President Biden announced on Saturday that the U.S. would send 1,000 more troops to Afghanistan to assist with evacuating U.S. personnel amid a rapidly deteriorating situation as the Taliban continue to overtake major provinces and cities in the region.
In a statement released by the White House on Saturday afternoon, the president doubled down, defending his decision, stating that continued military presence in the region “would not have made a difference” after more than 20 years of conflict in the country.
“Over our country’s 20 years at war in Afghanistan, America has sent its finest young men and women, invested nearly $1 trillion dollars, trained over 300,000 Afghan soldiers and police, equipped them with state-of-the-art military equipment, and maintained their air force as part of the longest war in US history,” Biden said.
“One more year, or five more years, of US military presence would not have made a difference if the Afghan military cannot or will not hold its own country. And an endless American presence in the middle of another country’s civil conflict was not acceptable to me,” he continued.
The president added that around 5,000 troops would be deployed to help draw down its embassy staff and evacuate Afghans — more troops than the 3,000 previously announced would be deployed for the effort on Thursday.
A Defense official told Reuters that only 1,000 new troops would be added to the country. The number includes the 3,000 troops scheduled to be deployed over the week and 1,000 troops already on the ground.
The news comes amid a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, where full control of the country by the insurgent group could be close at hand.
Afghanistan’s fourth-largest city and the government’s northern stronghold fell to the Taliban on Saturday. Afzal Hadid, head of the Balkh provincial council, confirmed that Mazar-i-Sharif had been captured and said all security forces had left the major city.
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Biden sending 1,000 more troops to Afghanistan https://t.co/3BAhpEGOsy pic.twitter.com/IrEkk7xV6z
— The Hill (@thehill) August 15, 2021
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