Earlier this week, President Joe Biden announced that he was planning to pull all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2021 — the twentieth anniversary of the deadliest terror attack in American history — extending the May 1 deadline set by former President Donald Trump.
Biden stated that the troops stationed in Afghanistan — approximately 2,500 in total — would be withdrawn starting on May 1, with the process to be completed by September 11.
“It is time to end America’s longest war.” Biden said.
“We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result,” continued Biden. “I am now the fourth United States president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan. Two Republicans. Two Democrats. I will not pass this responsibility to a fifth.”
“War in Afghanistan was never meant to be a multigenerational undertaking,” Biden said. “We went to war with clear goals. We achieved those objectives,” he added.
In reality, Biden’s announcement did not occur in a vacuum, and was simply an extension of the May 1 deadline for withdrawal set by President Donald Trump.
Despite the fact that Biden’s proclamation was little more than a typical repackaging of existing policy, the media reaction was broadly one of adulation and support. However, the response to Trump’s original announcement was quite different.
Bloomberg
Trump — “Trump’s Afghan Troop Withdrawal Is a Gift to the Taliban”
Biden — “Biden’s Afghanistan Withdrawal Is a Blow for China”
CNN
Trump — “Diplomats worry Trump’s desire to withdraw US troops risks success of Afghan-Taliban talks”
Trump — “America can’t stay in Afghanistan forever, but it matters how we leave”
Biden — “Biden starts to execute on policies Trump abandoned by crossing off another campaign promise”
Biden — “See Biden make historic announcement on US troops in Afghanistan”
Biden — “Joe Biden is taking a calculated risk in Afghanistan”
The New York Times
Trump — “An Afghan Bargain Likely To Fail”
Biden — “As Biden Pulls Out of Afghanistan, How Much Do Americans Care?”
The Hill
Trump — “America’s botched exit from Afghanistan”
Biden — “Biden lays out plan for Afghanistan withdrawal”
The Washington Post
Trump — “After Trump promises a swift troop exit from Afghanistan, confusion grows about U.S. stance”
Trump — “Afghans stunned, worried by Trump tweet to bring home U.S. troops early”
Trump — “Trump’s military cuts in Afghanistan highlight an array of divisions in a 19-year-old conflict”
Biden — “Afghanistan requires more humility – from everyone”
Biden — “Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal is a moment of truth — and a potentially humbling one — for GOP hawks”
The Guardian
Trump — “Trump’s Afghanistan withdrawal announcement takes US officials by surprise”
Biden — “Biden announces all US and Nato troops to leave Afghanistan by September 11”
The Independent
Trump — “Donald Trump’s withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is an unavoidable recognition of failure”
Biden — “Analysis: Biden takes a risk pulling troops from Afghanistan”
Los Angeles Times
Trump — “Trump gambles on plan to bring home some U.S. troops from Afghanistan before election”
Biden — “‘Time to end the forever war.’ Biden says troops to leave Afghanistan by Sept. 11”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.