Been a tough day. This evening in Kabul, as you
all know, terrorists attacked -- that we’ve been talking about and worried
about, that the intelligence community has assessed has [was] undertaken -- an
attack -- by a group known as ISIS-K -- took the lives of American service
members standing guard at the airport, and wounded several others seriously.
They also wounded a number of civilians, and civilians were killed as well.
I’ve been engaged all day and in constant contact with the military commanders
here in Washington, the Pentagon, as well as in Afghanistan and Doha. And my
commanders here in Washington and in the field have been on this with great
detail, and you’ve had a chance to speak to some, so far.
The situation on the ground is still evolving, and I’m constantly being updated.
These American service members who gave their lives -- it’s an overused word,
but it’s totally appropriate -- they were heroes. Heroes who have been engaged
in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others.
They were part of an airlift, an evacuation effort unlike any seen in history,
with more than 100,000 American citizens, American partners, Afghans who helped
us, and others taken to safety in the last 11 days. Just in the last 12 hours or
so, another 7,000 have gotten out.
They were part of the bravest, most capable, and the most selfless military on
the face of the Earth. And they were part of, simply, what I call the “backbone
of America.” They’re the spine of America, the best the country has to offer.
Jill and I -- our hearts ache, like I’m sure all of you do as well, for all
those Afghan families who have lost loved ones, including small children, or
been wounded in this vicious attack. And we’re outraged as well as heartbroken.
Being the father of an Army major who served for a year in Iraq and, before
that, was in Kosovo as a U.S. attorney for the better part of six months in the
middle of a war -- when he came home after a year in Iraq, he was diagnosed,
like many, many coming home, with an aggressive and lethal cancer of the brain
-- who we lost.
We have some sense, like many of you do, what the families of these brave heroes
are feeling today. You get this feeling like you’re being sucked into a black
hole in the middle of your chest; there’s no way out. My heart aches for you.
But I know this: We have a continuing obligation, a sacred obligation to all of
you -- the families of those heroes. That obligation is not temporary; it lasts
forever.
The lives we lost today were lives given in the service of liberty, the service
of security, in the service of others, in the service of America.
Like their fellow brothers and sisters in arms who died defending our vision and
our values in the struggle against terrorism of -- the fallen this day, they’re
part of a great and noble company of American heroes.
To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm,
know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and
make you pay. I will defend our interests and our people with every measure at
my command.
Over the past few weeks -- I know you’re -- many of you are probably tired of
hearing me say it -- we’ve been made aware by our intelligence community that
the ISIS-K -- an arch-enemy of the Taliban; people who were freed when both
those prisons were opened -- has been planning a complex set of attacks on the
United States personnel and others.
This is why, from the outset, I’ve repeatedly said this mission was
extraordinarily dangerous and why I have been so determined to limit the
duration of this mission.
And as General McKenzie said, this is why our mission was designed -- this is
the way it was designed to operate: operate under severe stress and attack.
We’ve known that from the beginning.
And as I’ve been in constant contact with our senior military leaders -- and I
mean constant, around the clock -- and our commanders on the ground and
throughout the day, they made it clear that we can and we must complete this
mission, and we will. And that’s what I’ve ordered them to do.
We will not be deterred by terrorists. We will not let them stop our mission. We
will continue the evacuation.
I’ve also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K
assets, leadership, and facilities. We will respond with force and precision at
our time, at the place we choose, and the moment of our choosing.
Here is what you need to know: These ISIS terrorists will not win. We will
rescue the Americans who are there. We will get out our Afghan allies out, and
our mission will go on.
America will not be intimidated.
I have the utmost confidence in our brave service members who continue to
execute this mission with courage and honor to save lives and get Americans, our
partners, our Afghan allies out of Afghanistan.
Every day when I talk to our commanders, I ask them what they need -- what more
do they need, if anything, to get the job done. As they will tell you, I granted
every request.
I reiterated to them again today, on three occasions, that they should take the
maximum steps necessary to protect our forces on the ground in Kabul.
