Stay or leave: Biden considers leaving troops in Afghanistan

“This is not a good negotiation deal reached by the former president,” Biden complained in an interview with Good Morning America. Although his administration had originally planned, he sparked speculation that a full withdrawal of U.S. troops would not take place on May 1.

“It could happen, but it’s challenging,” the White House chief said. A spokesman for the National Security Council, the president’s main security advisory body, said no decision had been made.

If the United States finally decides to withdraw on May 1, it would be logically impossible to withdraw US and Allied forces simultaneously, for example, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Robb confirmed.

“It is important that we do this right and focus on our strategic goal rather than some deadline,” the minister said. “If we don’t know we’ve reached a stable level, we’ll be back in ten years,” he said.

U.S. The New York Times’ weekend finding that the military currently has about 3,500 troops in Afghanistan is another problem, but not 2,500 as originally reported by official sources.

When serving as vice president with Barack Obama, Biden argued that the presence of US troops in Afghanistan should be kept to a minimum. In a better situation, the military should only carry out counter-terrorism operations, and nothing more.

Now, as commander of the Armed Forces, he is relinquishing this position. He feels that a quick exit from Afghanistan could lead the Taliban to defeat pro-government forces in key cities. Influential military experts have warned Biden that a full withdrawal of troops would allow terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda to recapture large parts of the country.

“It came to our attention that he is under a lot of pressure now,” said Senator Chris Goons, one of Biden’s close associates and friends, recalling how he and Biden attended the funerals of soldiers killed in the war in Afghanistan. White House circles are reminded of the strong bond between Pew and him.

In recent days, leading Democrat politicians have also expressed their opposition to the reservation. “Withdrawal in a few months is a difficult and unstable effort,” said Jack Reid, a longtime senator and chairman of the military committee. According to him, the departure date should be extended.

Bob Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Senate Committee, sees it this way. “We need to be vigilant about what is happening in Afghanistan now. In my opinion, the Taliban have not met their conditions. After so many (lost American) lives and national treasures, we must be sure that we will leave to ensure stability,” he appealed. .

These statements can be seen as a kind of preparation for someone to rely on if the deadline is extended to President Biden. Not all Democrats believe that the United States should stay in Afghanistan one day longer than agreed.

“There will always be a reason to postpone it, but President Biden is determined to meet the deadline, and I support him in that,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren, who represents the party’s progressive left wing.

The war in Afghanistan is often considered the longest American war in history. The conflict erupted on September 9, 2001, when al-Qaeda terrorists assassinated Ahmed Shah Masood, the leader of the anti-Taliban coalition. By dissolving the mosque, security experts believe that Osama bin Laden wanted to protect the Taliban for many years.

Two days later, on September 11, al-Qaeda attacked the United States directly. The terrorists hijacked four commercial planes and collided with the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. Nearly 3,000 civilians were killed in the attack. Although Al Qaeda is based in Afghanistan, none of the terrorists are of Afghan descent.

Then-President George W. Bush sent a clear final warning to the Taliban. “These demands are not negotiable. The Taliban must act immediately. They will hand over the terrorists or share their fate,” he told the nation at the time.

Within a month, the war began. This year will be 20 years. According to available information, more than 3,500 Allied soldiers died in the war, including fourteen Czech soldiers. The prestigious Brown University estimates that 157,000 Afghans have died in the war since 2001, 43,000 of them civilians.