Biden takes responsibility for decision on US withdrawal from Afghanistan

US President Joe Biden delivered a strong message to the nation from the White House on Tuesday, a day after the final plane carrying American troops left Afghanistan, formally ending the country's longest war. Taking responsibility for the decision, the US President said that his government would continue to seek to assist remaining Americans in leaving the war-torn nation.

'I take responsibility for the decision'

President Biden described the withdrawal from Afghanistan as an "extraordinary success" on Tuesday, despite the fact that dozens of Americans and thousands of Afghan comrades were left behind. In the face of strong criticism, Biden "respectfully disagreed" with those saying that the evacuation process should have started earlier. 

"I take responsibility for the decision,” Biden said, adding that some level of turmoil was unavoidable. Biden noted, "Some say we should have started it sooner. I respectfully disagree... Had it been before, it would have led to rush, or a civil war... There is no evacuation from the end of a war without challenges, threats we face."

The US President said that his government worked relentlessly to assist Americans in leaving Afghanistan before the final US troops left this week and that diplomatic efforts would continue now that military operations have stopped.

Biden defends Afghanistan withdrawal

President Joe Biden fiercely rejected criticism of his plan to stick to a deadline to withdraw from Afghanistan this week, leaving up to 200 Americans and thousands of U.S.-aligned Afghan citizens in the country. Former US President Donald Trump remarked as the US flew its final military flight out of Kabul that never in history has a retreat from war been handled so terribly or incompetently as President Joe Biden's government in Afghanistan. Trump said on Monday, “Never in history has a withdrawal from war been handled so badly or incompetently as the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan”.

"The success of this evacuation (from Afghanistan) was due to selfless courage of our military. They risked their lives to serve others... 'not in a mission of war but in a mission of mercy'...No nation has ever done this in history, it's only United States," he remarked.

"Decision to end US military presence in Afghanistan was based on a unanimous recommendation by civilian, military advisors, service chiefs & commanders in the field. Their recommendation for safe passage of remaining Americans was not to continue," Biden stated.

In a statement, US President Joe Biden stated that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was the "best, wise and right decision," adding that the alternative was to depart from the country or escalate the fight. "I believe this is the 'right decision, wise decision and the best decision'. The war in Afghanistan is now over. I am the fourth president to have faced this issue on how to end this war... I made a commitment to Americans to end this war, I honoured it," he mentioned."

(with inputs from ANI/AP)

Picture Credit: AP