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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was silent for several seconds before telling Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Saturday what his regrets are about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“Do you have any regrets about the Afghan withdrawal?” Baier asked Austin during a keynote discussion at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.
After a silence that lingered for nearly 10 seconds, Austin replied, “Bret, I regret the fact that we lost 13 of our finest at Abbey Gate. I regret that we lost 10 civilians in an errant strike.
“Having said that, Bret, I want to make sure that we don’t lose sight of the fact that our American forces, in 17 days, evacuated 124,000 people from Afghanistan,” Austin continued.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pauses while speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Top experts warned Saturday at the Reagan National Defense Forum that the standing of the U.S. as the “partner of choice” amongst global allies has waned following the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The forum comes as China and Russia continue to build up aggressive defenses not seen since World War II.
The Biden administration received swift backlash at home and abroad after the Taliban swiftly took over Kabul as the U.S. concluded the 20-year war in Afghanistan over the summer.
vacuees wait to board a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 23. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Isaiah Campbell)
Experts are concerned that a global power shift could be at play if other world leaders are skeptical about the reliability of the U.S. to act as a strong partner.
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Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.