Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on March 31, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. President Joe Biden delivering a speech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in a live stream provided by CNBC. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
"It is time to end America's longest war. It is time for American troops to come home," President Joe Biden said.
WASHINGTON, April 14 -- President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that all U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan before Sept. 11, a move to end the longest war in American history.
"The United States will begin our final withdrawal, begin it on May 1 of this year," Biden said in his remarks at the White House. "U.S. troops, as well as forces deployed by our NATO allies and operational partners, will be out of Afghanistan before we mark the 20th anniversary of that heinous attack on September 11th."
"It is time to end America's longest war. It is time for American troops to come home," he said, noting that the United States has achieved counterterrorism objectives in Afghanistan.
In his remarks, Biden made clear that the withdrawal is not subject to any changes of conditions on the ground.
"We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create ideal conditions for the withdrawal and expecting a different result," he said. "I'm now the fourth United States president to preside over American troop presence in Afghanistan. Two Republicans, two Democrats. I will not pass this responsibility on to a fifth."
The upcoming Sept. 11 is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drew the United States into war in Afghanistan. Biden said that 2,488 U.S. military personnel were killed, and 20,722 have been wounded in this longest war in American history.
Biden highlighted that the United States would continue to support the Afghan government and provide assistance to the Afghan military after the withdrawal. "While we will not stay involved in Afghanistan militarily, our diplomatic and humanitarian work will continue."
