U.S. President Joe Biden held a conference, on Friday, in the East Room of the White House to address the current situation in Afghanistan.
The U.S. government is struggling to ramp up a massive airlift clearing Americans, other foreigners and vulnerable Afghans through the Kabul airport, after the Taliban takeover of the country.
Biden’s remarks were his third attempt this week to publicly defend his position on the execution of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. In this manner, here are Biden's top statements from the conference.
“We will get you home”
"Any Americans who want to come home, we will get you home," Biden said while vowing to help Afghans who'd assisted U.S. forces in the country and others who might be in danger.
Moreover, he asserted that they would do everything they can to provide safe evacuation for their Afghan allies, partners as well as Afghans who might be targeted because of their association with the United States.
"The United States stands by the commitment it made to these people," he reiterated.
“I cannot promise what the final outcome is."
Biden said he cannot guarantee the 'final outcome' of risky Kabul evacuation, calling the mission dangerous.
"I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, or that it will be without risk of loss, but as commander-in-chief, I can assure you that I will mobilize every resource necessary," he noted.
"Any attack from Taliban will be met with the forceful response."
Biden said his administration had made it clear to the Taliban that "any attack on our forces or disruption of our operations at the airport will be met with a swift and forceful response."
Scenes out of Kabul this past week were "heartbreaking".
Biden acknowledged that the scenes out of Kabul this past week were "heartbreaking". In addition, there had been conflicting assessments, including from the State Department, about how quickly the Afghan government could fall.
"I took the consensus opinion," he said. "I made the decision. The buck stops with me."
"All US citizens in Afghanistan to be evacuated by August 31."
Biden said the U.S. made progress in evacuating people from Afghanistan following days of chaos at Kabul's international airport. The president noted that August 31 is the deadline for the US withdrawal.
“This is one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,” he stated, adding that after a "pause," evacuation flights have resumed out of Kabul.
Joint effort in the way
Biden also revealed that a G7 meeting would be convened next week to coordinate "our united approach on Afghanistan and moving forward."
The president said he had spoken directly with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.
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