With U.S. troops now officially gone from Afghanistan, President Biden spoke Tuesday both in defense of his withdrawal decision and in celebration of the war's end, while simultaneously addressing the massive military evacuation effort that's received plenty of criticism from both sides of the aisle.
Biden once again said he was bound by the exit agreement former President Donald Trump's administration made with the Taliban, and he agreed it was in America's interest to withdraw from Afghanistan. The "real choice," he said, was "between leaving or escalating," and "I was not going to extend this forever war" or "a forever exit." Biden also said he views the mission as "an extraordinary success" due to the "incredible skill, [bravery], and selfless courage of the U.S. military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
-
Global court issues arrest warrant for NetanyahuSpeed Read The International Criminal Court issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who stand accused of war crimes
-
Gaetz bows out, Trump pivots to Pam BondiSpeed Read Gaetz withdrew from attorney generation consideration, making way for longtime Trump loyalist Pam Bondi
-
ATACMS: the long-range American missiles being fired by UkraineThe Explainer President Joe Biden has authorized their use for the first time in the war
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom banSpeed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid warSpeed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freezeSpeed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bansSpeed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