And I also want to thank the Secretary of Defense and the military leadership at
the Pentagon, and all the commanders in the field. There has been complete
unanimity from every commander on the objectives of this mission and the best
way to achieve those objectives.
Those who have served through the ages have drawn inspiration from the Book of
Isaiah, when the Lord says, “Whom shall I send…who shall go for us?” And the
American military has been answering for a long time: “Here am I, Lord. Send
me.” “Here I am. Send me.”
Each one of these women and men of our armed forces are the heirs of that
tradition of sacrifice of volunteering to go into harm’s way, to risk everything
-- not for glory, not for profit, but to defend what we love and the people we
love.
And I ask that you join me now in a moment of silence for all those in uniform
and out uniform -- military and civilian, who have given the last full measure
of devotion.
[A moment of silence is given]
Thank you. May God bless you all. And may God protect those troops and all those
standing watch for America. We have so much to do. It’s within our capacity to
do it. We just have to remain steadfast. Steadfast.
We will complete our mission. And we will continue, after our troops have
withdrawn, to find means by which we defined any American who wishes to get out
of Afghanistan. We will find them and we will get them out.
Ladies and gentlemen, they gave me a list here. The first person I was
instructed to call on was Kelly O’Donnell of NBC.
Question: Mr. President, you have said leaving Afghanistan is in the national interest
of the United States. After today’s attack, do you believe you will authorize
additional forces to respond to that attack inside Afghanistan? And are you --
are you prepared to add additional forces to protect those Americans who remain
on the ground carrying out the evacuation operation?
President Biden: I’ve instructed the military, whatever they need -- if they need
additional force -- I will grant it. But the military -- from the Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs, the Joint Chiefs, the commanders in the field -- have all
contacted me one way or another, usually by letter, saying they subscribe to the
mission as designed to get as many people out as we can within the timeframe
that is allotted. That is the best way, they believe, to get as many Americans
out as possible, and others.
And with regard to finding, tracking down the ISIS leaders who ordered this, we
have some reason to believe we know who they are -- not certain -- and we will
find ways of our choosing, without large military operations, to get them.
Question: Inside Afghanistan, Mr. President?
President Biden: Wherever they are.
Trevor from Reuters.
Question: Thank you, Mr. President. There has been some criticism, even from people in
your party, about the dependence on the Taliban to secure the perimeter of the
airport. Do you feel like there was a mistake made in that regard?
President Biden: No, I don’t. Look, I think General McKenzie handled this question
very well. The fact is that we’re in a situation -- we inherited a situation,
particularly since, as we all know, that the Afghan military collapsed 11 days
before -- in 11 days -- that it is in the interest of, as Mackenzie said, in the
interest of the Taliban that, in fact, ISIS-K does not metastasize beyond what
it is, number one. And number two, it’s in their interest that we are able to
leave on time, on target.
As a consequence of that, the major things we’ve asked them -- moving back the
perimeter; give me more space between the wall; stopping vehicles from coming
through, et cetera; searching people coming through -- it is not what you’d call
a tightly commanded, regimented operation like the U.S. is -- the military is --
but they’re acting in their interest -- their interest.
And so, by and large -- and I’ve asked this same question to military on the
ground, whether or not it’s a useful exercise. No one trusts them; we’re just
counting on their self-interest to continue to generate their activities. And
it’s in their self-interest that we leave when we said and that we get as many
people out as we can.
And like I said, even in the midst of everything that happened today, over 7,000
people have gotten out; over 5,000 Americans overall.
So, it’s not a matter of trust, it’s a matter of mutual self-interest. And --
But there is no evidence thus far that I’ve been given, as a consequence by any
of our commanders in the field, that there has been collusion between the
Taliban and ISIS in carrying out what happened today both in front of the hotel
and what is expected to continue for -- beyond today.
Aamer, Associated Press.
Question: Thank you, Mr. President. You have spoken again powerfully about your own son
and the weight of these decisions. With that in mind -- and also what you’ve
said: that the longer we stay, the more likelihood that there would be a major
attack -- how do you weigh staying even one more day, considering what’s
happened?
President Biden: Because I think what America says matters. What we say we’re
going to do and the context in which we say we’re going to do it, that we do it
-- unless something exceptional changes.
