DefSec Austin Says ‘We Don’t Have the Capability to Go Out and Collect Up Large Numbers of People’ When Confronted on Afghan Evacuations

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr confronted Gen. Mark Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Wednesday over the urgent need to evacuate American citizens and U.S. allies around the country.

During the Pentagon press briefing, Starr noted how “there are Americans clearly all over Kabul, there may be Americans in other parts of the country.”

“How can the U.S., the Pentagon, live up to that task of evacuating all Americans? Because we continue to see the violence just outside the airport, and how would you get them from around the country unless you go get them?” she asked.

Milley responded by saying the State Department is working with the Taliban “to facilitate safe passage of American citizens” to the airport. “We have capability do other things if necessary.”

“Can I ask you what that means?” Starr followed up. “Because you also said there were international special forces there that have the capability to extract. And those words suggest very clearly in the military realm you would go get people.”

“That would be a policy decision and if directed we have capabilities that can execute whatever we’re directed,” Milley said.

Austin then jumped in to remark, “I would draw a distinction, Barb, between extracting someone in an extremist condition or circumstance versus going out and collecting up large numbers of American citizens.”

“But you have the capability to go out and collect Americans?” Starr asked.

“We don’t have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people,” Austin said.

Pressed further on the evacuation efforts by another reporter, the Defense Secretary said, “We’re really working hard to get as many people through as possible. And quite frankly, it’s obvious we’re not close to where we want to be in terms of getting the numbers through. So we’re going to work that 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And we’re going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate evacuated. And I’ll do that as long as we possibly can, until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.”

You can watch above, via CNN.