APPRECIATE IT. SO FOR MORE INSIGHT ON THE

SO FOR MORE INSIGHT ON THE ATTACK, A NATIONAL SECURITY AND

ATTACK, A NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY VICE PRESIDENT AT

FOREIGN POLICY VICE PRESIDENT AT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION,

THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION, LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES

LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES CARAFANO, IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU

CARAFANO, IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU IN PERSON.

IN PERSON. IN THE MORNING.

IN THE MORNING. WE TALK A LOT OVER SATELLITE.

WE TALK A LOT OVER SATELLITE. IN REFERENCE TO THE LATEST

IN REFERENCE TO THE LATEST ATTACK, LET’S BEGIN THERE.

ATTACK, LET’S BEGIN THERE. WE HAVE TWO MORE U.S. SERVICE

WE HAVE TWO MORE U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN.

MEMBERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN. WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT GETTING

WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT GETTING THEM OUT.

THEM OUT. THIS IS BEING DESCRIBED AS AN

THIS IS BEING DESCRIBED AS AN INSIDER ATTACK AT THIS POINT.

INSIDER ATTACK AT THIS POINT. WE KNOW THAT IT INVOLVED TWO

WE KNOW THAT IT INVOLVED TWO U.S. ARMY MEMBERS FROM THE

U.S. ARMY MEMBERS FROM THE SEVENTH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP

SEVENTH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP ALSO KNOWN AS THE GREEN BERETS.

ALSO KNOWN AS THE GREEN BERETS. >> HERE’S WHAT’S INTERESTING

>> HERE’S WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT, THIS IS QUITE

ABOUT THAT, THIS IS QUITE COMMON.

COMMON. THEY CALL IT BLUE ON BLUE,

THEY CALL IT BLUE ON BLUE, FRIENDLY FORCES, AFGHAN AND

FRIENDLY FORCES, AFGHAN AND AMERICAN FORCES, ALLIED FORCES

AMERICAN FORCES, ALLIED FORCES WIND UP SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER

WIND UP SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER WHETHER IT WAS ENGINEERED MOST

WHETHER IT WAS ENGINEERED MOST WILY BY THE TALIBAN.

WILY BY THE TALIBAN. WE ALL GOT PUSH BETTER AT

WE ALL GOT PUSH BETTER AT DEALING WITH THIS, ADDING

DEALING WITH THIS, ADDING PROCEDURES TO LIMIT THIS KIND OF

PROCEDURES TO LIMIT THIS KIND OF STUFF.

STUFF. TWO, THE AFGHAN MILITARY

TWO, THE AFGHAN MILITARY ACTUALLY GOT MUCH, MUCH MORE

ACTUALLY GOT MUCH, MUCH MORE PROFESSIONAL.

PROFESSIONAL. WE SEE U.S. UNIFORMS, PEOPLE

WE SEE U.S. UNIFORMS, PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND.

RUNNING AROUND. AND THE THIRD ONE IS AMERICANS

AND THE THIRD ONE IS AMERICANS ARE DOING LESS COMBAT.

ARE DOING LESS COMBAT. WE’RE IN AN ADVISE AND SUPPORT

WE’RE IN AN ADVISE AND SUPPORT ROLE.

ROLE. WE’RE NOT FIGHT AS MUCH AS WE

WE’RE NOT FIGHT AS MUCH AS WE USED TO, AND OUR NUMBERS ARE

USED TO, AND OUR NUMBERS ARE MUCH, MUCH SMALLER.

MUCH, MUCH SMALLER. THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF AN

THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF AN ANOMALY AS OPPOSED TO BUSINESS

ANOMALY AS OPPOSED TO BUSINESS AS USUAL IN AFGHANISTAN.

AS USUAL IN AFGHANISTAN. HEATHER: AN ANOMALY, BUT AT THE

HEATHER: AN ANOMALY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT IS STILL HAPPENING.

SAME TIME IT IS STILL HAPPENING. WE HAVE TWO SERVICE MEMBERS DEAD

WE HAVE TWO SERVICE MEMBERS DEAD AS A RESULT OF IT X. APPARENTLY

AS A RESULT OF IT X. APPARENTLY FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND YOU

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE BIT

CAN EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, THE U.S. MILITARY IS NOT

MORE, THE U.S. MILITARY IS NOT OFFICIALLY CALLING IT AN INSIDER

OFFICIALLY CALLING IT AN INSIDER ATTACK BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE

ATTACK BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE SUSPECT DID HAVE ON AN AFGHAN

SUSPECT DID HAVE ON AN AFGHAN UNIFORM, HE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN

UNIFORM, HE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS DIRECT MISSION THAT WAS

THIS DIRECT MISSION THAT WAS TAKING PLACE.

