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Afghan leaders unable to fight for country's future, says Biden
Joe Biden has faced criticism for blaming the Taliban’s takeover on Afghanistan officials and Donald Trump while standing firmly by his own decision to withdraw US troops.
The US president insisted he had to decide between asking American forces to fight endlessly in what he called Afghanistan’s civil war or follow through on an agreement to withdraw negotiated by his predecessor.
In a national address called by the White House hours after Kabul fell to the Taliban, Mr Biden said he stood “squarely behind” the move and that there was “never a good time” to withdraw US forces.
He faced a barrage of criticism from even his own diplomats after going on to blame the Taliban’s takeover on Afghan political leaders who fled and its army’s unwillingness to fight.
The president faced a barrage of criticism from even his own diplomats, while The Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini accused him of failing to show “empathy” with the Afghan people.
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Key Points Joe Biden blames Afghanistan officials and Trump for Taliban takeover President stands ‘squarely’ by decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan
Show latest update 1629195908 Biden accused of failing to show ‘empathy’ with Afghanistan people'
Joe Biden has been accused of failing to show "empathy" with the Afghan people or to explain the legacy of US involvement in Afghanistan over the last 20 years.
In a speech, the president said he stood "squarely" behind the US exit from Afghanistan after almost 20 years of a US-led coalition's presence in the country. The Taliban have seized control of the country.
Author Khaled Hosseini, who wrote The Kite Runner, set in Kabul, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Biden did not give "a statement of empathy with the millions of Afghans whom the Americans have been calling partners now for 20 years, who are left behind and have to fend for themselves and face the very unenviable reality of having to live under a regime that proved to be extremely brutal when they were in charge in the 1990s".
He added: "The other thing I did not hear at least clearly from the president is, 'What is the legacy of the last 20 years? What was all this for?'
"If the president met a marine who had lost her legs in Afghanistan, what would he say to her if she said, 'What did I lose my legs for?'
"Before this chaotic withdrawal we could have at least pointed to some progress in Afghanistan."
Chiara Giordano 17 August 2021 11:25
1629195063 President stands ‘squarely’ by decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan
Joe Biden has said he stands "squarely behind" his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan despite images showing chaos at Kabul’s airport.
"I stand squarely behind my decision," he said in a televised speech at the White House on Monday, adding: "After 20 years I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces. That's why we're still there."
The president said he found some of the scenes of chaos in Kabul "gut-wrenching" but that he did not start moving out evacuees sooner because Afghan president Ashraf Ghani did not want a mass exodus.
Watch the televised address here:
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Biden Stands Behind Decision To Withdraw
Chiara Giordano 17 August 2021 11:11
1629194391 Joe Biden blames Afghanistan officials and Trump for Taliban takeover
Joe Biden has faced criticism for blaming the Taliban’s takeover on Afghanistan officials and Donald Trump while standing firmly by his own decision to withdraw US troops.
The US president insisted he had to decide between asking American forces to fight endlessly in what he called Afghanistan’s civil war or follow through on an agreement to withdraw negotiated by his predecessor.
In a national address called by the White House hours after Kabul fell to the Taliban, Mr Biden said he stood “squarely behind” the move and that there was “never a good time” to withdraw US forces.
My colleague John Bowden has this report from Washington DC:
Biden points finger at Afghanistan officials and Trump as he stands behind decision to withdraw troops President makes first public response to criticism over handling over withdrawal as he characterises al-Qaeda and Taliban as threat of ‘yesterday’
Chiara Giordano 17 August 2021 10:59
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Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of US politics and the situation in Afghanistan. Stay tuned for rolling updates with the latest news throughout the day.
Chiara Giordano 17 August 2021 10:40