Biden defends U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

Biden defends U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

Biden defends U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

By the Associated Press:

President Joe Biden has addressed the nation on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, defending the U.S. military airlift to extract some 120,000 Afghans, Americans and other allies to end a 20 year war as an “extraordinary success.”

More than 100 Americans and thousands of Afghans looking to leave were left behind, but Biden said diplomatic and other efforts would continue to get them out.

Biden’s speech to the nation on Tuesday came 24 hours after the departure of the last American aircraft from Kabul. He said, in his words, “I was not going to extend this forever war. And I was not going to extend a forever exit.”


The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reflected on the Afghanistan war’s end and delivered an emotional tribute Tuesday to the 13 service members killed by a suicide bombing last week.

Gen. Mark Milley said the military’s counterterrorism efforts over the past 20 years and the evacuation of 124,000 people from Afghanistan in the last 20 days are the legacy of U.S. service members. In his words, “We’re now closing a chapter in our nation’s history.”

Milley said the 11 Marines, one soldier and one Navy corpsman who died in the suicide bombing “gave their tomorrows for the tomorrows of 124,000 people.” He added that “one thing I am certain of, for any soldier, sailor, airman or Marine and their families, your service mattered. It was not in vain.”

 

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