US President Joe Biden stood by his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in an ABC interview, saying “chaos” was unavoidable.
“The idea that somehow there’s a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don’t know how that happens,” Biden said.
US troops could stay in Afghanistan beyond their August 31 withdrawal deadline if necessary to evacuate all Americans from the country, he told host George Stephanopoulos in the interview, which will air later Wednesday.
Biden said soldiers would remain to evacuate as long as there are Americans who want to leave the country.
“Americans should understand that we’re going to try to get it done before August 31,” he said, before adding: “If there are American citizens left, we’re gonna stay to get them all out.”
This comes as Biden comes under criticism for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and Taliban’s takeover of the Asian country following a major offensive.
“I had a simple choice,” Biden told Staphanopoulos. “If I said, ‘we’re gonna stay,’ then we’d better be prepared to put a whole lot hell of a lot more troops in.”
Taliban militants entered Kabul, the country’s capital, and the president, Ashram Ghani, fleeing to the United Arab Emirates.
Source: Agencies
