Joe Biden sticks with August 31 deadline to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan
- But White House says the president ‘has asked the Pentagon and the State Department for contingency plans to adjust the timeline should that become necessary’
- American allies including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson are reportedly in favour of postponing the pull-out date to accommodate further evacuations
Biden’s commitment came after he met virtually with other leaders of the G7 – the bloc also comprising Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan that has emerged after the chaotic US withdrawal earlier this month.
Justifying his decision to maintain the August 31 deadline, Biden told his counterparts that the risk to American troops – including the threat of terrorist attacks – increased with each day they remained.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden told the G7 leaders that the US mission was “currently on pace to finish by August 31st and provided an update on progress in evacuating Americans who want to come home, third-country nationals, and Afghans who were our allies during the war”.
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Clock ticking for US to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by August 31 deadline
Facing mounting political pressure over the decision to stick with what critics called an “arbitrary” deadline, Biden took to the presidential podium at the White House to frame the move as a way to mitigate growing risks to the safety of troops and civilians.
