US President Joe Biden urged Afghan officials to unify and “fight for their country” against Taliban insurgents on Tuesday, and said he did not regret withdrawing US soldiers from the country.
“Afghan leaders must unite,” Biden said to reporters. “They have to stand up for themselves.”
Biden stated that the US would continue to support the Afghan government, but that “I do not regret my choice” to withdraw US forces by August 31 after two decades of conflict.
“We spent over $1 trillion over 20 years. We trained and equipped with modern equipment over 300,000 Afghan forces,” Biden said at a news conference. “And Afghan leaders have to come together. We lost thousands, we lost to death and injury, thousands of American personnel. They’ve got to fight for themselves, fight for their nation.”
Biden vowed the U.S. would keep its commitments to provide air support, resupply Afghan forces with food and equipment, and pay their salaries.
