US Finally Ending A Long War? Biden To Pull Forces From Afghanistan On 9/11 Anniversary

The Biden administration is planning to begin a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan, with all U.S. troops out of the country by Sept. 11, 2021. Unnamed sources told the Washinton Post that President Biden is expected to announce the move on Wednesday.

The withdrawal would bring America's longest-running war to a close on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The Trump administration had promised the Taliban that U.S. troops would be gone by May, but the new administration says September is the closest practical date.

There are roughly 3,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, along with about 7,000 NATO and allied troops. The U.S. began striking Afghan forces in October 2001 and had a stronger buildup of forces in March 2002.

One of the Post's unnamed sources said there would be "zero troops" in September.

“This is the immediate, practical reality that our policy review discovered,” the source said. “If we break the May 1 deadline negotiated by the previous administration with no clear plan to exit, we will be back at war with the Taliban, and that was not something President Biden believed was in the national interest.”

The decision comes on the heels of diplomatic failures and growing frustration with keeping troops in a region that doesn’t compare to the threats other regions pose to the U.S.

“Afghanistan just does not rise to the level of those other threats at this point,” the source said. “That does not mean we’re turning away from Afghanistan. We are going to remain committed to the government, remain committed diplomatically. But in terms of where we will be investing force posture, our blood and treasure, we believe that other priorities merit that investment.”

Experts warn that regional warlords are preparing for civil war. The Taliban has little incentive to engage diplomatically when U.S. troops are on the way out and they have the upper hand in engagements with Afghan military forces.

“The Afghan government will struggle to hold the Taliban at bay if the coalition withdraws support,” the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community noted in a recent report.