Biden Marks 2nd Anniversary Of Afghan Withdrawal
Today marks the second anniversary of U.S. President Joe Biden’s heavily criticized full-scale withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
In a statement issued late this past Wednesday night, Biden praised the men and women of the United States military and their service in Afghanistan during the two decades of conflict and spotlighted the large-scale airlift operation that accompanied the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country.
However, the President failed to mention the 13 U.S. service members who tragically died defending the Kabul airport during the entire operation. He did, however, make sure to cover the fallen military personnel in a separate event on Saturday, reflecting on the horrid loss of life with “2,461 U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, and 20,744 of their brother-and sisters-in-arms who were wounded in action.”
The withdrawal from Afghanistan remains one of the most criticized operations of Biden’s presidency, as hundreds of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies were left in the country under the rule of the Taliban, which swiftly retook control of Afghanistan as U.S. forces prepared their exit.
In his statement, Biden urged Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would grant a smoother pathway to permanent residence in the U.S. for Afghan allies. He also noted the chaotic scenes of desperation witnessed in the final days of the withdrawal, when a desperate mother attempted to hand off her child to U.S. soldiers guarding the complex, and others desperately tried to cling to U.S. aircraft as they lifted off, only to plummet to their deaths.
Biden’s move to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan faced widespread criticism and condemnation after Taliban insurgents retook the country in a matter of days on Aug. 15, 2021, essentially winning the war 20 years after their ouster by U.S.-led forces. Just a month before, the President had said that the likelihood of a Taliban takeover was “highly unlikely.”
With the operation now two years behind him, Biden remains adamant that the U.S. has done what it came to do in Afghanistan and continues to protect its homeland from terrorist threats in the country and around the world.