The former head of U.S. Central Command issued a warning on Sunday, stating that the Islamic State terror group harbors a “strong desire” to launch attacks on the U.S. and other foreign powers. He emphasized that this threat is continually increasing.
Retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, in an interview with ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz, emphasized the importance of believing them when they make promises. He stated, “We should believe them when they say that. They’re going to try to do it.”
“I believe that the threat is increasing,” McKenzie emphasized, highlighting the dangers posed by affiliates such as ISIS-K. This concern arises following the broader group’s claim of responsibility for a recent deadly attack in Moscow. Additionally, the group has also claimed responsibility for a large-scale bombing in Iran back in January.”
“It started to grow as soon as we departed from Afghanistan, relieving pressure on ISIS-K. Therefore, we should anticipate more similar attempts targeting not only the United States but also our allies and other countries around the world,” stated McKenzie. He firmly believes that such attacks are bound to happen.”
According to McKenzie, the author of “The Melting Point” and a former commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, including during the exit from Afghanistan, the United States has sufficient military presence in Iraq and Syria to combat extremists in those regions.
However, he maintains the belief that the United States should have maintained a small troop presence in Afghanistan instead of opting for a complete withdrawal in August 2021. This decision marked the end of America’s longest war.
President Joe Biden has previously emphasized the importance of having an “over-the-horizon capability” to take prompt and decisive action in Afghanistan, even from a remote location. However, McKenzie contradicted this assertion.
He mentioned that the present circumstances on the ground in Afghanistan have severely limited our ability to gather intelligence within the country and execute military operations.
He said that it is a great advantage for the Islamic State and similar militant groups.
According to the speaker, applying continuous pressure on the adversaries in their own territory and stronghold would hinder their ability to carry out such attacks. However, he laments that this pressure is no longer being exerted, allowing them to grow in strength and freely strategize and coordinate their actions.
“If the U.S. and its allies had maintained a military presence in Afghanistan, I truly believe that the situation would have been different,” stated McKenzie. “In fact, I dare say that we might even be in a safer position than we currently find ourselves in.”
The recent attack in Russia on March 22 highlights a significant concern regarding the ability of militants to regroup and strategize for large-scale operations, according to McKenzie. However, he also emphasizes that these efforts are more susceptible to detection.
The U.S. has informed the Kremlin about a potential terrorist attack well in advance, following the principle of “duty to warn.”
During a recent interview, McKenzie expressed his belief that the Russians had a significant opportunity to prevent this attack if they had taken the time to carefully consider the information that was presented to them.
During an interview on “This Week,” McKenzie explained to Raddatz that militants can be radicalized in various ways, including through online influence campaigns and training provided in person. However, he also highlighted the significant threat posed by self-radicalization, stating that it may be one of the most dangerous methods employed by ISIS to incite attacks.
According to the expert, these attacks are typically lacking in coordination, planning, and support. However, they can still pose a significant threat due to their elusive nature, making them difficult to detect.
In addition, McKenzie shared his perspective on the difficulties encountered by the Israeli military in its efforts to combat Hamas militants in Gaza following the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7th.
The escalating casualties resulting from the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting over 32,000 casualties, have sparked a growing global outcry.
According to McKenzie, the Israelis are facing a genuine dilemma as they strive to finalize the ground campaign in Gaza. He believes that this upcoming period will be extremely challenging for them.
