Good evening. This is John Bachelor. The show begins tonight in Afghanistan and the memories of two

generals now retired. Millie and Mackenzie, Millie Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the withdrawal

in August of 2021, Mackenzie head of Sankom.

They reflected on the mandate from the political side, that would be the White House.

They could only leave X number of 100 troops in Afghanistan, which in their interpretation

meant they couldn't keep the Graham open, the preferred airport for exit. There was no question as to why you couldn't keep it

open with the appropriate number of troops. However, it was testimony three years

later before a House of Representatives Republican panel asking the

questions but not asking enough questions. More needs to be learned about that bad day for the US and Afghanistan and the people

left behind and the people who died in the attack by ISIS. And then on to questions about Taliban today,

Taliban with ISIS, Taliban with poppy fields. Bill Rajo answers some of

those questions, some things we have to wait for, more information

about ISIS operating as an adversary at the same time as a tool for elements of the Taliban.

I'm thinking of the Hakani network.

On to a conversation with Caleb Weiss from Africa about Somalia,

the al-Shabaab iteration of al-Qaeda is making advances and the Somalia National Army is not standing up.

Bill and I have explored the fact that the jihadists are following the same

playbook they followed in Afghanistan and circle the capital close in, drive out

any forces that are superior such as the African National Union or the Turks or the U.S.

And then what's left is the Somalia National Army that will fade away as the Afghan National Army did when it didn't have the US backing

and air power.

And then on to more conversations about Africa with Caleb Weiss, especially the Sahil, the shore of Sahara.

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