The American troops in Afghanistan have left that country earlier than planned. That will happen on August 31 instead of September 11, President Biden has said. The withdrawal of the troops is going faster than expected, he said.
Biden says the Americans have succeeded in dismantling al-Qaeda and killing Osama bin Laden. And with that, as far as he is concerned, the mission is complete.
“We achieved those goals, that’s what we went for. We didn’t go to Afghanistan to build a nation, and it is the right and responsibility of the Afghan people to decide their future and how they want to run their country.” said Biden.
Advance of the Taliban
The departure of the Western military and the rapid advance of the Taliban have been causing concern for weeks among the Afghan population who remain behind. The Taliban have taken power in at least 150 of Afghanistan’s 421 districts in two months.
The Afghan army must now guarantee security in the country, and Biden says he has confidence in that.
However, American units remain in the background: 650 soldiers remain in Afghanistan to guard, among other things, the American embassy and the airport in Kabul. And if necessary, the US will send 300 more Americans to Afghanistan to ensure security.
Most Americans already gone
Despite the growing influence of the Taliban, Biden stands by his decision to leave (earlier). “The current security situation confirms that fighting another year in Afghanistan is not a solution, but a confirmation that otherwise we must stay there forever,” he said.
Biden says it is now up to the Afghans themselves. Two weeks ago, he urged Afghan President Ghani for a peaceful solution. “Afghan leaders need to come together and talk about a future Afghans want and deserve,” the president said.
Dutch soldiers were also active in Afghanistan for 20 years. An overview of 20 years in exactly 4 minutes:
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