Panetta: ‘No Question’ that Biden Carried Afghanistan Withdrawal Decision, Harris Was There to ‘Listen’

KEILAR So Harris is ░░░░░░░░ to be giving this ░░░░░░░░ on the eve of ░░░░░░░░ is the third anniversary ░░░░░░░░ America s total withdrawal ░░░░░░░░ Afghanistan You spoke last ░░░░░░░░ at the DNC forcefully ░░░░░░░░ the case for Harris ░░░░░░░░ commander in chief Does ░░░░░░░░ carry the legacy of ░░░░░░░░ Biden s Afghanistan withdrawal ░░░░░░░░ your opinion PANETTA Well ░░░░░░░░ know look this this ░░░░░░░░ the president s decision ░░░░░░░░ my experience as chief ░░░░░░░░ staff it s the ░░░░░░░░ who makes a decision ░░░░░░░░ that And there s ░░░░░░░░ question in my mind ░░░░░░░░ Joe Biden carried this ░░░░░░░░ because he felt deeply ░░░░░░░░ trying to remove the ░░░░░░░░ from Afghanistan The fact ░░░░░░░░ that the vice president ░░░░░░░░ in the room along ░░░░░░░░ I m sure other ░░░░░░░░ of the National Security ░░░░░░░░ you know they are ░░░░░░░░ question there to listen ░░░░░░░░ at the same time ░░░░░░░░ just don t bear ░░░░░░░░ same responsibility that the ░░░░░░░░ bears with regards to ░░░░░░░░ final decision KEILAR You ░░░░░░░░ Trump allies say Russia ░░░░░░░░ at the Afghanistan withdrawal ░░░░░░░░ saw it as a ░░░░░░░░ light to go into ░░░░░░░░ Hamas looked at it ░░░░░░░░ it as a green ░░░░░░░░ to attack Israel And ░░░░░░░░ blame Harris for that ░░░░░░░░ hear you obviously saying ░░░░░░░░ s a leap that ░░░░░░░░ cannot so effectively make ░░░░░░░░ what do you say ░░░░░░░░ that criticism PANETTA Well ░░░░░░░░ I don t think ░░░░░░░░ s any question that ░░░░░░░░ were made with regards ░░░░░░░░ the withdrawal that should ░░░░░░░░ have happened And you ░░░░░░░░ you re never quite ░░░░░░░░ what signals were or ░░░░░░░░ not sent to Putin ░░░░░░░░ experience is that Putin ░░░░░░░░ a long time decided ░░░░░░░░ he had a license ░░░░░░░░ go into Crimea go ░░░░░░░░ Syria and go into ░░░░░░░░ areas so it seems ░░░░░░░░ he was pretty intent ░░░░░░░░ going into Ukraine no ░░░░░░░░ what So to be ░░░░░░░░ to tie it to ░░░░░░░░ particular decision here I ░░░░░░░░ is a little bit ░░░░░░░░ a stretch KEILAR Our ░░░░░░░░ Raju is reporting that ░░░░░░░░ Democrats argue Harris does ░░░░░░░░ need to focus on ░░░░░░░░ out a detailed policy ░░░░░░░░ that she should instead ░░░░░░░░ the contrast in values ░░░░░░░░ herself and former President ░░░░░░░░ Do you agree with ░░░░░░░░ PANETTA Look I think ░░░░░░░░ is important to discuss ░░░░░░░░ issues that you believe ░░░░░░░░ in a way that ░░░░░░░░ American people understand But ░░░░░░░░ also have to have ░░░░░░░░ backup in terms of ░░░░░░░░ sure that when you ░░░░░░░░ asked about particular aspects ░░░░░░░░ an issue that you ░░░░░░░░ discussing that you know ░░░░░░░░ issue and you know ░░░░░░░░ answers to questions about ░░░░░░░░ particular issue So yeah ░░░░░░░░ I think it s ░░░░░░░░ to talk to the ░░░░░░░░ people in a way ░░░░░░░░ they understand what you ░░░░░░░░ trying to do in ░░░░░░░░ to direct this country ░░░░░░░░ a better path in ░░░░░░░░ future As to questions ░░░░░░░░ go into particulars about ░░░░░░░░ position you better damn ░░░░░░░░ know the answers to ░░░░░░░░ questions because that will ░░░░░░░░ whether or not you ░░░░░░░░ just talking in broad ░░░░░░░░ or whether you really ░░░░░░░░ a specific policy that ░░░░░░░░ want to put in ░░░░░░░░ KEILAR Secretary Panetta great ░░░░░░░░ have you Thank you ░░░░░░░░ much for being with ░░░░░░░░ PANETTA Good to be ░░░░░░░░ you.”