Biden defends decision to withdraw from Afghanistan

On Thursday (8 July), Beden, speaking of the withdrawal of American troops after nearly 20 years, said that “Afghan leaders must unite and lead the country towards a future”.

“We did not go to Afghanistan to build”, the American president said.

According to him, the US Army has “reached” its intentions in this country to defeat Al-Qaeda and prevent more attacks on the United States.

Many local Afghan workers who have been engaged by foreign forces have expressed fears that following the withdrawal of these forces, there may be revenge on them.

But President Biden said Afghans who worked for American forces would be guaranteed security.

The “is a home for you in the United States”, Biden said, adding that Washington will begin evacuation flights this month.

The 20-year-old US and NATO military mission in Afghanistan is ending, but violence in this country continues to escalate as daily reports of fighting between government forces and Taliban.

Under an agreement with the militant group, reached in Doha, the US and its NATO allies have agreed to withdraw all troops, in exchange for commitment of the Taliban not to allow al-Qaeda or any other extremist group, to operate in areas they control.

The Taliban are extending control to many parts of the country by defeating government forces.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghan said on Thursday that his country is facing a difficult transition as American troops complete their withdrawal, but insisted that government forces have the capacity to fight the Taliban.

The “we are seeing is one of the most complicated stages of transition”, he said in a speech in Kabul.

US President Joe Biden said he was convinced the Afghan armed forces could resist the Taliban.

The US and Allied forces have joined Afghanistan in 2001, following al-Qaeda's terrorist attacks in the US on September 11th, 2001. / REL