‘It is time to end America’s longest war’: Biden to announce full withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan
Afghanistan #Afghanistan
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is expected to say in a speech Wednesday announcing his plans to fully withdraw troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 that the country “cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result.”
“I am now the fourth American president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan. Two Republicans. Two Democrats,” Biden will say, according to excerpts shared by the White House. “I will not pass this responsibility to a fifth.”
“It is time to end America’s longest war. It is time for American troops to come home.”
Biden’s decision to withdraw the troops, which is expected to begin before the May 1 deadline for complete withdrawal outlined in a deal the Trump administration reached with the Taliban, comes after a three-month Afghanistan policy review.
Biden plans to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11
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The review determined that any national security threat from Afghanistan is at a “level that we can address it without a persistent military footprint in the country and without being at war with the Taliban,” an administration official said.
Biden is expected to say in his speech that the United States will continue to support the Afghanistan government and will provide assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. The U.S. will also continue diplomatic and humanitarian work in the country and will support peace talks.
“We went to Afghanistan because of a horrific attack that happened 20 years ago,” Biden will say. “That cannot explain why we should remain there in 2021.”
Biden is expected to deliver his speech at 2:15 pm ET at the White House.