Afghanistan withdrawal a ‘success,’ Biden says; ‘It was time to end this war’

UPDATE #2, Aug. 31: In his first formal remarks since the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden on Tuesday told Americans: "The extraordinary success of this mission was due to the incredible skill, bravery and selfless courage of the United States military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals."

"For weeks they risked their lives to get American citizens Afghans who helped us, citizens of our allies and partners and others onboard planes and out of the country," he continued. "And they did it facing a crush of enormous crowds seeking to leave the country. And they did it knowing ISIS-K terrorists, sworn enemies of the Taliban were lurking in the midst of those crowds."

Biden touted efforts to get out Afghans who helped the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and said, "Now we believe that about 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan, with some intention to leave."

"Most of those who remain are dual citizens, long-time residents who had earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan," Biden said. "The bottom line, 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. And for those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out."

In his address to the nation, the president said it was time to end the war.

"We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago. Then we stayed for another decade. It was time to end this war," he said. "This is a new world: Al-Qaida affiliates in Syria and ISIS attempting to create a caliphate in Syria and Iraq and establishing affiliates across Africa nation. The fundamental obligation of a president, in my opinion, is to defend and protect America. Not against threats of 2001 but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow."

"That is the guiding principle behind my decisions about Afghanistan," he added. "I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and sending billions of dollars."

UPDATE, Aug. 31: President Joe Biden is set to address the nation Tuesday, and is expected to keep defending his self-imposed deadline to withdraw the U.S. military from Afghanistan -- a day after the last troops left the country, bringing America's longest war to a close -- but only after a chaotic and deadly exit.

Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks in the State Dining Room of the White House at 12:45 p.m. MT -- nearly 24 hours after the last military plane cleared airspace above Afghanistan but without more than 100 Americans on board who still wanted to get out of the country.

It was not Biden, who has long opposed the war, who marked its conclusion after 20 years on Monday, but Pentagon and State Department officials.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki offered a preview of Biden's remarks, saying that he would express his thanks to the service members who executed the "dangerous mission" as well as the veterans and volunteers who offered support.

"He will lay out his decision to end the war in Afghanistan after 20 years, including the tough decisions he made over the last seven months since he took office to bring the war to a close," her statement said. "He will make clear that as President, he will approach our foreign policy through the prism of what is in our national interests, including how best to continue to keep the American people safe."

Biden on Monday did release a written statement thanking commanders and service members for completing the withdrawal on schedule "with no further loss of American lives," praising the evacuation effort as "the largest airlift in US history," and teasing his defense not to stay beyond Aug. 31.

"For now, I will report that it was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and of all of our commanders on the ground to end our airlift mission as planned," he said in the statement, although military leaders had lobbied Biden earlier this year to leave a residual U.S. force in Afghanistan to support the Afghan army and government.

With the U.S. military and diplomatic withdrawal now complete as the U.S. approaches 20 years since the Sept. 11 attacks, the Taliban has again taken over the country, including the Kabul airport, the site of an often-desperate evacuation effort the past two weeks. Shots were fired into the air to celebrate the withdrawal in Kabul on Monday night.

The Pentagon said Monday that 2,461 troops were lost in the war, which started as it began: under Taliban rule. Since the evacuation mission began, 6,000 citizens and more than 123,000 people -- Afghans "friends and allies" -- were airlifted out by the U.S. and partners, but alarms are being raised over those left behind.

Biden told ABC News in an exclusive interview on Aug. 18, "If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out."

His poll numbers, too, showed uncommon cross-partisan agreement among Americans that withdrawing all U.S. troops by Biden's deadline could be a grave mistake, according to an ABC/Ipsos poll conducted after Thursday's suicide attack in Kabul which killed 13 service members and wounded 20. The survey found the percentage of Americans who think U.S. troops should stay until all Americans are out of Afghanistan is 86% among Democrats, 87% among Republicans and 86% among Independents.

Tuesday's speech comes amid outrage expressed by some family members of those service members killed in last week's airport attack over his handling of the withdrawal.

Some have criticized the president following Sunday's dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, where he met with families. White House press secretary Jen Psaki wouldn't respond directly to criticism from one family but said that the president feels responsible for their loss at a briefing on Monday.

Republican lawmakers have also blasted Biden for his handling of the withdrawal, with Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., calling the withdrawal a "national disgrace" and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., claiming Biden has armed the Taliban by leaving behind equipment.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in an exclusive interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," defended the withdrawal and contended that only the president, as commander in chief, knows what it is to make these hard decisions.

"Those criticizing are not the ones who have to sit in the Situation Room and make the hard calls about the threats that we face and the objectives we're trying to obtain and President Biden made that hard call and it is a call he believes will ultimately serve the interests of our people, all of our citizens and our country," he said on Tuesday.

Perhaps foreshadowing Biden's remarks, Sullivan also claimed the U.S. and the international community have "enormous leverage" on the Taliban to ensure those Americans and Afghans who want to get out can do so.

But the administration hasn't provided a clear plan for those evacuations beyond saying it's relying on a Taliban commitment to provide "safe passage."

The 100 to 200 Americans that Secretary of State Antony Blinken said still wanted to be evacuated weren't able to reach the airport in Kabul on Monday before the last U.S. plane left. Of the five final flights, no American civilians made it on board.

Thousands of Afghans who worked with the U.S., who fear reprisal from the Taliban, also did not make it out and are forced to rely on Afghanistan’s new rulers for departure -- of which there is no guarantee.

It's unclear what the evacuation picture will look like now that the U.S. military is gone.

ORIGINAL REPORT, Aug. 30: WASHINGTON, DC -- President Joe Biden thanked U.S. military commanders and service members for their execution of the "dangerous retrograde from Afghanistan as scheduled," in a statement released by the White House late Monday afternoon.

"The past 17 days have seen our troops execute the largest airlift in US history, evacuating over 120,000 US citizens, citizens of our allies, and Afghan allies of the United States. They have done it with unmatched courage, professionalism, and resolve. Now, our 20-year military presence in Afghanistan has ended," Biden's statement said.

"Tomorrow afternoon, I will address the American people on my decision not to extend our presence in Afghanistan beyond 8/31," his statement continued. "For now, I will report that it was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and of all of our commanders on the ground to end our airlift mission as planned. Their view was that ending our military mission was the best way to protect the lives of our troops, and secure the prospects of civilian departures for those who want to leave Afghanistan in the weeks and months ahead."

In the statement sent out by the White House, the president urged all Americans to join him in "grateful prayer" for three things.

"First, for our troops and diplomats who carried out this mission of mercy in Kabul and at tremendous risk with such unparalleled results: an airlift that evacuated tens of thousands more people than any imagined possible," he said in the statement. "Second, to the network of volunteers and veterans who helped identify those needing evacuation, guide them to the airport, and provide support along the way. And third, to everyone who is now – and who will – welcome our Afghan allies to their new homes around the world, and in the United States."

He ended his statement with a moment of gratitude for the sacrifice of the 13 service members who were killed in Kabul last week "to save tens of thousands."