President Biden
Joe BidenUS evacuates all Afghan embassy staff: Biden report visits FEMA headquarters as Ida points to New Orleans Romney: Afghanistan crisis is blamed on Biden and Trump administrations MORE will speak Tuesday with the nation about the end of the war in Afghanistan, which ended Monday after 20 years when the final U.S. military planes left the country.
Biden, in a statement shortly after the Pentagon confirmed the end of the war, thanked the military service of the U.S. Army. He said he would offer a more detailed explanation on Tuesday or his decision not to extend the mission in September.
“For the time being, I will report that it was the unanimous recommendation of the joint leaders and all our commanders on the ground to complete our air transport mission as planned,” Biden said. “His view was that ending our military mission was the best way to protect the lives of our troops and ensure the prospects of civilian exits for those who want to leave Afghanistan in the coming weeks and months.”
Biden faces particular reaction from Republicans after Pentagon officials said they were unable to evacuate all Americans from Afghanistan who wanted to leave. Conservatives accused Biden of abandoning American citizens and noted his comments earlier this month in which the president stressed that any American who wanted to return home would be taken home.
Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. command, told reporters during a briefing Monday afternoon in Washington that Americans who wanted to leave and were not evacuated are “very low “.
“I think we will get these people out. I think we will also negotiate very hard and very aggressively to get the other Afghan partners out, “McKenzie said.” Our desire to get these people out continues to be as intense as before. “
Biden stated in his statement that he has as Secretary of State Anthony Blink
Antony BlinkenBiden orders DHS to take the lead in resettling Afghan refugees. The top Chinese diplomat calls on the world to “positively guide” the U.S. Taliban; 97 more countries say they expect the Taliban to guarantee a “safe and orderly” trip out of Afghanistan MORE with coordinating efforts to ensure that U.S. and Afghan allies can safely leave Afghanistan in the coming weeks.
“The Taliban have made safe passage commitments and the world will stick to their commitments,” Biden said. “It will include ongoing diplomacy in Afghanistan and coordination with partners in the region to reopen the airport, allowing the continued departure of those who want to leave and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.”
He expressed his gratitude for the diplomats and troops who carried out the evacuation work in recent weeks, as well as for the volunteers who have helped and will help the refugees in the coming weeks.
Biden closed by acknowledging the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing last week in front of Kabul airport, the deadliest incident in Afghanistan for U.S. troops in several years. Biden met on Saturday with the families of the fallen troops during a dignified transfer of his remains to the Dover Air Force Base.