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Less than 24 hours later The last U.S. military plane leaves KabulPresident Biden made a provocative defense of the withdrawal, saying that ending the 20-year U.S. military presence in Afghanistan was the “right decision.”
Biden spoke in a firm tone at the White House on Tuesday, saying that the U.S. military should control airports outside the Afghan capital. Withdrawal deadline on August 31 Will expose them to higher security risks.
“Let me be clear: August 31 is not due to an arbitrary deadline. It is designed to save American lives,” he said.
Biden cited his predecessor Donald Trump’s deal The Taliban ensured the withdrawal, but were responsible for the final decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from the country.
“I will not extend this eternal war, nor will I extend the eternal withdrawal,” he said. “The decision to terminate the military lift operation at Kabul Airport is based on the unanimous recommendations of my civilian and military advisers.”
US Congressmen and Washington’s European allies have urged the president to extend the evacuation at the airport until the end of the month.But Taliban officials have Warning “consequences” If the U.S. military does not fully withdraw as scheduled.
After the virtual machine Group of Seven (G7) Meeting Last week, the President of the European Council Charles Michel stated that the European Union emphasized to Washington that “as long as it is necessary to complete operations, it is necessary to ensure airport security”-this call has been answered by many US lawmakers, among them Including several members of Biden’s Democratic Party.
“I certainly believe that as long as it is necessary to let all Americans leave and fulfill our moral and ethical obligations to our Afghan partners, we will maintain a military presence,” said Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. , Said earlier this month.
Earlier this month, the Taliban took over Afghanistan in a blitzkrieg and arrived in Kabul on August 15 as President Ashraf Ghani get away The country and government forces collapsed.
Almost immediately The Pentagon announces On Monday, the last US flight left Afghanistan, and Republican House of Representatives leader Kevin McCarthy summoned Republican veterans in Congress to condemn Biden.
Congressman Dan Crenshaw, a veteran who had fought in Afghanistan, accused the government of surrendering to the Taliban, which violated Washington’s national security interests.
“They like the slogan’No more endless wars’,” he said. “Our foreign policy is based on emotional slogans, which makes the United States less secure, not more secure.”
On Tuesday, Biden argued that as the United States shifts its foreign policy to focus on global competition with China and Russia, it is in Washington’s strategic interest to withdraw from Afghanistan.
He said: “In this competition, there is nothing more willing and hopeful for China or Russia than the United States to get into trouble again in Afghanistan.”
‘Extraordinary success’
Biden also defended the way the troops were withdrawn-despite the chaos at Kabul Airport.he Call The evacuation mission achieved “extraordinary success”, saying that the United States has airlifted more than 120,000 people out of the country.
“We have completed one of the largest airlifts in history… This number is more than twice what most experts think is possible. No country, no country has done such a thing in the entire history,” Biden said
Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher reported from Washington, DC before Biden’s speech that the images from Kabul in the past two weeks had “caused huge damage” to the US president.
Fisher said: “This is a force described by many politicians as the most powerful military force in the history of the earth. It has been humiliated by the fighters of the rebellion war that has lasted for 20 years.” “For Americans, this is. Not a good day.”
But Fisher pointed out that a new poll conducted by the Pew Research Center showed that 54% of respondents still support the decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan. “This is the number Joe Biden will consider,” he said.
On August 30, a US military plane took off from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul [Wali Sabawoon/AP Photo]Earlier on Tuesday, Afghan-American activist Lida Azim warn The withdrawal of US troops does not necessarily mean that the war is over.
Azim said at a virtual press conference: “If the United States really wants to end an eternal war, it must immediately stop drone attacks and pay compensation and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan civil society abandoned and betrayed by the United States. .”
However, Biden made it clear in his speech that the US military will continue to conduct air operations in Afghanistan in response to “terrorist threats.”
“We will continue to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries,” the President of the United States said. “We just don’t need to fight a ground war to do this. We have so-called over-the-horizon capabilities, which means we can fight terrorists and targets without the US military.”
On Sunday, the Pentagon stated that the target of the U.S. airstrike was militants from the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), Be killed 10 Afghan civilians, including several children, According to family members.
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