A day after Taliban took control over Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden on Monday, said that he stands by his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan.
During the 15-minute-long address to the Americans Biden said that he had to choose between sticking to a previously negotiated agreement to withdraw US troops this year or sending thousands more service members back into Afghanistan to fight a third decade of conflict.
“I stand squarely behind my decision. After 20 years, I’ve learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces.”
He said he had inherited the deal struck by former President Donald Trump with the Taliban, according to which there was no ceasefire or agreement protecting the US forces in Afghanistan post May 1.
“I always promised Americans that I’ll be straight with them. The truth is, this did unfold more quickly than we anticipated, even though we planned for every contingency.”
“Afghan political leaders gave up and fled the country. The military collapsed, in some places without trying to fight,” he said adding that we spent over a trillion dollars. We gave the Afghans every chance. But we couldn’t provide them the will to fight for their future.
He also said that 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.
“We spent over a trillion dollars. We gave the Afghans every chance. But we couldn’t provide them the will to fight for their future,” Joe Biden said.
Ms Kalinga