Staff Reports
The Washington Examiner shared the disturbing news that ISIS-K, a regional branch of ISIS, is ramping up its presence and power in Afghanistan, and the U.S. military is essentially powerless to strike back. Retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, a former leader of U.S. Central Command, revealed during a recent interview that the threat from ISIS-K has been growing steadily since the United States military left Afghanistan in August 2021. The subsequent Taliban control in the region has allowed ISIS-K to flourish without any constraints or opposition.
Gen. Michael Kurilla, who succeeded McKenzie, also voiced his concerns to Senate lawmakers in early March, warning that ISIS-K could launch attacks on U.S. and Western interests abroad within as little as six months, catching everyone off guard. The chaotic situation has already led to devastating attacks in Iran and Russia earlier this year. Furthermore, mic-drop moments like the bombing near Qassem Soleimani’s burial site in Iran and a mass shooting in Russia’s concert hall have left no room for doubt about the looming threat.
The forsaken advice of several senior military leaders to maintain a small U.S. military presence in Afghanistan has come back to haunt everyone like a ghost from a bad decision. McKenzie directly pointed out that President Joe Biden’s hasty decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan, ignoring military advisors’ warnings, has left the U.S. vulnerable and ill-prepared. According to McKenzie, the absence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan has made it nearly impossible to monitor or strike ISIS-K, giving the terrorist group the ability to flourish and plan attacks with complete freedom.
The fact that ISIS-K has carried out major attacks, such as the bombing in Iran and the mass shooting in Russia, despite the U.S. having prior intelligence about potential threats, is alarming. This poses a major threat to national security, with ISIS having a strong desire to launch attacks in the continental U.S. The situation is so dire that Gen. McKenzie believes the U.S. would have been in a better, safer place had a military presence been maintained in Afghanistan.
As if things weren’t bad enough in Afghanistan, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), a former Green Beret, pointed out the terrifyingly familiar parallels between the current situation there and the aftermath of then-President Barack Obama’s decision to withdraw from Iraq, ultimately leading to the rise of ISIS’ caliphate. The parallels are too eerie to be ignored, making it seem like a déjà vu of bad decisions and their dire consequences.
The Department of Defense’s reassurances and explanations about engaging in conversations with the Iraqi government and not losing sight of ISIS provide little comfort as the very real and terrifying threat of ISIS-K’s growing power in Afghanistan looms large. It’s not just a nail-biting cliffhanger; it’s an impending disaster waiting to unfold, with the potential to have severe and devastating repercussions, and it’s high time someone took this seriously before it’s too late.
