them all over the world. And most of them will be coming to the United States.’
‘And in that group will be many terrorists, many, many terrorists. We’ve done their job. The hardest thing was getting out of the country, coming in for terrorists. We’ve brought terrorists into our country, and they coming very much so, I mean, they’re going to be flown in, but they’re also coming through our Southern border. It’s a disgrace.’
According to Fox News, the US has provided roughly $83 billion worth of equipment and training to Afghani security forces since the start of the war in 2001.
Taliban soldiers gather with weapons and machinery in Panjshir province northeastern of Afghanistan, Wednesday, Sept. 8
Taliban forces rally to celebrate the withdrawal of US forces in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 01 September 2021
The military left behind 27 Humvees, USA Today reports, along with as many as 70 MRAPs, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles built to withstand blasts from improvised explosive devices, valued at around $1 million apiece.
USA Today reports that the US military left behind 73 aircrafts while withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, some of which were not operational.
Meanwhile, White House officials confirmed that soldiers operated Apache helicopters while at the Kabul airport. Many of the aircrafts were flown to foreign countries by Afghani pilots, or simply abandoned by the military altogether.
Attkisson asked Trump if he is still briefed on intelligence regarding Afghanistan and national security, to which he replied if he wants information, he gets it.
Taliban forces stand guard at a roadside Afghan women hold placards during a pro-Taliban rally outside the Shaheed Rabbani Education University in Kabul, Afghanistan, September 11
‘They’re the best in the world by far,’ Trump said of Russia and China. ‘And they’re taking them apart so they can make the exact same equipment. They’re very good at that. It’s a disgrace’
‘I get if I want. I get what I want. I hear what’s going on. By the way, you don’t need intel briefings. All you have to do is read the news or turn on the television,’ Trump said.
Trump also noted the bombing deaths of 13 American service members, 11 Marines, one Navy sailor and one Army soldier being among the dead at Kabul airport last month.
‘It’s the most incompetently handled withdrawal in history. There’s never been anything like this, where we gave them $85 billion worth of brand new, beautiful equipment. Most importantly, we lost 13, and many wounded, of our soldiers.’
‘And over 200 people were killed. But we lost these 13 incredible souls, these incredible warriors, and probably more to follow; some very, very badly wounded soldiers. It’s the most incompetently handled thing. We had that in such good control. They wouldn’t have done a thing.’