Michael Morell, the former acting director of the CIA, affirmed that terrorists will flow into Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban and the U.S. withdrawal from the country. In statements to CBS News, he said, "I believe that the Taliban's victory in the war in Afghanistan, and the way our exit occurred, has inspired extremists around the world." He added, "The Taliban say we did not defeat the United States; we defeated NATO. We defeated the greatest military force the world has ever seen, so there is ongoing celebration."
Morell, who served as the acting director of the CIA twice between 2011 and 2013, believes that terrorists "will now return" to Afghanistan and make the country "more dangerous than other areas on the ground."
When asked if the United States is more vulnerable without a military presence in Afghanistan, he replied, "We are more at risk, without a doubt." He stated, "The lack of a strategy for intelligence gathering and conducting over-the-horizon strikes contributes to this danger."
These remarks come as the Taliban establishes its government in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal. Last week, the Taliban announced the formation of its new interim Afghan government, which includes several hardliners from the 1990s and lacks female leadership.
