U.S. President Joe Biden defended his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, stating on the sidelines of the ceremonies commemorating the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, that the United States cannot "invade" every country where "Al-Qaeda" exists. He further commented to reporters in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the four planes hijacked by Al-Qaeda members crashed 20 years ago, stating, "Can Al-Qaeda return? Yes, but I will tell you, they are already back in other places."
Biden went on to question, "What is the strategy? Should we invade every place where Al-Qaeda exists and leave our troops there? Let's be serious!"
Amid a wave of strong criticism regarding the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 31, Biden reiterated that the attempt to unify the Afghans was a mistake. These remarks come in the midst of domestic and international criticism over the manner and timing of the withdrawal, while Biden believes that Americans accomplished their mission by killing Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda, and neutralizing the network at least in its Afghan base.
This comes as Biden is facing a politically difficult phase amid declining popularity since the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15 and the rapid evacuation of more than 120,000 people from Afghanistan in a military operation organized by the U.S. military. However, the veteran 77-year-old Democratic president stated that he does not feel concerned about the decline in his popularity.
It is worth noting that the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan began following the September 11 attacks, ultimately leading the United States into its longest war in history.
