WASHINGTON >> President Joe Biden said today that he would withdraw the remaining US troops from the “eternal war” in Afghanistan, stating that the terrorist attacks of September 11th 20 years ago could not justify the fact that the American armed forces are still in the longest War the nation will die.
His plan is to withdraw all American forces – now 2,500 – by September 11th, the anniversary of the attacks coordinated from Afghanistan. Shortly after Biden’s announcement, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that the alliance had agreed to withdraw its approximately 7,000 armed forces from Afghanistan, which corresponds to Biden’s decision to begin a final withdrawal by May 1.
The US cannot continue pouring resources into a persistent war and expect other outcomes, Biden said.
The withdrawal would begin sooner than it would be completed by May 1, which was the deadline for full withdrawal under a peace deal the Trump administration struck with the Taliban last year.
“It is time to end America’s longest war,” said Biden, but added that the US “will not be in any hasty rush to exit.”
“We cannot continue the cycle of expanding or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan, hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal and expect a different outcome,” said Biden, who delivered his address from the White House treaty room. the same place where President George W. Bush announced the start of the war. “I am now the fourth US president to head an American troop presence in Afghanistan. Two republicans. Two democrats. I will not transfer this responsibility to a fifth. “
Biden’s announcement, which he followed up with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, marked perhaps the most important foreign policy decision at the start of his presidency.
He has long been skeptical of the US presence in Afghanistan. As Barack Obama’s Vice President, Biden was a lonely voice in government, also making it clear to the 44th Biden that he wants to realign US foreign policy to meet the greater challenges facing China and Russia.
The withdrawal of all US troops carries clear risks. It could intensify efforts by the Taliban to regain power and reverse the progress made over the past two decades towards democracy and women’s rights. It also opens Biden to criticism, mostly Republicans and some Democrats, though former President Donald Trump had also wanted a full retreat.
“This administration has decided to abandon US efforts in Afghanistan that have helped keep radical Islamic terrorism at bay,” said Senate Republican Chairman Mitch McConnell. “And bizarrely, they decided to do this by September 11th.”
While Biden’s decision will keep the U.S. forces in Afghanistan four months longer than originally planned, it puts a permanent end to a two-decade war that left more than 2,200 soldiers dead, 20,000 wounded, and costing up to $ 1 trillion .
Biden spoke to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani before his speech today. The White House said in a statement that Biden had told Ghani that the United States would continue to provide development, humanitarian and security assistance to the Afghan people.
“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan respects the US decision and we will work with our US partners to ensure a smooth transition,” Ghani said in a Twitter post.
Biden also spoke to former President Bush before announcing his decision. He also spoke to allies, military leaders, lawmakers and Vice President Kamala Harris to make his decision, according to the White House.
He stressed that his government would continue to support peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban and support international efforts to train the Afghan military.
Biden noted that the “Eternal War” had resulted in soldiers who were killed at the time of the 9/11 attacks.
“The war in Afghanistan was never intended to be a cross-generational endeavor,” said Biden.
Obama, who had hoped to end the war in the end during his tenure, said in a statement that he supported Biden’s decision that “it is time to recognize that we have accomplished everything militarily, and that it is time bring our remaining troops home. “
Following his speech, Biden visited Arlington National Cemetery to honor the dead who died in recent American conflicts. After Biden paid his respects, he told reporters that it was “absolutely clear” to him that ending the war was the right decision. Biden reflected on the service of his own late son, Beau Biden, in his speech and visit to the sacred cemetery. The president’s son, who died of cancer in 2015, was stationed with the Delaware Army National Guard in Iraq.
“I am always amazed that women and men from generation to generation give their lives for this country,” said Biden. “That means I have trouble showing up in this cemetery these days and not thinking about my son.”
CIA Director William Burns admitted at a hearing today that America’s ability to contain the terrorist threat in Afghanistan has benefited from its military presence there and that, if that presence is withdrawn, “the US government’s ability to collect and threaten threats.” to react to it, will decrease ”.
“It’s just a fact,” said Burns. “However, it is also a fact that after the withdrawal, whenever that time comes, the CIA and all of our partners in the US government will retain a number of capabilities, some of which will persist, some of which will be generated by us. “That can help us anticipate and contest any reconstruction effort.”
A senior administrative official said the September withdrawal date was an absolute deadline that would not be affected by security conditions in Afghanistan.
The long conflict has largely paralyzed al-Qaeda and resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the 9/11 attacks. But an American withdrawal will also jeopardize many of the achievements in democracy, women’s rights and governance, while ensuring that the Taliban, who provided al-Qaeda as a haven, remain strong and control large parts of the country.
When Biden announced his decision, his key national security advisers – Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin – held a meeting in Brussels to coordinate NATO’s withdrawal from Afghanistan with the planned withdrawal of American troops.
NATO chief Stoltenberg said the alliance’s full withdrawal would be completed “in months,” but made no mention of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“We went to Afghanistan together, we adjusted our stance together and we agreed to leave together,” he said.
