H.R. McMaster on Kabul Attack: ‘This Is What Happens When You Surrender to Jihadist Terrorists’

EXCERPT:

MCMASTER: "Well, thanks Andrea. As you know, this was predicted and it was very predictable that this was going to occur. This is actually what happens when you surrender to a terrorist organization like the Taliban. And I think what’s important to recognize is that this is just the beginning, Andrea. We have the jihadist terrorists in control of a state and that is a win not only for the Taliban as narrowly defined, but also to al Qaeda to, ISIS-K and other jihadist terrorist organizations. We tried too hard, Andrea, and I was listening to reporting, to disconnect the dots. These groups share people, resources and expertise. Siraj Haqqani who is the military commander of the Taliban is a prominent al Qaeda leader and is also the leader of the Haqqani network. The network that is at the nexus between al Quaeda, the Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, and the Taliban. He was the main protector of Hamza bin Laden, Osama bin Laden’s son as he fought in command of Taliban forces. So this is a ridiculous idea that this is really ISIS-K and gosh, the Taliban must be really disappointed. That’s crazy, I think, Andrea. I’m sure that -- that we will uncover evidence that this has happened with the full knowledge of -- of Haqqanis and -- and certainly almost of the Taliban if not the most senior leadership. It has all the hallmarks of the complex attack of the kind that the Haqqani is expert at. The Haqqanis are expert at two things, taking people hostage and committing mass murder attacks of this scale. And -- and so they are in charge now and -- and this is what happens when you surrender to jihadist terrorists."