'There was never a good time to withdraw US forces', says Joe Biden
Washington: US President Joe Biden categorically said the current military mission in Afghanistan would be short in time and focused on evacuating US citizens and allies to safety as quickly as possible.
For the mission, the President has deployed 6000 US troops to assist in the evacuation.
Joe Biden said, "Our current military mission in Afghanistan will be short in time and focused on its objectives: Get our people and our allies to safety as quickly as possible".
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"And once we have completed this mission, we will conclude our military withdrawal. We will end America's longest war, " added Biden.
“I stand squarely behind my decision,” he said in a televised address from the White House. “After 20 years, I’ve learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces.”
However, the President emphasized that the US government will continue counterterrorism missions against terrorist groups.
Biden said, " Today the terrorist threat has metastasized beyond Afghanistan. We conduct effective counterterrorism missions against terrorist groups in multiple countries where we don't have a permanent military presence. If necessary, we will do the same in Afghanistan".
