We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. But we're going to do it.
That's the essence of what retired Major General Spider Marks says the Biden administration should be telling the Taliban regarding the evacuation of all Americans and SIV holders.
Appearing on this morning's New Day, Marks, a CNN military analyst, said that as things now stand, the US would be leaving people behind in Afghanistan, running counter to the military's ethos.
Fumed Marks:
"I find it unimaginable that the United States government isn’t saying to the Taliban right now—that we’re not getting in their face saying, look, we’re going to stop asking permission here. We have U.S. citizens. We've got SIV holders, folks that are going to be extracted. We are going to extract them. They will be evacuated. We will either do this in a quasi-permissive way . . . or we’re going to get in your face. We are not going to stand for leaving folks behind."
Marks apologized for his display of emotion, but co-host John Berman was quick to agree with him, saying,
"No, no: I think people need to appreciate, as things stand right now, it’s hard to imagine that everyone who wants to get out, Americans, will get out."
Marks also criticized the excuse-makers in the Biden administration who are pointing to people who failed to register, or don't really want to leave. "That's a small percentage," asserted Marks, saying we should focus on those who have "raised their hand" and gotten their paperwork in order.
Somebody should get Marks a press credential and let him tell President Biden at his next press availability that he needs to get in the Taliban's face! Would be epic to see Biden stalk off the stage without responding to that!
CNN analyst Spider Marks saying the US needs to "get in the face" of the Taliban and tell them that, with or without their cooperation, we would be evacuating all Americans and SIV holders, was sponsored in part by Tractor Supply, Expedia, Applebee's, Amazon, and Fidelity.
Here's the transcript.
CNN
New Day
8/26/21
6:05 am EDTJOHN BERMAN: Joining us now, CNN military analyst, retired Major General James Spider Marks. He served in the Army, is currently the head of geopolitical strategy at Academy Security. Spider, thanks so much for being with us.
Thirty-six hours. The clock is ticking, 36 hours. What does that mean for the next day-and-a-half for the U.S. military there, and what starts to happen after those 36 hours?
. . .
SPIDER MARKS: I got to — I have to tell you, John, that we are going to find out that folks are going to be left behind. Which gets to the second part of your question.
I find it unimaginable that the United States government isn’t saying to the Taliban right now—and we know who those — the U.S. knows who those senior leaders are in the Taliban—and that we’re not getting in their face saying, look, we’re going to stop asking permission here. We have U.S. citizens. We've got SIV holders, folks that are going to be extracted. We are going to extract them. They will be evacuated. We will either do this in a quasi-permissive way, in other words, you’re going to cooperate like you have been to a certain degree, or we’re going to get in your face. We are not going to stand for leaving folks behind.
I find that, I can’t get my head around the notion that we’re going to leave folks behind. Look, the United States military lives with the ethos of no man or woman left behind. That’s exactly what we’re doing. We're acknowledging that folks are going to be left.
And I’m tired of folks talking about all those tangential populations, you know, the folks that didn’t register, or didn’t de-register, or they showed up and decided not to leave. That’s a small percentage. What’s significant are those that have raised their hand, got the paperwork in place and those that we can move along.
So, yeah. I apologize for a bit of my emotion --
BERMAN: No, no!
MARKS: -- but it’s important we acknowledge it.
BERMAN: I think people need to appreciate, as things stand right now, it’s hard to imagine that everyone who wants to get out, Americans, will get out.
