President Joe Biden was not always in favor of leaving Afghanistan, as his administration did on Monday. With Americans left behind, the Biden administration declared the 20-year war over. While serving as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, then-Senator Biden promised to not “walk away” from Afghanistan.
“The truth is, we cannot and certainly will not walk away from 7 million displaced, desperate Afghanis surviving on little more than grass and locusts,” Biden said in 2001. “If we leave Afghanistan in chaos it will be another time bomb waiting to explode.”
"We cannot and certainly will not walk away from 7 million displaced desperate Afghanis surviving on little more than grass and locusts...Reluctant to use word nation building...but if we leave Afghanistan in chaos it will be another time bomb waiting to explode"
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) August 31, 2021
Biden 10/22/2001 pic.twitter.com/MBmrb1hQfp
In addition to the Taliban being left in charge, Biden's administration admitted that Americans were left behind in Afghanistan in order to meet the arbitrary withdrawal deadline that the president declined to extend.
Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby admits Biden abandoned “hundreds” of Americans in Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/a6ixfxv4xC
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 31, 2021
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also could not promise that the administration will not give aid to the Taliban.
Biden National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan doesn't rule out giving aid directly to the Taliban. pic.twitter.com/3Y8WhL2GG2
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 31, 2021