There are additional American citizens, there are additional green card holders,
there are additional personnel of our allies, there are additional SIV card
holders, there are additional Afghans that have helped us, and there are
additional groups of individuals that have contacted us from women’s groups, to
NGOs, and others, who have expressly indicated they want to get out and have
gathered in certain circumstances in groups, on buses and other means, that
still presents the opportunity for the next several days, between now and the
31st, to be able to get them out.
And our military -- and, I believe, to the extent that we can do that knowing
the threat, knowing that we may very well have another attack -- the military
has concluded that’s what we should do. I think they’re right. I think they’re
correct.
And after that, we’re going to be in a circumstance where there are -- will be,
I believe, numerous opportunities to continue to provide access for additional
persons to get out of Afghanistan, either through means that we provide and/or
are provided through cooperation with the Taliban. They’re not good guys, the
Taliban. I’m not suggesting that at all. But they have a keen interest. As many
of you have been reporting, they very much would like to figure out how to keep
the airport open. They don’t have the capacity to do it. They very much are
trying to figure out whether or not they can maintain what is the portion of an
economy that has become not robust, but fundamentally different than it had
been.
And so there’s a lot of reasons why they have reached out not just to us, but to
others, as to why it would be continued in their interest to get more of the
personnel we want to get out. We can locate them.
Now, there’s not many left that we can assess that are -- want to come out.
There’s some Americans we’ve identified -- we’ve contacted the vast majority of
them, if not all of them -- who don’t want to leave because they have --
they’re dual nationals, they have extended families, et cetera. And there’s
others who are looking for the time. So, that’s why we continue.
I’ll take a few more questions, and -- but, you, sir.
Question: Thank you, Mr. President.
President Biden: I didn’t pick you, but that’s okay.
Question: I wanted to ask you -- you say that “what America says matters.” What do you
say to the Afghans who helped troops, who may not be able to get out by August
31st? What --
President Biden: I say --
Question: What do you say to them?
President Biden: -- we’re going to continue to try to get you out. It matters.
Look, I know of no conflict, as a student of history -- no conflict where, when
a war was ending, one side was able to guarantee that everyone that wanted to be
extracted from that country would get out.
And think about it, folks. I think it’s important for -- I know the American
people get this in their gut. There are, I would argue, millions of Afghani
citizens who are not Taliban; who did not actively cooperate with us as SIVs;
who, if given a chance, they’d be onboard a plane tomorrow. It sounds
ridiculous, but the vast majority of people in communities like that want to
come to America, given a choice.
So, getting every single person out is -- can’t be guaranteed to anybody because
there’s a determination, all who wants to get out as well.
At any rate, it’s a process.
I was really pointing to you, but -- you, sir.
Question: Thank you, Mr. President. There are reports that U.S. officials provided the
Taliban with names of Americans and Afghan officials to evacuate. Were you aware
of that? Did that happen?
And then, sir, did you personally reject a recommendation to hold, or to
recapture Bagram Air Force Base?
President Biden: Here’s what I’ve done on the -- ask this -- I’ll answer the last
question, first.
On the tactical questions of how to conduct an evacuation or a war, I gather up
all the major military personnel that are in Afghanistan -- the commanders, as
well as the Pentagon. And I ask for their best military judgment: what would be
the most efficient way to accomplish the mission.
They concluded -- the military -- that Bagram was not much value added, that it
was much wiser to focus on Kabul. And so, I followed that recommendation.
With regard to -- there are certain circumstances where we’ve gotten information
-- and quite frankly, sometimes from some of you -- saying, “You know of such
and such a group of people who are trying to get out and they’re on a bus,
they’re moving…” -- from other people -- “and this is their location.”
And there have been occasions when our military has contacted their military
counterparts in the Taliban and said, “This…” -- for example, “This bus is
coming through with X number of people on it, made up of the following group of
people. We want you to let that bus or that group through.”
So, yes, there have been occasions like that.
