Thread by @JJSchroden

Comments by @PentagonPresSec on #Afghanistan at yesterday's #DOD presser in this THREAD. 1/n

defense.gov/Newsroom/Trans…

Q: In @US4AfghanPeace's testimony today, he said that the withdrawal is proceeding w/o any sig interference from the #Taliban & that he expects that to cont to be the case. You said you assumed there would be attempts by the TB to interfere. Have you changed your assessment? 2/n

MR. KIRBY: We would agree that thus far, the retrograde continues at pace, the withdrawal continues at pace with nothing more than some minor harassing attacks that have had no impact, so we agree w/that assessment. We certainly hope that that remains the case, going forward. 3/n

But we're not going to take anything on hope & face value. We have to assume & plan for the potential that it could be resisted, opposed by the #Taliban. So we cont to take all the right precautions, ensure that GEN Miller has all the options at his disposal to do this safely 4/n

Q: Congressmen Meeks & McCaul have asked #DOD to do more to help @StateDept w/the special immigrant visas, to help Afghans who work for the Americans. Is that something the Pentagon's looking into? & what are you doing now to assist State in pushing these visas, if anything? 4/n

MR. KIRBY: It's really a @StateDept program & it wouldn't be appropriate for #DOD to lean in in any tangible way. Obviously-& you've heard @SecDef talk about this-he agrees w/@POTUS, that we want to do whatever we can to help those who helped us over the last 20 yrs. 5/n

He's committed to that, having served in that conflict himself. But it is a @StateDept program & we're going to respect the State Department's equities and their initiatives inside that program in terms of making sure that it meets that need. 6/n

Q: Well, the chairman and the ranking member have suggested that #DOD can do more. Are you saying that DOD shouldn't do more?

MR. KIRBY: I haven't see their letter; I haven't seen what they're asking for DOD to do. 7/n

I won't get ahead of correspondence I haven't seen. But this is a @StateDept led program. We're in spt of it. We spt the effort to do what's right by these interpreters & other individuals that helped us throughout the last 20 yrs. We'll look at it & respond appropriately. 8/n

Q: I understand this is a @StateDept-run program, but what can #DOD do specifically to protect these people as we withdraw & then after we withdraw?

MR. KIRBY: Well, as for while we're there, GEN Miller has some capabilities to continue to support Afghan security forces... 9/n

...& there are still Afghans helping us specifically in our ability to try to help them. & just like we have for the last 20 years, those involved in those kinds of ops & are assisting us, we do everything we can to help make sure that they're protected... 10/n

...in the same way that our troops are. As the retrograde gets closer to completion, our ability to support the #ANDSF on the ground in a kinetic way from inside #Afghanistan will obviously change & our support will eventually migrate to one of over the horizon support. 11/n

...& it'll be-in terms of the #ANDSF-it'll be logistical support from over the horizon, as well as some financial support. But eventually, this is their country to fight for & it's their country to defend and it's their citizens to look after... 12/n

...That doesn't mean that we aren't still going to support the @StateDept as they try to look for ways using the SiV program to get those people out of the country, that want to come here to the US, we're going to continue to do that. But it is a State-run program. 13/n

Q: There are 15,000 applications in the pipeline. It takes 800 days on average to get one through. We have 116 days left. So are these people just going to be stranded?

MR. KIRBY: That's a question for our @StateDept colleagues, not for #DOD to answer... 14/n

...We don't run that program, but I can assure you that the @StateDept shares the same concerns we have about taking care of these people who have risked and sacrificed so much to help us accomplish our mission over the last 20 years. 15/15