Biden marks 9/11 anniversary, defends withdrawal process

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has faced strong criticism for his administration’s handling of the troop drawdown in Afghanistan, on Saturday defended the chaotic withdrawal process, during a stop at Shanksville, Pennsylvania on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

“I’m told 70% of American people think it was time to get out of Afghanistan, spending all that money. But the flip of it is, they didn’t like the way we got out. But it’s hard to explain to anybody – how else could you get out?” Biden said.

The September 11 anniversary comes shortly after the end of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan that then-president George Bush launched some 20 years ago to root out al Qaeda, which carried out the 9/11 attacks.

Biden’s withdrawal of remaining U.S. military forces in Afghanistan at the end of August, months after a deadline set by Trump, triggered harsh criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, as a lightning-fast takeover by the Islamic Emirate stranded Americans and Afghans seeking to evacuate and raised concerns that the country could once again become a safe haven for al Qaeda.

Biden told reporters that al Qaeda had already expanded it’s global footprint beyond Afghanistan and that the United States could not send troops to every country in which the group operated.

“What’s the strategy? Every place where al Qaeda is, we’re going to invade and have troops stay in? C’mon,” said Biden.