Under the title "General Milley Expects Civil War and Return of Terrorism, Doubts Taliban’s Capabilities," Al Arabiya reported that in a television interview with Fox News in Ramstein, Germany, on Saturday, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley predicted that Afghanistan could slip into a civil war. He expressed doubts about the Taliban's ability to govern the country and expected a resurgence of terrorist movements within months.
Regarding the reception of refugees, Milley stated, “There is a security screening process for 17,000 Afghans who were evacuated from the country before entering the United States.” He explained that when people arrive, their names are recorded, biometric measurements are taken, including fingerprints and a full facial photograph, noting that several security entities are involved in these procedures, including the Department of Homeland Security, FBI officials, the State Department, and Customs and Border Protection.
Milley traveled to Germany to thank U.S. troops who quickly set up a large tent city at the largest U.S. airbase and transportation hub in Europe. He expressed that he was “very comfortable” with the procedures being implemented for approving the entry of refugees into the United States.
When asked whether the United States is safer after the complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, the general replied that it is still too early to determine that. Milley continued, “My military assessment is that conditions are likely to develop into a civil war, and I do not know whether the Taliban will be able to consolidate their power and establish governance.”
He warned, stating, “I believe there is at least a significant likelihood of a broader civil war, which could in turn lead to conditions that might actually allow for the reemergence of al-Qaeda or the growth of ISIS or other terrorist groups.” He added, “You could see a resurgence of terrorism from that region within 12, 24, 36 months. We will monitor that.”
He clarified, “We will need to re-establish some human intelligence networks and so forth, and then we will have to continue conducting offensive operations if there is a threat to the United States.”
