Afghanistan Withdrawal: Biden Stands Firm Despite Harsh Criticism
“I lost friends in Afghanistan. We’ve seen this before in how Obama-Biden withdrew from Iraq in 2011. Same leadership. Same failure.” - U.S. Rep. Mark Green
Reports of violence and chaos in Afghanistan as the Taliban asserted control of the nation has sparked criticism of President Joe Biden, but the president reaffirmed his commitment Monday to the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Biden ordered 5,000 troops last week to return to Afghanistan temporarily to help evacuate the U.S. embassy. Those troops were needed after a sweeping takeover of the nation by the Taliban, the Islamic extremist group known for its violence, oppression of women and involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Biden addressed the fallout of the U.S. removal of troops from Afghanistan in a speech from the White House.
“Here’s what I believe to my core,” Biden said. “It is wrong to order American troops to step up when Afghanistan’s own armed forces would not. The political leaders of Afghanistan were unable...