Biden: U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is ahead of schedule

WASHINGTON — The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is moving ahead of schedule, President Joe Biden said Thursday, announcing that troops will leave by Aug. 31.

The original deadline was Sept. 11, the anniversary of the al-Qaida terrorist attacks that ignited America’s longest war two decades ago.

“Speed is safety,” Biden said during remarks at the White House.

The president defended his decision to withdraw U.S. forces amid concerns, including within the U.S. intelligence community, that the Afghan government could be toppled by the Taliban insurgents in a matter of months after American troops depart.

“How many thousands more American daughters and sons are you willing to risk? How long would you have them stay?” Biden said. “Already we have members of our military whose parents fought in Afghanistan 20 years ago. Would you send their children? Or their grandchildren as well? Would you send your own son or daughter?”

He added, “I will not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan with no reasonable expectation of achieving a different outcome.”

Biden said administration officials were working to relocate Afghan translators and other contractors who helped U.S. forces and may be in danger as the Taliban makes gains throughout the country.

“There is a home for you in the United States, if you so choose,” he said. “We will stand with you, just as you stood with us.”

Biden said that 2,500 special immigrant visas have been issued so far and that more are in the works.

The public broadly supports the withdrawal, according to an April poll conducted by CBS News and YouGov, with 77% of Americans backing the decision to pull out.