Mullen called the drone strike in Afghanistan a “tragic and tragic mistake”.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen on Sunday said recognition by U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie that the August 29 drone strike near Kabul airport was “an error” was the correct answer.
“I thought what General McKenzie had done was right,” Mullen told ABC “This Week” co-host Martha Raddatz.
Ten civilians were killed in the strike, which the United States said targeted a terrorist but instead killed an aid worker, seven children and others in the area.
“We now believe that it is unlikely that the vehicle and the deceased were associated with ISIS-Khorasan or posed a direct threat to US forces,” McKenzie said Friday.
“I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of those who were killed,” he added.
“How can such a huge mistake happen? Raddatz asked the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“We’ve been doing this for years… we’ve had drone strikes that have been very effective for many years and haven’t killed any civilians and we’ve also had drone strikes that have,” Mullen said. .
He added that the ability beyond the horizon – or air strikes that don’t require troops to be based in the country – is there, but executing the strike in a “confused environment” helped the difficulty of the situation. .
“And should there be some responsibility for that?” Raddatz asked Mullen.
“I absolutely think he should,” Mullen replied.
He also added that there should be some responsibility for the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, adding: “I hope there is.”
Separately, Mullen also spoke about the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley in light of the Washington Post reporters’ revelations of Bob Woodward and Robert Costa’s new book, “Peril.” According to the book, Milley secretly contacted Chinese military leaders during the final months of Donald Trump’s presidency and assured them that Trump would not attack to stay in power.
Mullen echoed other leaders who said communicating “with counterparts around the world is routine” and added that he was encouraged that the line of communication with China had remained open during the tumultuous time.
“There was a time when we had no communication with China, or we would have a problem with China, they were cutting all connections from millet to millet,” Mullen said.
However, Mullen said that the assurance Milley gave China that he would call them in the event of a strike was not routine, and on that point he told Raddatz: “Yes, well, I hope that in fact – – that part is not true. “
Mullen said he was more worried about China being worried about a US nuclear attack.
“This speaks to the need to have these open communications, so that we are not mistaken,” he said.
Milley reportedly went so far as to ensure he would be alerted if Trump took steps to launch an attack on China. As the president’s military adviser, he is also outside the chain of command.
Mullen cited the extra precaution as “fairly routine … for something so serious”.
Mullen also said he sympathizes with the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“I don’t know if anyone has been in a more difficult situation than Mark Milley,” Mullen said. “I know him well enough to know that he would really try to do the best thing for our country. And I think he did.”
