By Michael Hall
In President Biden’s first press conference, he was asked about Afghanistan and on this subject, two aspects of his answers stood out. The first was that he was noncommittal about adhering to the May 1 withdrawal deadline—but also said, with a noted degree of certainty, that he could “not picture” U.S. troops being in Afghanistan next year.
On Tuesday, we received news that retrospectively clarifies these comments. The May 1 deadline will be disregarded, but a new deadline of September 11, 2021, has been set for a full withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Before celebrating the long-overdue end of America’s longest war, however, there are a number of details that should be kept in mind.
First, missing the May 1 withdrawal deadline is not ideal. The agreement stipulating withdrawal by May 1 was the product of negotiations and there is a slight chance the Taliban will be more than a little unappreciative of the U.S. unilaterally deciding to break the agreement and extend the stay of U.S. troops.
This piece was originally published in 1945 on April 14, 2021. Read more HERE.