WORLD

Biden defends 'messy' US pullout from Afghanistan

17.08.21 10:50


President Joe Biden has said he stands "squarely" behind the US exit from Afghanistan as he faces withering criticism over the Taliban's lightning conquest of the war-torn country.

 

"How many more American lives is it worth?" asked the Democratic president.

 

He said that despite the "messy" pullout, "there was never a good time to withdraw US forces".

 

On Sunday, the Taliban declared victory after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled and his government collapsed.

 

The militants' return to rule brings an end to almost 20 years of a US-led coalition's presence in the country.

 

Kabul was the last major city in Afghanistan to fall to a Taliban offensive that began months ago but accelerated in recent days as they gained control of territories, shocking many observers.

 

Mr Biden returned on Monday to the White House from the Camp David presidential retreat to make his first public remarks on Afghanistan in nearly a week.

 

"If anything, the developments of the past week reinforce that ending US military involvement in Afghanistan now was the right decision," said Mr Biden.

 

"American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves."

 



source: IPN 

 

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