Washington [US]: It has been made clear to Taliban that if they attack US personnel or disrupt the process of evacuation of American citizens still in Afghanistan, the response will be swift and forceful, US President Joe Biden said on Monday.
Addressing the nation a day after Taliban takeover of Kabul, Biden said US military mission will be short and focused on “getting our people and our allies to safety as quickly as possible”.
“As we carry out this departure, we have made it clear to the Taliban: If they attack our personnel or disrupt our operation, the US presence will be swift and the response will be swift and forceful. We will defend our people with devastating force if necessary. Our current military mission will be short in time, limited in scope, and focused in its objectives: Get our people and our allies to safety as quickly as possible,” he said.
“And once we have completed this mission, we will conclude our military withdrawal. We will end America’s longest war after 20 long years of bloodshed,” he added.
Biden said he is the President and the buck stops with him. He staunchly defended his decision to withdraw troops.
“I will not mislead the American people by claiming that just a little more time in Afghanistan will make all the difference. Nor will I shrink from my share of responsibility for where we are today and how we must move forward from here. I am President of the United States of America, and the buck stops with me,” he said.
Biden said he authorized 6,000 US troops to deploy to Afghanistan for the purpose of assisting in the departure of US and allied civilian personnel from Afghanistan, “and to evacuate our Afghan allies and vulnerable Afghans to safety outside of Afghanistan”.
He said the US has shut down its embassy and is taking over air traffic control.
“Our troops are working to secure the airfield and to ensure continued operation of both the civilian and military flights. We’re taking over air traffic control. We have safely shut down our embassy and transferred our diplomats. Our diplomatic presence is now consolidated at the airport as well. Over the coming days, we intend to transport out thousands of American citizens who have been living and working in Afghanistan. We’ll also continue to support the safe departure of civilian personnel — the civilian personnel of our Allies who are still serving in Afghanistan.
“Operation Allies Refugee [Refuge], which I announced back in July, has already moved 2,000 Afghans who are eligible for Special Immigration Visas and their families to the United States. In the coming days, the U.S. military will provide assistance to move more SIV-eligible Afghans and their families out of Afghanistan, ” he said.
