Washington, DC President Joe Biden, concluding that there is no military solution to the security and political problems plaguing Afghanistan and determined to concentrate on more urgent national security issues, will officially announce Wednesday that U.S. troops will withdraw from the country before the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, a senior official said.
The withdrawal extends the involvement of U.S. troops beyond a May 1 deadline set by the Trump administration in an agreement with the Taliban, but only for months.
Biden weighed the decision with his advisors for months, signaling that he did not agree that U.S. forces should stay in the country well past the deadline.
The Washington Post first reported the story.
A Senior administration official said NATO troops will meet the same timetable for withdrawal. U.S. troops could be withdrawn “well before” September 11, the official said, adding the date was the last possible day remaining staff would depart.
The official said the US had conveyed to the Taliban “in no uncertain terms” that retribution would be met during the withdrawal process.
But the withdrawal of U.S. forces comes with threats, as the last two predecessors of Biden, Presidents Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, attempted but were eventually unable to untangle the U.S. from the Afghanistan war.
Senior military commanders supported keeping U.S. forces in the region, arguing that a premature withdrawal could lead to the Afghan government collapse. A U.S. intelligence community assessment published Tuesday cautioned that on the battlefield, the Taliban would likely make progress.
In last month’s discussions, Biden was “adamant” that a hasty withdrawal was not feasible. But he judged the country’s remaining much longer did not represent the needs of the current global threat picture. Biden called for a policy review of “real concrete solutions” that would not “sugarcoat” that situation.
The official said Biden’s deadline was not condition-based, unlike previous attempts to set a U.S. withdrawal date.
“The President has judged that a condition-based policy, then the approach of the past two decades, is a recipe to remain in Afghanistan forever. And so he concluded that the U.S. would complete its drawdown, withdraw its forces from Afghanistan before September 11, “the senior officer said.
U.S. officials estimate Afghanistan has about 2,500 soldiers. The US is not preparing to withdraw entirely as the senior official said some troops would stay in the country to provide diplomatic security, although the exact number had not yet been determined.
Moreover, it’s not immediately clear what will happen to several hundred U.S. special operations forces that frequently operate on counter-terrorism missions for the CIA. These forces are not officially recognised, and are not part of the country’s official estimate of 2,500 troops.
Biden’s decision split Capitol Hill, with Republican hawks blasting withdrawal plans as a “serious error.” Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats, along with a couple of Republicans, thanked Biden for eventually ending the US war.
Biden Decision will finish America’s longest war
Biden’s new September 11 deadline to withdraw US troops will mark a symbolic end to America’s longest war in history: just 20 years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that triggered the original US invasion of Afghanistan.
About 2,200 U.S. soldiers have died in the country since 2001, wounding more than 20,000.
The administration official said the goals of Afghanistan’s initial invasion—to bring justice to the 9/11 attacks and disrupt terrorists—were accomplished “some years ago.”
“It’s not 2001. That’s 2021. In 2021, the terrorist threat we face emanates from many nations, indeed from several continents “The officer said.
The US now focuses on diplomatic efforts to facilitate peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
The withdrawal of Afghanistan troops is Biden’s first big decision on US troops abroad, and Biden wrestled with what to do for months leading up to Trump’s May 1 deadline.
Biden stated last month that he was unlikely to reach the May 1 deadline, but said at his first press conference as president that he didn’t anticipate US troops remaining in Afghanistan by next year.
“We’re not here for long. We’ll quit, “Biden said. “When we quit, the question is.” He said, “The May 1 deadline will be hard to reach only for tactical purposes.”
State Secretary Tony Blinken laid the groundwork for Biden to announce Tuesday’s withdrawal in a phone call with President Ashraf Ghani, according to two sources familiar with the phone call.
Blinken did not disclose specific specifics of the withdrawal but clarified that Biden would call Ghani on Thursday, and Blinken left the Afghan president understanding that Biden had agreed to withdraw US troops over the next few months.
Biden administration officials also sent signals to Afghan officials at the working level that this was their course, one source explained.
The Biden administration is also calling allies in the area this afternoon to detail their expected approach, two diplomatic sources told CNN.
Ghani tweeted on Tuesday that he talked to Blinken about this week’s proposed U.S.-backed peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban and the forthcoming phone call from Biden.
“I talked to Secretary@ABlinken today. We addressed the current peace process, the forthcoming peace talks in Turkey and the upcoming phone call with President @JoeBiden “Ghani tweeted.
Intelligence warns Taliban gains
U.S. forces’ proposed withdrawal immediately prompted outrage from Republican hawks who said it risks eroding U.S. gains. They argued that lawmakers in both parties beat back Trump’s attempts to remove US troops early, and should do so now that Biden does the same.
“Rapidly withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan is a serious mistake. It is a retreat against an adversary not yet defeated, an abdication of American leadership, “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor Tuesday.
“Leaders of both groups, including me, criticized when the previous administration floated a proposal of a reckless withdrawal from Syria and Afghanistan. These same voices should be equally worried about the Biden administration’s announcement today, “McConnell added.
At least one famous Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Robert Menendez, said he wanted to get U.S. troops home but worried “we’re not losing what we’re trying to achieve.”
“We don’t have enough troops there to turn the tide and make a drastic difference, so if we don’t, why keep the troops there and put them at risk?” Menendez said. “So I understand all that thought. I’m just worried that after so much blood and national treasure, we won’t forget what we’re trying to do.”
Recent attacks in Afghanistan on U.S. forces have fuelled fears. CNN revealed last week that the Taliban twice attacked one of the country’s most heavily guarded bases in March, and that the CIA’s U.S. military forces were at the facility when it came under fire.
The annual report of the U.S. intelligence community published Tuesday was bleak on the outlook for Afghanistan, concluding that chances for a peace settlement between the Taliban and the Afghan government “remain slim over the next year.”
“The Taliban is likely to gain on the battlefield, and if the coalition withdraws support, the Afghan government will struggle to keep the Taliban at bay,” the assessment says.
According to two sources, the US wants to maintain an intelligence presence in the region. According to a senior administration official, the US will keep intelligence and military resources stationed in the area in case Al Qaeda responds to an external threat.
Now, after 20 years of fighting, there’s a feeling in both parties to end the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and some of Biden’s strongest GOP critics welcomed Tuesday’s decision.
“I’m happy the soldiers come home,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican. “Bringing our troops home should not be taken as a sign that America will be less vigilant in defending Americans and our allies’ lives, but we can do so without a permanent military presence on hostile ground.”
Democrats also backed Biden, saying a “secure” withdrawal was required.
“Time to end the longest war in U.S. history,” said Illinois Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin. “I’m searching for a healthy departure for everyone involved.”
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