U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it’s “possible” the United States will seek to coordinate with the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) on counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against ISIS (terrorist group outlawed in Russia) militants or others.
At a Pentagon news conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Milley called the Taliban “ruthless” adding, “Whether or not they change remains to be seen.” He suggested that the recent cooperative arrangement with the Taliban at Kabul airport was not necessarily a model for the future.
“In war you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do,” Milley said.
U.S. military commanders coordinated daily with Taliban commanders outside the Kabul airport over the past three weeks to facilitate the evacuation of more than 124,000 people. But that was a matter of convenience for both parties and not necessarily a sign that they will pursue, or even want, a regular relationship in the future, The AP reported.
