Thread by @jseldin

Happening now: @SecDef Lloyd Austin, @thejointstaff Chairman, Gen Mark Milley address reporters at the Pentagon

#Afghanistan: "We're still on track to finish up by the end of August" per @SecDef on US withdrawal

"The president has made a decision-we're going to get it done & we're going to get it done right"

US #Afghanistan interpreters/Operation Allies Refuge:

"We take our obligations to them and to their families very seriously" per @SecDef, saying the 1st will arrive at Fort Lee "soon"

He says US bases overseas, foreign facilities also under consideration

US has moved 9,000 people, civilian & military, out of #Afghanistan as part of the ongoing withdrawal, per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley

#Afghan security forces "have the capacity to sufficiently fight and defend their country" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley

"The future of #Afghanistan is squarely in the hands of the Afghan ppl" he says, adding a #Taliban takeover "is not a foregone conclusion"

"We are doing a lot to support the Afghan military & the Afghan leadership" per @SecDef

Says support node in #Qatar "is operational now"

#Afghanistan

.@SecDef says node to facilitate over-the-horizon strikes is also in place

"I'm not going to comment what's in any of those ebooks" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley, asked about portrayals of him in books about the Trump administration

"We always adhered to providing best, professional military advice" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley re his actions & those of the other joint staff members during the Trump administration

"Every one of us maintained our allegiance" to the Constitution, he adds

#alQaida comeback in #Afghanistan: "That's something that we are watching very closely" per @SecDef

Austin says the #Taliban early on committed to make sure terrorists can't plot from the country - "We expect for them to meet that commitment"

"It's really important to me that this department remain apolitical" per @SecDef in response to q's about Gen. Milley during the Trump administration

Minutes earlier, Austin said of Milley, "He doesn't have a political bone in his body"

#Afghanistan - "Warfare is not just about numbers" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley, asked about appearances of a #Taliban victory

Admits about half of the districts are in Taliban hands

"This is going to be a test of will and leadership" he says of #Afghan's gvt

#Afghanistan security forces "well equipped, they've been well trained" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley

"They are right now adjusting forces" he adds of Afghan forces, saying the outcome has not yet been written

Briefing ends after just over 30 minutes... no questions taken from reporters who called in

"There clearly is a narrative out there the #Taliban are winning" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley

"212, 213, it's in that range, the 200s of the district centers are in Taliban control - that's about half" Milley says

"Part of this is that they're giving up district centers in order to consolidate their forces bcs they're taking the approach to protect the population," per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley

re #Afghanistan security force strategy