Biden doubles down on decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan
US president Joe Biden has doubled down on his decision to withdraw American soldiers from Afghanistan.
In a speech delivered from the White House last night, Biden reiterated that staying in the country beyond the 31 August deadline was not an option.
In an address to the nation, Biden said 5,500 Americans had been evacuated from Afghanistan.
His remarks were the first since the final round of US troops left the country yesterday, ending their 20 year presence in the country.
“I was not going to extend this forever war,” Biden said, explaining that the decision to pull out of the country was “not just about Afghanistan. It’s about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries.”
Taliban militants fired rounds into the air in celebration of the US’s withdrawal yesterday.
Biden said the only alternative to leaving Afghanistan would have been to increase the number of military personnel in the country and continue a war that “should have ended long ago.”
The UK has sent officials to several countries on Afghanistan’s boarder to help Afghans leave the country.