Despite Domestic and International Criticism, Biden Leaving Afghanistan Says "No Regrets Over Withdrawal Decision"

Even the US Democrats Criticize "Government Response Failure, Call for Investigation"
Biden's Approval Rating Plummets... "46%, Lowest Since Inauguration"
Allied Countries Also Join Responsibility Debate "US Withdrawal Accelerated Afghanistan Situation"

On the 16th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden was walking out of the speech venue at the White House after delivering a national address regarding the decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. On that day, he emphasized, "I do not regret the decision to end the war in Afghanistan," and stated, "We will not repeat past mistakes of fighting where it is not in America's national interest." Washington DC (USA) = EPA Yonhap News Photo by EPA

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunwoo Lee and Suhwan Kim] U.S. President Joe Biden has directly refuted the "U.S. responsibility theory" raised domestically and internationally regarding the Taliban's reoccupation of Afghanistan. However, allied countries are raising their voices in criticism of the Biden administration for standing by as the Afghan government collapsed. As the future U.S. diplomatic policy is expected to prioritize "national interest" as it did during the previous Donald Trump administration, difficulties are anticipated in managing the aftermath of the Afghanistan war.

◇ Biden Faces Greatest Crisis, Pushes Forward Head-On

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 16th (local time), President Biden stated in a national address regarding the Afghan situation, "I have no regrets about the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan," emphasizing, "The Afghan war extended from one year to five years, then to twenty years, and it benefits the U.S. to prevent further losses of national finances and troops. We will not repeat the mistake of fighting where there is no national interest." This was a declaration of a direct breakthrough against the U.S. responsibility theory concerning the Afghan situation.

However, this statement faced criticism even within the Democratic Party. Kabul fell two weeks earlier than the U.S. military withdrawal deadline at the end of August, putting not only the U.S. and allied forces who had not yet withdrawn but also Afghan collaborators who had assisted the U.S. military for 20 years in crisis, according to ongoing critiques.

Mark Warner, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee from the Democratic Party, strongly criticized in a statement that day, "I urge a prompt investigation in cooperation with other Senate committees into why the government failed to respond well to the worst-case scenario of the rapid collapse of the Afghan government forces," adding, "We owe a great debt to all those who sacrificed much, including the U.S. troops who went to Afghanistan."

As criticism that the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was hasty and irresponsible grows stronger, President Biden's approval rating is also declining. The U.S. political media outlet Politico reported, "Videos and photos of desperate escapes by Afghan citizens at Kabul airport are shaking the approval ratings of the Biden administration, which emphasized human rights and alliance restoration." Earlier, a survey by the conservative U.S. polling firm Rasmussen at the end of last month showed Biden's approval rating had dropped to a historic low of 46% since his inauguration.

In particular, Biden's emphasis on "national interest" to justify the withdrawal is feared to negatively affect relations with allied countries. Even major European allies are strongly raising the responsibility theory that the Biden administration's abrupt withdrawal decision and actions during the fall of Kabul were irresponsible.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson strongly raised the U.S. responsibility theory at an emergency government security meeting that day, stating, "The U.S. withdrawal decision accelerated the situation in Afghanistan," and "We have known for a long time that this would happen."

French President Emmanuel Macron also emphasized in a TV speech that day, "It is a priority to continue actively fighting all forms of Islamic extremist terrorism," adding, "Afghanistan under Taliban control must not become a terrorist haven again as it was in the past." The British BBC also pointed out, "Security concerns will increase among NATO member countries in Eastern Europe, where U.S. troops are stationed, as they are monitoring Russia."

◇ Challenges of Managing the Situation and Establishing Relations with the Taliban

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The Biden administration plans to focus on immediate follow-up tasks such as the safe evacuation of U.S. and allied forces and diplomatic personnel isolated at Kabul airport. According to the Associated Press, on that day U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held successive calls with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss follow-up issues in Afghanistan. The three major powers plan to strengthen cooperation with the Taliban as well as neighboring countries like India and Pakistan to assist the safe evacuation of their nationals.

Establishing relations with the Taliban, who have taken control of Afghanistan, remains a pending task. On that day, State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated in a press briefing, "Our future stance regarding the Afghan government will ultimately depend on the actions of that government," and declared that the U.S. will recognize the Taliban government only if it respects the rights of Afghan women and avoids extremist movements such as Al-Qaeda.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.