Hurd Joins Colleagues in Obtaining Assurances on Potential U.S. Deal with Taliban

I joined over 20 of my colleagues in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, requesting assurances that a potential U.S. agreement with the Taliban would not jeopardize our security or undermine the current Afghan government.

I dealt with a lot of bad guys during my time in the CIA, and one thing I learned is that previous actions are a good indicator of future ones. The war in Afghanistan should come to an end and it’s in the Taliban’s hands to make this happen. However, the Taliban has never demonstrated a willingness to be a real partner in peace. Any deal and all agreements the U.S. government signs with them should be made public. I hope Secretaries Pompeo and Esper in their efforts to conclude negotiations proceed with caution and prioritize our national security, rather than just getting a deal signed.

You can read the full letter to the secretaries here.