Congressman who visited Kabul says U.S. needs a ‘productive relationship’ with the Taliban

On Cuomo Prime Time Thursday, Rep. Seth Moulton stopped by fresh off a secret trip he made to Afghanistan earlier this week, along with his Republican colleague and fellow Iraq war veteran, Peter Meijer.

And when asked to evaluate President Biden’s August 31st evacuation deadline, Moulton said that after being over there and speaking with commanders on the ground, the mission at hand should really be about what comes after the deadline. And that’s because of the thousands of people who will inevitably be left behind no matter what date is set for final evacuations.

“We're not going to get everybody out in time, so we have to have a productive relationship with the Taliban going forward. As bizarre as that sounds,” Moulton said. “We have to have a productive relationship with the Taliban going forward, if we have any chance of getting the thousands that we leave behind when we do go, out in the future.”

Video transcript

- Now that you've been there, and the military leaders tell you the same thing there, that they're not going to be done by the 31st, why should the 31st be a real ending?

- Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton stops by Cuomo Prime Time, Thursday, fresh off a secret and controversial trip he made to Afghanistan earlier this week with his Republican colleague and fellow Iraq war veteran, Peter Meyer. [? A ?] asked to evaluate President Biden's August 31 evacuation deadline. Moulton said that, after talking with commanders on the ground, the mission should really be about what comes after the deadline.

SETH MOULTEN: We're not going to get everybody out in time, so we have to have a productive relationship with the Taliban going forward as bizarre as that sounds. We have to have a productive relationship with the Taliban going forward if we have any chance of getting the thousands that we leave behind, when we do go, out in the future.

- And while looking beyond the 31st is important, Moulton said that having the deadline in place does matter, especially when it comes to having that productive relationship he envisions.

SETH MOULTEN: And the only way we can do that is if we abide by the agreement that's been negotiated, at this point, which is to leave on August 31. It's heartbreaking, but that's the position that we've been in. And that's the position that people in Washington have put our troops in.

- Even though Moulton's trip wasn't very well received by Nancy Pelosi, and others, he told Cuomo that he doesn't care what people are saying in Washington, and that saving lives is what matters to him. And he was moved to see, firsthand, the brave young men and women who are over there doing it.

SETH MOULTEN: It was actually-- it was absolutely extraordinary. And I've seen a lot, Chris. I've been through a lot. I've never been more proud to be an American than I was that day at Abby Gate.