Washington: Amid deepening crisis in Afghanistan, United States President Joe Biden defended his move to withdraw troops from the country, saying history would record this as a “logical, rational, and right decision”.
The Biden administration has come under criticism from some quarters for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan as the Taliban captured power, resulting in chaos and deaths.
However, he stood by his decision. “I think that history is going to record this was the logical, rational, and right decision to make,” he told reporters in an interaction at the White House.
Indian-American politician and former US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley said earlier in the day, “They (the US administration) have surrendered the American people and actually withdrew our troops before they withdrew the American people. They have abandoned our Afghan allies who kept people like my husband safe while they were overseas deploying. So, no, there was no negotiating. This was a complete and total surrender and an embarrassing failure.”
Biden said the Taliban had to make a fundamental decision. “Is the Taliban going to attempt to be able to unite and provide for the wellbeing of the people of Afghanistan, which no one group has ever done?” he asked.
“And if it does, it’s going to need everything from additional help, in terms of economic assistance, trades, and a whole range of things,” he said.
“The Taliban has said – we we will see whether they mean it or not – they’re seeking legitimacy. They’re seeking legitimacy to determine whether or not they will be recognised by other countries. They have told other countries, as well as us, they don’t want us to move our diplomatic presence completely. All of this is all just talk now, said the US president.
He said that so far the Taliban had not taken action against US forces, by and large following through what they said in terms of allowing Americans to pass through, and the like.
“I’m sure they don’t control all of their forces. It’s a ragtag force. And so, we’ll see. We’ll see whether or not what they say turns out to be true,” Biden said. PTI
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