Biden Defends U.S. Withdraw From Afghanistan: ‘I Stand Squarely Behind My Decision’

Biden Defends U.S. Withdraw From Afghanistan:, ‘I Stand Squarely Behind My Decision’.

On Monday, Biden delivered a speech addressing the recent turmoil in Afghanistan.

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The Taliban seized control of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, marking the collapse of the nation’s government.

Biden said that despite the current chaos he stands “squarely behind [his] decision” to withdraw U.S. troops.

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I stand squarely behind my decision … After 20 years, I’ve learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw, Joe Biden, via 'NYT'.

He said to stay would be to “[lurch] into the third decade of conflict.”.

The choice I had to make as your president was either to follow through on the agreement to drawdown our forces … or escalating the conflict and sending thousands more American troops back into combat and lurching into the third decade of conflict, Joe Biden, via 'NYT'.

Biden admitted that the Taliban’s retaking of control “unfold[ed] more quickly” than anticipated.

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We were clear-eyed about the risks, we planned for every contingency.

But I always promised the American people I would be straight with you … The truth is, this did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated, Joe Biden, via 'NYT'.

However, Biden insisted that the blame of the Taliban takeover lay on the country’s political leaders and military.

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Afghanistan political leaders gave up and fled the country … If anything, the developments of the past week reinforce that ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan now was the right decision, Joe Biden, via 'NYT'.

The U.S. military currently has control of Kabul’s airport and is evacuating embassy staffers and allied personnel.

A total of 6,000 U.S. troops were authorized for deployment to Afghanistan by Biden on Saturday to assist in an “orderly and safe drawdown.”.

… to make sure we can have an orderly and safe drawdown of US personnel and other allied personnel and an orderly and safe evacuation of Afghans who helped our troops during our mission and those at special risk from the Taliban advance, Joe Biden, via 'NYT'