US Secretary of Defense: I do not regret the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan
Lloyd Austin, the US Secretary of Defense, stated that he is not sorry or regretful about ending the war and withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in August 2021.
According to American media reports, he and two other defense officials testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, March 29, regarding the President’s 2024 defense budget request and faced questions about the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
During this session, the killing of 13 American military personnel in a Daesh attack during the evacuation operation was specifically brought up. He was asked whether he regrets this withdrawal and retreat, to which he responded, ‘I support the President’s decision; I have no regrets.’
US President Joe Biden had announced that American soldiers would leave Afghanistan on September 11, 2021, on the 20th anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers. In August, the Taliban quickly captured many areas, ultimately leading to the fall of the previous government. The US military evacuated about 120,000 civilians from Kabul airport during the evacuation operation.