Joe Biden to announce withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan

{"text":[[{"start":13.73,"text":"Joe Biden will on Wednesday announce the withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan by September 11 this year, the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks that sparked America’s longest-running war. "}],[{"start":27.08,"text":"“After a rigorous policy review, President Biden has decided to draw down the remaining troops in Afghanistan and finally end the US war there after 20 years,” a senior administration official told reporters on Tuesday. "}],[{"start":42.76,"text":"“We will begin an orderly drawdown of the remaining forces before May 1 and plan to have all US troops out of the country before the 20th anniversary of 9/11,” the official added. "}],[{"start":54.68,"text":"Jennifer Psaki, White House press secretary, said Biden would give a speech at the White House on Wednesday “on the way forward in Afghanistan”. "}],[{"start":63.980000000000004,"text":"Psaki said the speech would include Biden’s “plans and timeline for withdrawing US troops in close co-ordination with our partners and allies and the government of Afghanistan, and his commitment to focusing on the threats and opportunities we face around the world today”. "}],[{"start":80.33,"text":"“The president has been consistent in his view that there is not a military solution to Afghanistan, that we have been there for far too long,” Psaki added. "},{"start":89.809,"text":"“That has been his view for some time. ”"}],[{"start":null,"text":"

Precipitously withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan is a grave mistake. It is retreat in the face of an enemy that has not yet been vanquished

"}],[{"start":93.08,"text":"The US sent troops into Afghanistan in 2003 in the wake of the September 11 2001 attacks. "},{"start":100.947,"text":"The number of troops in the country surpassed 100,000 after former president Barack Obama ordered a “surge”, which then US vice-president Biden opposed, before falling sharply during Obama’s second term. "}],[{"start":115.31,"text":"Donald Trump vowed to end America’s “endless wars” overseas, and his administration gradually reduced the number of remaining troops in Afghanistan during his presidency. "}],[{"start":126.57000000000001,"text":"In early 2020, the US struck a deal with the Taliban that offered to draw down US troops by early May this year in exchange for less violence and a pledge from the Islamist group to cut all ties with al-Qaeda. "}],[{"start":140.71,"text":"However, the deal failed to secure support from the government in Kabul, which is reluctant to include the Taliban in a power-sharing agreement or settle grievances among political cliques. "}],[{"start":152.98000000000002,"text":"The senior administration official said the withdrawal of the remaining 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan would not be contingent on striking a deal with the Kabul government or the Taliban. "}],[{"start":166.07000000000002,"text":"“The president has judged that a conditions-based approach, which has been the approach of the past two decades, is a recipe for staying in Afghanistan forever,” the official added. "}],[{"start":177.24,"text":"The news, which was first reported by The Washington Post, was largely welcomed by Democratic lawmakers. "}],[{"start":185.09,"text":"Jack Reed, the Democratic senator from Rhode Island who chairs the Senate armed services committee, said he spoke to Lloyd Austin, US defence secretary, about the move on Monday. "}],[{"start":197.63,"text":"“It will be a transition because we still have vital interests in protecting against terrorist attacks that could be emanating from that area,” Reed told reporters on Capitol Hill. "},{"start":208.297,"text":"“But there are other places in the world, too, where you have to be conscious. ”"}],[{"start":214.03,"text":"He added: “I think, again, we have to focus on what is ahead, which is engagement diplomatically, engagement, hopefully, with the international community to provide resources to sustain from the gains we made . . . and then a very, very determined counter-terrorism operation. ”"}],[{"start":232.52,"text":"But many Republicans attacked the announcement. "},{"start":235.799,"text":"Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican, said: “Precipitously withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan is a grave mistake. "},{"start":244.417,"text":"It is retreat in the face of an enemy that has not yet been vanquished and abdication of American leadership. ”"}],[{"start":252.20000000000002,"text":"He added: “A reckless pullback like this would abandon our Afghan, regional and Nato partners in a shared fight against terrorists that we have not yet won. ”"}],[{"start":262.98,"text":"Antony Blinken, US secretary of state, and Austin are this week in Brussels for talks with Nato and EU leaders. "},{"start":271.059,"text":"About 10,000 troops from 36 Nato allies and partner countries are in Afghanistan. "}],[{"start":278.16,"text":"A Nato official on Tuesday said the alliance’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg would discuss Afghanistan with Blinken and Austin on Wednesday. "}],[{"start":287.99,"text":"“Allies have been closely consulting on the way forward in Afghanistan for many months,” the official said. "}],[{"start":295.53000000000003,"text":"Additional reporting by Michael Peel in Brussels "}],[{"start":298.88000000000005,"text":""}]],"url":"https://creatives.ftacademy.cn/album/001092143-1618366809.mp3"}