 John Moore/Getty ImagesThe defense intellectual Fred Ikle once wrote that every war must end. Yet the U.S. military's plans for Afghanistan after President Biden's announced withdrawal are its latest rebuke to Ikle.
In testimony to a skeptical Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday morning, Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) explained that after the withdrawal of American troops, the U.S. will reserve the right to launch airstrikes, typically from drones, into Afghanistan, should it perceive a threat to its interests.
"We have a number of ways to get to a ‘fix' solution," said McKenzie, using jargon referring to a lethal targeting designation, "ranging from precision strike at very long range, to on-the-ground options, should those prove necessary." At a different point in the hearing, McKenzie and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) discussed how long it takes to get armed MQ-1 Predator and MQ-4 Reaper drones into the country from offshore bases.
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