WASHINGTON, Apr 29 (APP): United States (US) President Joe Biden Wednesday defended his decision to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, pointing out that some military personnel are serving in the same war as their parents once did.
“American leadership means ending America’s forever war in Afghanistan,” Biden said in his first nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress.
Biden spoke to a sparsely populated House chamber, with a select number of lawmakers socially distanced due to coronavirus, on the eve of the 100th day since he was sworn into office.
The event took place as America continues to fight the pandemic and less than four months after a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol.
On the Capitol doctor’s advice, only 200 members of Congress and other officials were invited instead of the usual 1,600, and all were wearing masks in assigned seats at least six feet apart.
“We went to Afghanistan to get the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11,” he told lawmakers, with millions watching on television.
“We delivered justice to Osama Bin Laden and we degraded the terrorist threat of al Qaeda in Afghanistan. After 20 years of American valor and sacrifice, it’s time to bring our troops home.”
At least 2,500 US troops are part of the 9,600 members of the NATO Afghan mission.
Earlier in the day, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss regional security and the foreign troop drawdown in neighbouring Afghanistan.
The Pentagon said Austin “expressed appreciation” for Pakistan’s support for Afghan peace negotiations and “reaffirmed the importance” of Washington’s relationship with Islamabad.
The US withdrawal, which starts Saturday and is to end by September 11, is intended to conclude America’s longest war.
In his address, Biden warned that as the US exits it’s longest war in Afghanistan that America will remain vigilant against emerging threats around the globe.
“The terrorist threat has evolved beyond Afghanistan since 2001 and we will remain vigilant against threats to the United States, wherever they come from. Al Qaeda and ISIS are in Yemen, Syria, Somalia, and other places in Africa and the Middle East and beyond,” Biden said.
Biden also invoked the military service of his own son — Beau Biden, who was deployed to Iraq for a year and later died of cancer in 2015. He is the first president in 40 years to have a child serve in the US military and operate in a war zone.
Biden’s timeline of withdrawal from Afghanistan breaks with a proposed deadline brokered last year by the Trump administration with the Taliban. According to the deal, by May 1, all foreign forces would have had to leave Afghanistan.
The president also told the gathering that he will hold Russian President Vladimir Putin to account for Moscow’s alleged maligned behaviour.
“I made very clear to President Putin that while we don’t seek escalation, their actions have consequences,” Biden said, referring to a phone call he had with the Russian leader.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration slapped Moscow with a raft of sanctions for allegations of meddling in US elections, human rights abuses and sweeping cyberattacks on American networks. In addition, the State Department announced the expulsion of 10 officials from the Russian Embassy in Washington.
Russia described the latest moves by the White House as a blow to bilateral relations and vowed to impose swift retaliatory measures. The Kremlin also blamed the United States for weakening the diplomatic relations between Washington and Moscow.
“I responded in a direct and proportionate way to Russia’s interference in our elections and cyberattacks on our government and businesses – and they did both of those things and I did respond,” Biden said, adding “but we can also cooperate when it’s in our mutual interests.”
Biden said he welcomed competition with Chinese President Xi Jinping but that his administration would stand up to what he called ‘unfair international trade practices’.
“I made absolutely clear that I will defend American interests across the board,” Biden said, adding that his administration will stand up to the alleged unfair trade practices and theft of American intellectual property.
“I also told President Xi that we will maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific just as we do with NATO in Europe – not to start conflict – but to prevent conflict,” Biden said, referencing tensions in the region.
Biden, who has previously said that his administration would work more closely with allies in order to mount pushback against China, added that he would hold Beijing to account for the alleged human rights abuses.
“America won’t back away from our commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms. No responsible American president can remain silent when basic human rights are violated. A president has to represent the essence of our country,” Biden said.
In his 70-minute address, Biden sought to sell an ambitious agenda to the American people –from climate change and infrastructure to his just-announced $1.8 trillion package of investments in schooling, child care and aid to families, backed by tax hikes for the rich.
His address focused on the economy and made the argument that a robust spending and jobs plan is crucial to the US economy competing globally.
