President Joe Biden defended his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in a new interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, claiming that the chaotic scenes at Kabul airport were unavoidable. (Watch excerpt above, or read transcript).
“So you don’t think this exit could have been handled better in any way, no mistakes?” Stephanopoulos asked.
“We’re gonna go back in hindsight and look, but the idea that somehow there’s a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don’t know how that happens,” Biden said.
Stephanopoulos pressed the president on comments he made in July that seem to contradict his current stance. Back then, Biden said it was “highly unlikely” the Taliban would take control of Afghanistan once American soldiers left. Months earlier, he said the U.S. would depart “responsibly, deliberately, and safely.”
Biden stood by those remarks, saying the consensus among military and intelligence officials indicated that the Afghan army could maintain order and keep the Taliban at bay through the end of the year.
But the 300,000 Afghan troops America spent decades training failed to do so, capitulating to the Taliban without serious resistance.
“I don’t think anybody anticipated that,” Biden said.
Biden explained that he faced limited options on Afghanistan after his predecessor, Donald Trump, promised to leave the country by May 1st. Biden said he extended that deadline, but breaking the deal completely would have provoked the Taliban and forced the U.S. to send more troops to the country.
“There is no good time to leave Afghanistan,” Biden told Stephanopoulos “Fifteen years ago would’ve been a problem, 15 years from now. The basic choice is am I gonna send your sons and your daughters to war in Afghanistan in perpetuity?”
“We spent over $1 trillion, George, 20 years. There was no good time to leave,” Biden added.
When Stephanopoulos referred to disturbing images of Afghans clinging to U.S. planes as they took off from Kabul airport, Biden grew impatient. “That was four days ago, five days ago,” the president said.
Biden insists the situation on the ground has improved as the U.S. military has secured the airport and is helping evacuate Americans and Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort.
“The Taliban knows if they take on American citizens or American military, we will strike them back like hell won’t have it,” Biden said.
He wouldn’t explicitly commit to keeping U.S. troops in the country past August 31st to provide safe passage to Afghan allies imperiled by the Taliban. “Americans should understand that we’re gonna try to get it done before August 31st,” Biden said.
He added, “The commitment holds to get everyone out that, in fact, we can get out and everyone that should come out. And that’s the objective. That’s what we’re doing now, that’s the path we’re on. And I think we’ll get there.”
Biden’s interview comes as Americans reckon with the legacy of the country’s longest war, launched in the aftermath of 9/11.
According to a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, roughly two-thirds said they did not think the Afghanistan war was worth fighting.
The poll also reveals that 47% of Americans approve of Biden’s management of international affairs, while 52% approve of Biden on national security.