«It's time to end America's longest war»: President Biden announced a plan to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan

President Joe Biden on Wednesday  address from the White House announced the date for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. He stated that army units would leave this country by September 11. The withdrawal of American troops starts on May 1.

“It's time to end the longest American war. It's time for US troops to get home ” - said Biden. He made his televised address from the White House Negotiation Hall. In October 2001, it was in this room that President George W. Bush announced the start of hostilities against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Biden noted that he is already the fourth president during the war in Afghanistan. “Two Republicans. Two Democrats. I will not shift this responsibility to the fifth, ”Biden said. He added that in the future, the United States will provide Afghanistan only with humanitarian aid and diplomatic support. Biden warned the Taliban that the United States will defend itself and its partners from attacks as coalition forces in the region are reduced. “My team is refining our national strategy to monitor and suppress significant terrorist threats, not only in Afghanistan, but wherever they may arise, namely in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere,” the president said.

The US invaded Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Biden's announced date for the withdrawal of 3,000 troops will thus coincide with the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, after which the United States began hostilities in the Middle East and Central Asia. The wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria cost US taxpayers more than $ 1.57 trillion, according to a Pentagon report. More than 2,000 US military personnel have died in Afghanistan.

According to the president, the United States achieved its goal in Afghanistan 10 years ago when it killed the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. After the elimination of the head of the terrorist group that committed the 9/11 attacks, the reasons for the US presence in Afghanistan became unclear, Biden said. He added that he sees little sense in "keeping thousands of troops on the ground and concentrating in just one country, spending billions of dollars every year."