In an interview with ABC, the president was also questioned about pictures of Afghans falling to their deaths from planes.
Joe Biden has continued to defend his handling of the situation in Afghanistan, describing the chaos in the country as inevitable, despite having appeared to say the opposite over recent months.
Speaking to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, the president defended his decision to withdraw all remaining US troops from Afghanistan, a move that was swiftly followed by the Taliban sweeping through the country and eventually taking Kabul over the weekend.
In the interview he said: “We’re going to go back in hindsight but the idea that somehow, there’s a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing — I don’t know how that happens.”
When pressed on whether he factored in the potential chaos into the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, Biden replied: “Yes.”
Critics seized on the comments, slamming Biden for suggesting that the scenes in Afghanistan were unavoidable.
Nikki Haley, Donald Trump’s ambassador to the UN, said it was “shameful,” tweeting that it is “such a slap in the face to the thousands of Americans still in Afghanistan.”
This is such a slap in the face to the thousands of Americans still in Afghanistan. He had no plan, he has no urgency, and he won’t take responsibility. #Shameful https://t.co/cQLYbipUgT
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) August 18, 2021
Senator for Wyoming, Liz Cheney described the interview as a “truly ignorant and shameful performance by an American president.”
A truly ignorant and shameful performance by an American president. https://t.co/k3Ma6Uyr61
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) August 18, 2021
Meanwhile, the Republican senator for Arkansas, Tom Cotton, tweeted: “No way to avoid this chaos? That’s a bald-faced lie. Joe Biden is as dishonest as he is impotent.”
No way to avoid this chaos? That's a bald-faced lie.
Joe Biden is as dishonest as he is impotent. https://t.co/cCkOs0n8Kb
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) August 18, 2021
CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer and Washington Post editor Glenn Kessler both pointed out the apparent contradiction between Biden’s comments in the interview and those he had made in July.
President @JoeBiden now says he doesn't know how the U.S. could have withdrawn from Afghanistan "without chaos ensuing." But on July 8th, he said "the likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely."
— Wolf Blitzer (@wolfblitzer) August 18, 2021
Biden, today: "The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens."
Reporter to Biden, July 8: "Your own intelligence community has assessed that the Afghan government will likely collapse."
Biden: "That is not true."— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) August 18, 2021
Biden was also asked in the interview about footage and pictures appearing to show Afghans falling from aircraft as they desperately try to escape the country, replying: “That was four days ago, five days ago.”
Several pointed out that the pictures had actually emerged on Monday, just two days before the interview.
Related links:
Biden’s statement ‘washing hands’ of Afghanistan labelled ‘one of most shameful in US history’
Trump demands Biden resign ‘in disgrace’ over Taliban’s Afghanistan takeover
12 deaths at Kabul airport confirmed as Taliban urges desperate Afghans to return home
When asked what he thought of the pictures, he said: “What I thought was, we have to gain control of this. We have to move this more quickly.
“We have to move in a way in which we can take control of the airport. And we did.”
EXCLUSIVE: Pressed on whether the U.S.'s exit from Afghanistan could have been handled better, Pres. Biden tells @GStephanopoulos, "The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing—I don't know how that happens." https://t.co/mH1AyWI5lb pic.twitter.com/osAwdDQy2L
— ABC News (@ABC) August 18, 2021
The president insisted that US troops would remain in Afghanistan for the rescue mission until all American national had been evacuated, but that they would be doing everything they can to get this done before August 31. This is the date that Biden had previously promised all US forces would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by.
