United States' Afghanistan exit 'absolutely inspired' jihadists: Ex-CIA director

An ex-CIA Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director who had advised former US President George W. Bush on 11 September 2001 during the deadly twin tower attacks, and later Barack Obama on the intelligence that neutralised globally wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden, said on Sunday that the USA's troop pullout from Afghanistan “has absolutely inspired jihadists all over the world.”

In an interview that aired on CBS, former acting director of CIA, Michael Morell, said that the Taliban’s victory in Kabul has inspired Islamic jihadists worldwide, as he stressed that the instinct at CIA was “we let this happen.”

“Our (CIA) job was to prevent this, and we failed. So there was a strong, strong feeling that we could never, ever let this happen again,” he said. 

“The Taliban is saying, we just didn't defeat the United States, we defeated NATO. We defeated the world's greatest military power, ever. So there's a celebration going on,” Morell said.

The former CIA chief asserted that post complete US troop withdrawal from the southcentral Asian country, jihadists “will now flow back into Afghanistan and make the country more dangerous than other spots on the planet.”

(Taliban stand guard in Panjshir province northeastern of Afghanistan. Image: AP)

'A lot of them will join jihadist central': Ex-CIA Director

Morell, who served as CIA director of the United States twice in 2011 and 2013, warned that the way the US exited Afghanistan has left jihadists inspired, and  “a lot of them are now going to come to Afghanistan, to be part of the celebration, and join the jihadist central.”

After 9/11, Morell stated, the Islamic Jihadists had all scattered from Afghanistan. But now, he warned, they are back into Afghanistan as a safe harbour. Morell stressed that the intelligence methods had degraded after the US military left Afghanistan giving the Taliban control.  If Al-Qaida, he reminded, established a safe haven in Afghanistan, it can be hard to develop the kind of tactical intelligence that makes it possible to take military action against them.

“How are we going to make sure that Al Qaeda is not rebuilding its capabilities and is planning on attacking us again? And then we have to collect the kind of intelligence that gives precision to conduct airstrikes, right? Drones need to be told exactly where on the earth to go. What tells you that is precision intelligence,” he said.

(Paratroopers and others, prepare to board a C-17 cargo plane in Kabul. Image: AP)

The twice-acting CIA director had earlier warned that the Taliban will invite Al-Qaida to rebuild in Afghanistan. When asked if the US was more at risk after complete military withdrawal from Afghanistan, Morell emphasised “we are more at risk, without a doubt.” He outlined that the lack of intelligence from Kabul would be a contributing factor to it. 

“There is no doubt in my mind” that al-Qaida will rebuild within Afghanistan, Michael Morell said at an online forum sponsored by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, that held a panel to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11.  “I believe that the Taliban will give safe haven to al-Qaida, and I believe it will be al-Qaida’s intention to again build its capability so that they can attack us here at home,” he added.

Separately, speaking to Brian Kilmeade about the 9/11 terror attacks, the former acting and deputy director of the CIA said that he is deeply concerned about the stability of Pakistan as it is a country with nuclear weapons. Furthermore, Morell warned in a remark made to Fox News radio that the Pakistani Taliban, who are currently in Afghanistan, is looking to overthrow the Pakistani government.