As US announces Afghanistan exit, CIA Director warns of 'significant risk'

While US President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of the American troops from Afghanistan, CIA Director William Burns said that Washington’s ability to collect intelligence and act on threats will diminish once the troops leave Kabul. While addressing the Senate Intelligence Committee, Burns underscored a key risk inherent in Biden’s decision to pull remaining US forces out, given the enduring presence of al Qaeda and Islamic State militants in the country. According to VOA news, the intelligence official said that the plan to pull troops from Afghanistan could give terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and Islamic State a chance to regenerate the capabilities they would need to carry out an attack against the US. 

Burns told lawmakers that there is a “significant risk” once the US military and coalition militaries withdraw. He said, “The US government’s ability to collect and act on threats will diminish. That's simply a fact”. Further, Burns cautioned that al-Qaeda and IS in Afghanistan “remain intent on recovering the ability to attack US targets,” whether it’s in the region, in the West or ultimately in the homeland. 

The stark warning, however, was also accompanied by a plea for lawmakers to be “clear-eyed”. Burns said that no matter how much al-Qaeda and IS may want to strike the US, the “reality is that neither of them have the capacity today”. He added that there are terrorist groups, whether it’s al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (APAQ), in other parts of the world, who represent much more serious threats. 

US’ Afghanistan exit 

Meanwhile, Burns warning came on the same day Biden formally announced his decision to end America’s longest-running war. The US President on Wednesday announced that the US will start its final withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan on May 1 and complete its pullout ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Biden, while delivering his remarks on the "Way Forward in Afghanistan" said, "The United States will begin our final withdrawal beginning on May 1 this year."

Stating that the US will use all tools at its disposal to respond to any potential Taliban attack on the US forces or partners, the US President said, "The Taliban should know that if they attack us as we draw down we will defend ourselves and our partners with all the tools at our disposal." Biden further mentioned that he will ask other countries to step up support for Afghanistan.

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