Psaki: Afghan Military ‘Need to Determine Is Whether They Have the Political Will to Fight Back’

EXCERPT:

PSAKI: "Well, I think our point here is, Stephanie, is that we have — we will continue to provide close air support, making sure that Air Force functions are operable. We will continue to resupply their forces with food and equipment, pay all their salaries. In addition to all of these systems we provided over the last 20 years, I’d note, and this is the question that came up yesterday, that the train-advise-and-assist approach that we have been implementing and the range of assistance we provided was done in coordination and with military leaders and the implementation and designing of that plan with military leaders and civilian leaders in Afghanistan over the last several years. So our larger point here is ultimately the Afghan National Security Defense Forces have the equipment, numbers and training to fight back. They have what they need. What they need to determine is if they have the political will to fight back and if they have the ability to unite as a as leaders to fight back, and that’s really where it stands at this point."