And to the best of my knowledge, in those cases, the bulk of that has occurred
-- they’ve been let through. But I can’t tell you with any certitude that
there’s actually been a list of names. I don’t -- There may have been, but I
know of no circumstance. It doesn’t mean it’s not -- it didn’t exist, that,
“Here’s the names of 12 people; they’re coming. Let them through.” It could very
well have happened.
I’ll take one more question.
Question: Mr. President, can I --
Question: Mr. President, right here. Mr. President --
President Biden: Whoa. Wait, wait, wait. Let me take the one question from the
most interesting guy that I know in the press.
Question: Thank you, Mr. President. Is that -- is there -- thank you.
President Biden: That’s you.
Question: Mr. President, there had not been a U.S. service member killed in combat in
Afghanistan since February of 2020. You set a deadline. You pulled troops out.
You sent troops back in. And now 12 Marines are dead. You said the buck stops
with you. Do you bear any responsibility for the way that things have unfolded
in the last two weeks?
President Biden: I bear responsibility for, fundamentally, all that’s happened of
late.
But here’s the deal: You know -- I wish you’d one day say these things -- you
know, as well -- as I do -- that the former President made a deal with the Taliban that
he would get all American forces out of Afghanistan by May 1.
In return, the commitment was made -- and that was a year before -- in return,
he was given a commitment that the Taliban would continue to attack others, but
would not attack any American forces.
Remember that? I’m being serious.
Question: Mr. President --
President Biden: No, I -- I’m asking you a question. Be a -- because before I --
Question: Donald Trump is not the President right now.
President Biden: No, no -- now wait a minute. I’m asking you a question. Is that
-- Is that accurate, to the best of your knowledge?
Question: I know what you’re talking about. But, Mr. President, respectfully --
President Biden: What?
Question: -- since -- I don’t think that the issue that -- do you think that people have
an issue with pulling out of Afghanistan, or just the way that things have
happened?
President Biden: I think they have an issue that people are likely to get hurt --
some, as we’ve seen, have gotten killed -- and that it is messy.
The reason why -- whether my friend will acknowledge it and was -- reported it
-- the reason why there were no attacks on Americans, as you said, from the date
until I came into office, was because the commitment was made by President
Trump: “I will be out by May 1st. In the meantime, you agree not to attack any
Americans.” That was the deal. That’s why no American was attacked.
Question: And you said that you still -- a few days ago, you said you squarely stand by
your decision to pull out.
President Biden: Yes, I do. Because look at it this way, folks -- and I’m going to
-- I have another meeting, for real. But imagine where we’d be if I had
indicated, on May the 1st, I was not going to renegotiate an evacuation date; we
were going to stay there.
I’d have only one alternative: Pour thousands of more troops back into
Afghanistan to fight a war that we had already won, relative -- is why the
reason we went in the first place.
I have never been of the view that we should be sacrificing American lives to
try to establish a democratic government in Afghanistan -- a country that has
never once in its entire history been a united country, and is made up -- and I
don’t mean this in a derogatory -- made up of different tribes who have never,
ever, ever gotten along with one another.
And so, as I said before -- and this is the last comment I’ll make, but we’ll
have more chance to talk about this, unfortunately, beyond, because we’re not
out yet -- if Osama bin Laden, as well as al Qaeda, had chosen to launch an
attack -- when they left Saudi Arabia -- out of Yemen, would we have ever gone
to Afghanistan? Even though the Taliban completely controlled Afghanistan at the
time, would we have ever gone?
I know it’s not fair to ask you questions. It’s rhetorical. But raise your hand
if you think we should have gone and given up thousands of lives and tens of
thousands of wounded.
Our interest in going was to prevent al Qaeda from reemerging -- first to get
bin Laden, wipe out al Qaeda in Afghanistan, and prevent that from happening
again.
As I’ve said 100 times: Terrorism has metastasized around the world; we have
greater threats coming out of other countries a heck of a lot closer to the
United States.
We don’t have military encampments there; we don’t keep people there. We have
over-the-horizon capability to keep them from going after us.
Ladies and gentlemen, it was time to end a 20-year war.
Thank you so much.
Original Text Source: WhiteHouse.gov
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