US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that the US military will complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan ahead of schedule by August 31, and dismissed growing concerns about civil war in the country occupied by the United States since 2001.

Biden insisted: “We got Osama bin Laden, terrorism did not come from that part of the world, so the mission was completed,” he defended his decision. U.S. withdrawal quickly Facing the ever-expanding Taliban attacks on Afghan forces.

The United States invaded Afghanistan after Al Qaeda attacked New York and Washington in 2001. The United States has withdrawn approximately 3,500 remaining troops, and the US military now claims that this process is 90% complete.

“Our military commander told me that once I decide to end the war, we need to act quickly,” Biden said.

“In this case, speed is security,” said the president, who is the commander-in-chief of the military in the U.S. government system and has ultimate authority over the deployment of the military.

The United States will continue to deploy hundreds of soldiers in Afghanistan to maintain the security of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and the diplomatic community as well as the city’s airport. US officials have stated that the military will maintain “beyond the visual range” capabilities to respond to the incident.

U.S. withdrawal follows U.S. Agreement Under the leadership of former President Donald Trump, U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad held talks with the Taliban in Qatar.U.S. agrees to U.S. and foreign troops Will leave on May 1stIn exchange, the Taliban promised to negotiate a peace agreement with the Western-backed Kabul government.

When Biden took office in January, he was faced with a serious choice, either to stick to the agreement reached with the Taliban, or to watch the U.S. military re-enter an expanding war.

Biden said on Thursday that he and his senior advisers concluded that the only way to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan is through a negotiated agreement between the Western-backed Kabul Afghan government, regional leaders and the Taliban.

“We did not enter Afghanistan for nation-building,” the president said.

During the first major peace talks between the Kabul government and the Taliban in months, the government delegation met with Taliban representatives in Tehran on July 8.Warring parties Issue a joint statement That is “war is not the solution to the problem in Afghanistan”.

The Taliban claimed to have occupied the main border crossing with Iran on Thursday. A Taliban spokesperson released a video showing that fighters allegedly entered the Islamic Kara border crossing and were welcomed by local residents. This will be the third international border occupied by the organization because its fighters occupy all parts of the country.

A Pentagon spokesperson said on Thursday that Taliban fighters Taken dozens of regional centers In Afghanistan.

“They have occupied dozens of regional centers, which is true. We believe that they are also deliberately threatening provincial centers,” said John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman.

The defensive Biden refuted several loud questions from reporters at the White House, refusing to compare it with the United States leaving Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War.

“No. No, no, no,” Biden said when asked if the United States is responsible for the lives lost after the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

“It is up to the Afghan people to decide what government they want, not to impose a government on them.”

Afghan government delegation and Taliban representatives meet in Tehran [Iran foreign ministry handout/via EPA-EFE]

Biden denied that US intelligence agencies had concluded that without the presence of US troops, the Afghan government would fall into the hands of the Taliban.Biden Meet at the White House On June 25, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and National Committee Chairman Abdullah Abdullah and Afghan President Abdullah Abdullah Held talks and promised that the United States will continue to provide the government with financial and diplomatic support.

Biden said that the Afghan army is well-trained and well-equipped, and it is not inevitable that the Taliban will take over Afghanistan. Although the Afghan army still relies on the United States and foreign contractors to provide air support, the United States has trained and equipped more than 300,000 Afghan soldiers and police.

“I don’t believe in the Taliban, but I believe in the capabilities of the Afghan army,” Biden said.

Biden sent a message to translators and other Afghans who work with the military: “If you want to have your home in the United States, we will stand with you, just like you stand with us.”

Congress is advancing Biden-backed legislation to remove bureaucratic obstacles and relocate potentially thousands of Afghans and their families to U.S. territory, possibly the Pacific Guam.