US President Joe Biden praises airlift, defends departure from ‘forever war’

US President Joe Biden defended the chaotic withdrawal from the 'forever war' a day after the last American military plane left the country. He also praised the airlift that evacuated over 1.20 lakh Afghans, Americans, and other allies.

Addressing the nation, a defensive President Joe Biden on Tuesday called the US military airlift to extract more than 1,20,000 Afghans, Americans and other allies to end a 20-year war an “extraordinary success,” though more than 100 Americans and thousands of Afghans looking to leave remain. Twenty-four hours after the departure of the last American C-17 cargo plane from Kabul, Biden vigorously defended his decision to end America’s longest war and withdraw all US troops ahead of an August 31 deadline.