CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Interview with Mike Quigley

Interview

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BOLDUAN: Sam, thank you so much for your continued fantastic reporting there. I really appreciate it.

OUTFRONT with me now, Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley. He was just briefed as a member of the House Intelligence Committee on the situation on the ground in Afghanistan. Congressman, I know with any classified briefing, you're going to be limited in what you can share. But how serious do you believe the threat is of an ISIS attack in Afghanistan as we're learning more about the real concerns from the administration?

REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D-IL): Sure. As the administration pointed out, the threat is very real and very serious. We also know that, look, if we had withdrawn five years ago, five years from now, it wouldn't be clean. It would be brutal, just as we are witnessing right now. I think what's important for us and what I would advise the President is we need to complete the mission by fulfilling our commitment protecting those who helped us.

[19:10:02]

That's going to be very tough by August 31st.

BOLDUAN: And I hope you were able to hear from my colleague, Kaitlan Collins, that President Biden is getting some pressure internally to not extend the deadline past the end of the month, because of the fragile security situation on the ground, because concerns are great and growing. Do you think, given the uncertain and dangerous security situation, does that change your opinion, though, if the President should extend past the deadline or not?

QUIGLEY: I think our commitment has to be with those who helped us. This was a 20-year fight and they protected Americans, they kept us safe, they save lives, for us to abandon them. It's just not who we are as a country. I recognize the risks that are involved and I salute our military who were there.

But I think the Taliban is making this far more difficult and time consuming and I think the President needs to make it clear to them, you get out of the way or we're going to stay until everyone is out that we've made this commitment to.

BOLDUAN: Well, coming out of this briefing, are you more concerned or less concerned about the situation on the ground there from what you heard?

QUIGLEY: Look, I think the threats coming out of Afghanistan are consistent for the time. I've been in Congress almost 13 years, half of that on Intel and nothing's changed my understanding of the danger of the situation there and why our role mattered so much.

BOLDUAN: Today, the President's National Security Adviser said it's impossible to know how many Americans are still there and he laid out reasons why. But another member of your committee said to me today that that is exactly the question that he had going into this briefing.

Did you find out the answer to that? How many Americans they believe our in the country?

QUIGLEY: Yes. And again I can't talk about what we were briefed on today.

BOLDUAN: Even if you don't tell me, do you feel comfortable that you have an estimate?

QUIGLEY: No. And I think I understand why it's impossible for us here to understand the true nature of the chaos and the danger that's taking place there right now. There is absolutely no information that people can get. There's no way to transfer information. So I think it's easy to guess.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely, but how do you know how to get out when you're clear to get out, when you've completed this operation, if you don't get a handle, right?

QUIGLEY: Right.

BOLDUAN: I mean, it is a fundamental problem even if it comes from a place of understanding that this is a chaotic situation.

QUIGLEY: That's absolutely true. The best I think you can do right now is to create a safe passage and I recognize how tough that is too. But again, it goes to the President's promise to get all Americans out. It goes to our commitment to get everybody out who helped us.

So it is possible to know exactly how many Americans are still there or with visas or those who are most vulnerable, who we still want to help. All we can do is the best we can. And unless there's a portal to safe passage into the airport, those people won't have a chance communication or not.

BOLDUAN: There's a lot of work ahead.

QUIGLEY: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Congressman, thank you for your time.

QUIGLEY: Thank you.

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