A former defense secretary to President Ronald Reagan was left unimpressed by President Biden’s “disingenuous” speech on the current crisis in Afghanistan. During an interview with Fox News, Francis “Bing” West slammed President Biden’s speech and his defense of the decision to withdraw troops from the country and said that he’s confident Al Qaeda will return.

West criticized Biden’s speech saying it struck him how defensive the president was in claiming he is right.

“He’s not in the right and he didn’t tell the truth,” West said to Fox News.

Fox News reports:

“We could continue this indefinitely and keep the terrorists from taking power in Afghanistan,” West told Fox News, noting that Afghan forces were doing the fighting prior to the U.S. withdrawal.

“Al Qaeda  will again show its viper head, and I have no doubt that within six months, we will be striking targets inside Afghanistan,” West said. “No matter what the president is saying today, that’s going to happen.”

“I’m afraid that President Biden has made a terrible mistake that’s going to come back to bite us,” he continued.

West also criticized top Pentagon officials for not having an evacuation plan and called out Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for not addressing the troops and veterans that served in Afghanistan. There have been widespread media reports noting the frustration and mental health struggles veterans have struggled with while watching the Taliban sweep through a nation they fought to protect.

West said that the lack of planning was a “failure” by the U.S. military.