TAKING PLACE. >> AND THAT’S, AGAIN, SOMETHING

>> AND THAT’S, AGAIN, SOMETHING USED TO BE FAIRLY PREVALENT, GET

USED TO BE FAIRLY PREVALENT, GET AN AFGHAN UNIFORM, SHOW UP AND

AN AFGHAN UNIFORM, SHOW UP AND PEOPLE THINK YOU’RE AN AFGHAN,

PEOPLE THINK YOU’RE AN AFGHAN, BUT YOU’RE REALLY A TALIBAN

BUT YOU’RE REALLY A TALIBAN FIGHTER.

FIGHTER. THE OTHER SCENARIO WAS YOU WOULD

THE OTHER SCENARIO WAS YOU WOULD GET A TALIBAN FIGHTER AND GET

GET A TALIBAN FIGHTER AND GET THEM INTO THE MILITARY AND HAVE

THEM INTO THE MILITARY AND HAVE THEM ATTACK, OR YOU WOULD BRIBE

THEM ATTACK, OR YOU WOULD BRIBE OR SOMEHOW GET A TALIBAN TO DO

OR SOMEHOW GET A TALIBAN TO DO THIS.

THIS. SO WE KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS,

SO WE KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS, SO WE DO VETTING, COORDINATION.

SO WE DO VETTING, COORDINATION. THEY’RE MUCH, MUCH LESS

THEY’RE MUCH, MUCH LESS PREVALENT.

PREVALENT. HEATHER: AND WE ALSO KNOW IN

HEATHER: AND WE ALSO KNOW IN THIS PARTICULAR PROVINCE, IN

THIS PARTICULAR PROVINCE, IN THIS AREA, THERE IS A SMALL HOME

THIS AREA, THERE IS A SMALL HOME OF ISIS FIGHTERS, ABOUT 500 OR

OF ISIS FIGHTERS, ABOUT 500 OR SO LOCATED THERE.

SO LOCATED THERE. WE STILL DON’T KNOW AT THIS

WE STILL DON’T KNOW AT THIS POINT WHO’S CLAIMING

POINT WHO’S CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY.

RESPONSIBILITY. >> YEAH.

>> YEAH. AND THIS IS, LIKE, REALLY

AND THIS IS, LIKE, REALLY CRUCIAL.

CRUCIAL. WHY ARE THE TALIBAN AT THE

WHY ARE THE TALIBAN AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE IN BECAUSE

NEGOTIATING TABLE IN BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY CANNOT WIN.

THEY KNOW THEY CANNOT WIN. EYE CANNOT WIN -- ISIS CANNOT

EYE CANNOT WIN -- ISIS CANNOT WIN.

WIN. THEY ARE BUILDING A FUTURE FOR

THEY ARE BUILDING A FUTURE FOR THEIR COUNTRY, AND THE OTHER

THEIR COUNTRY, AND THE OTHER SIDE CAN’T WIN.

SIDE CAN’T WIN. THAT’S WHY OFTEN TIMES WE SEE

THAT’S WHY OFTEN TIMES WE SEE THESE INCIDENTS ENGINEERED

THESE INCIDENTS ENGINEERED BECAUSE THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET

BECAUSE THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET US TO TURN BACK AND LEAVE.

US TO TURN BACK AND LEAVE. THAT’S EXACTLY THE WRONG

THAT’S EXACTLY THE WRONG MESSAGE.

MESSAGE. HEATHER: WELL, THAT LEADS ME TO

HEATHER: WELL, THAT LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION BECAUSE NATO

MY NEXT QUESTION BECAUSE NATO CONSIDERING LEAVING AFGHANISTAN.

CONSIDERING LEAVING AFGHANISTAN. AT THE SAME TIME WE KNOW THAT

AT THE SAME TIME WE KNOW THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS PROMISED TO

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS PROMISED TO REMOVE OUR TROOPS FROM THERE,

REMOVE OUR TROOPS FROM THERE, AND WE HEARD TREY YINGST TALKING

AND WE HEARD TREY YINGST TALKING ABOUT THE LATEST NUMBERS, ABOUT

ABOUT THE LATEST NUMBERS, ABOUT 13,000 OR SO STILL THERE.

13,000 OR SO STILL THERE. BUT YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD

BUT YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD TODAY THERE.

TODAY THERE. >> WELL, I THINK, ONE, NATO WILL

>> WELL, I THINK, ONE, NATO WILL LEAVE WHEN -- WE WENT IN

LEAVE WHEN -- WE WENT IN TOGETHER, WE’LL COME OUT

TOGETHER, WE’LL COME OUT TOGETHER.

TOGETHER. THIS ADMINISTRATION’S ALREADY

THIS ADMINISTRATION’S ALREADY MADE A DECISION, IT’S GOING TO

MADE A DECISION, IT’S GOING TO GO TO ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN

GO TO ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN 9,000 TROOPS.

