Biden defiantly defends Afghanistan exit: 'I make no apologies for what I did'


President Biden held a press conference on Wednesday, marking the end of his first year in office, and offered a firm defense of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"I make no apologies for what I did," Biden told reporters. His administration drew scrutiny for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in August, only for the Taliban to rapidly take control of the country, with some critics arguing the U.S. should have known how quickly the government would fall without American support. But Biden suggested Wednesday there was nothing else that could have been done to bolster Afghan allies.
"Raise your hand if you think anyone was going to be able to unify Afghanistan under one single government," he said. "It's been the graveyard of empires for a solid reason. It is not susceptible to unity."
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.
He also suggested it was not the responsibility of the U.S. to fix Afghanistan's challenges, just as it cannot fix every other problem worldwide. "Do I feel badly about what's happening as a consequence of the incompetence of the Taliban? Yes, I do," he said. "But I feel badly also about the fistulas still taking place in eastern Congo. I feel badly about a whole range of things around the world ... we can't solve every problem."
Biden's defiant comments unsurprisingly sparked criticism from many of the same camps who criticized the withdrawal and handling of the fallout.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’
Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailout
Talking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland