The US military withdrawal from Afghanistan will be completed sooner than expected. The date is now August 31 instead of September 11, President Biden said. According to him, the withdrawal of troops is going faster than expected.
According to Biden, the American goal of dismantling al-Qaeda and killing Osama bin Laden has been achieved. And that concludes the mission for him.
“We achieved those goals, that’s what we went for. We did not go to Afghanistan to build a nation, and it is the right and responsibility of the Afghan people to decide their future and how which he wants to lead his country, “he said. Biden.
The advance of the Taliban
The departure of the Western military and the rapid advance of the Taliban have worried the Afghan population for weeks. The Taliban have seized power in at least 150 of Afghanistan’s 421 districts in two months.
The Afghan military must now provide security in the country, and Biden says he is confident in that. He argues that the estimated 75,000 Taliban fighters should “no match” against the 300,000 Afghan security forces.
The American units remain in withdrawal: 650 soldiers remain in Afghanistan to guard, among others, the American embassy and the airport of Kabul. And if necessary, the United States will send another 300 Americans to Afghanistan to provide security.
Most Americans are already gone
Despite the growing influence of the Taliban, Biden maintains 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’s now up to the Afghans themselves to decide. Two weeks ago, he urged Afghan President Ghani for a peaceful solution. “Afghan leaders must come together and talk about a future that Afghans want and deserve,” the president said.
Dutch soldiers have also been active in Afghanistan for 20 years. A glimpse of 20 years in exactly 4 minutes:
“Devoted bacon guru. Award-winning explorer. Internet junkie. Web lover.”