9,000 TROOPS. THAT’S ABOUT THE RIGHT NUMBER TO

THAT’S ABOUT THE RIGHT NUMBER TO SUSTAIN ADVISE AND ASSIST

SUSTAIN ADVISE AND ASSIST MISSIONS AND DO

MISSIONS AND DO COUNTERTERRORISM.

COUNTERTERRORISM. THE NUMBER THAT WAS THERE WHEN

THE NUMBER THAT WAS THERE WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS COMING INTO

THE PRESIDENT WAS COMING INTO OFFICE, AND THEY’VE ALREADY

OFFICE, AND THEY’VE ALREADY DECIDED THOSE TROOPS WILL STAY

DECIDED THOSE TROOPS WILL STAY THERE UNTIL THE TALIBAN HAVE

THERE UNTIL THE TALIBAN HAVE ACTUALLY PROVEN THAT THE LEVELS

ACTUALLY PROVEN THAT THE LEVELS OF VIOLENCE HAVE GONE DOWN AND

OF VIOLENCE HAVE GONE DOWN AND THAT THE COUNTRY IS STABLE.

THAT THE COUNTRY IS STABLE. SO IN A SENSE, THE DECISION’S

SO IN A SENSE, THE DECISION’S ALREADY COOKED, THE PRESIDENT’S

ALREADY COOKED, THE PRESIDENT’S ALREADY MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

ALREADY MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. AND I, AS TRAGIC AS INCIDENTS

AND I, AS TRAGIC AS INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ARE, THEY WON’T --

LIKE THIS ARE, THEY WON’T -- HEATHER: OUR PRAYERS, OF COURSE,

HEATHER: OUR PRAYERS, OF COURSE, WITH ALL THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS.

WITH ALL THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS. >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ABSOLUTELY. HEATHER: FINALLY, THERE ARE SOME

HEATHER: FINALLY, THERE ARE SOME SUCCESSES THAT WE NEED TO TALK

SUCCESSES THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF PRESIDENT

ABOUT IN TERMS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS CAMPAIGN, THE

TRUMP AND HIS CAMPAIGN, THE LATEST BEING YET ANOTHER

LATEST BEING YET ANOTHER TERRORIST SUCCESSFULLY KILLED.

TERRORIST SUCCESSFULLY KILLED. >> YEAH.

>> YEAH. THESE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

THESE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK NOT CALLING IT A WAR ON

I THINK NOT CALLING IT A WAR ON TERRORISM ANYMORE MAKES PERFECT

TERRORISM ANYMORE MAKES PERFECT ACCEPT, BUT THEY’RE OUT THERE

ACCEPT, BUT THEY’RE OUT THERE TRYING TO RECONSTITUTE THAT

TRYING TO RECONSTITUTE THAT TRUCKER DO THE KINDS OF THINGS

TRUCKER DO THE KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THEY DID BEFORE, AND WHAT

LIKE THEY DID BEFORE, AND WHAT YOU WITH NEVER WANT THE

YOU WITH NEVER WANT THE LEADERSHIP TO HAVE A GOOD

LEADERSHIP TO HAVE A GOOD NIGHT’S REST OR A SAFE HAVEN.

NIGHT’S REST OR A SAFE HAVEN. AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN

AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GO AND HAVE THE

CONTINUE TO GO AND HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE WORLDWIDE TO FIND

INTELLIGENCE WORLDWIDE TO FIND LEADERS OF SIGNIFICANT GROUPS

LEADERS OF SIGNIFICANT GROUPS AND TAKE THEM OUT, THAT PUTS A

AND TAKE THEM OUT, THAT PUTS A LOT OF OPERATIONAL TRAIN ON THE

LOT OF OPERATIONAL TRAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE.

OTHER SIDE. AND IT REALLY KEEPS THEM FROM

AND IT REALLY KEEPS THEM FROM COMING BACK AND ORGANIZING THE

COMING BACK AND ORGANIZING THE MASSIVE KIND OF ATTACKS LIKE

MASSIVE KIND OF ATTACKS LIKE THEY DID ON 9/11.

THEY DID ON 9/11. HEATHER: AND LEADERS BEING THAT

HEATHER: AND LEADERS BEING THAT KEYWORD.

KEYWORD. AND ALSO IT IMPACTS THE MORALE.

AND ALSO IT IMPACTS THE MORALE. AND WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL MEDIA’S

AND WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL MEDIA’S SPREADING AND INCREASING MORALE

SPREADING AND INCREASING MORALE IS A LARGE WAY THEY --

IS A LARGE WAY THEY -- >> AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THAT’S

>> AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THAT’S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM,

NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY’RE RIGHT, IT’S NOT.

AND THEY’RE RIGHT, IT’S NOT. BUT IT’S A KEY COMPONENT OF

BUT IT’S A KEY COMPONENT OF KEEPING THE THREAT UNDER

KEEPING THE THREAT UNDER CONTROL, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP