President Joe Biden To Withdraw All U.S. Troops From Afghanistan In September 2021

Illustration of the American Army in Afghanistan (Wikimedia Commons/The U.S. Army)

JAKARTA - U.S. President Joe Biden plans to withdraw the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, 20 years after the al Qaeda attacks that sparked America's longest war, U.S. officials said on Tuesday local time.

The decision is in contrast to the Taliban's agreement with President Biden's predecessor, former President Donald Trump, that the withdrawal will be made on May 1. Later, all that remained was the army to guard the Diplomatic Facilities of the United States.

The rebels threatened to continue hostilities against foreign troops if the deadline was missed. But President Joe Biden will still set a short-term withdrawal date, potentially assuaging Taliban concerns.

President Biden will announce his decision publicly on Wednesday, the White House said. A senior Biden Administration official said the withdrawal would begin before May 1 and could be completed well before the September 11 deadline.

"The president has assessed the condition-based approach, which has been the approach in the last two decades, is a recipe for staying in Afghanistan forever," the official, who spoke anonymously, in an explanation with reporters, told Reuters Wednesday, April 14.

Illustration of American Soldiers in Afghanistan. (Wikimedia Commons/The U.S. Army)

Foreign Minister Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected to discuss the decision with NATO allies in Brussels on Wednesday, sources said.

Biden's decision suggests he has concluded the U.S. military presence will no longer be decisive in achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan. In contrast to the core assumptions of the Pentagon that have long supported the deployment of American troops there.

"There is no military solution to the problem plaguing Afghanistan, and we will focus our efforts on supporting the ongoing peace process," a senior government official said.

The United States intelligence report, sent to Congress, states, "Kabul continues to face setbacks on the battlefield, and the Taliban is confident it can achieve a military victory."

The Taliban declined to comment, saying the group had not been informed of the United States decision.

The deadline for withdrawal on May 1 has seemed less likely in recent weeks, given the lack of preparation on the ground to ensure it can be done safely and responsibly.

United States officials also blame the Taliban for failing to meet commitments to reduce violence and some have warned of the Taliban's continued ties to al Qaeda.

There are currently about 2,500 United States troops in Afghanistan, far less than the 2011 number of more than 100,000. About 2,400 United States service members have been killed during the Afghan conflict and thousands more wounded.

It remains unclear how Biden's move will impact the planned 10-day summit starting April 24 on Afghanistan in Istanbul that will include the United Nations and Qatar. Taliban representatives have not yet committed to attend.