Report: Biden doesn’t believe anyone made a mistake during Afghan exit

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President Joe Biden remains defiant that his decision to end the war in Afghanistan was the right one, despite the loss of 13 American service members in a suicide bombing near the Kabul airport. Biden publicly defended the operation to exit Afghanistan despite the messy withdrawal, but a new book from Politico reporter Alexander Ward demonstrates that the president ‘didn’t believe anyone had made a mistake.’

Ending the war was always going to be messy,' Ward wrote, revealing some of the behind the scenes details from the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in his book 'The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore Foreign Policy After Trump.' Details of the book were first reported in Axios.

Ending the war was always going to be messy,’ Ward wrote, revealing some of the behind the scenes details from the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in his book ‘The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore Foreign Policy After Trump.’ Details of the book were first reported in Axios.

Despite the Pentagon 's efforts to keep some level of troops to facilitate an orderly withdrawal, Biden and the State Department focused on getting out as soon as possible. At the same time, Biden vowed he would reman in Afghanistan until every American citizen who wanted to leave could leave.

Despite the Pentagon ‘s efforts to keep some level of troops to facilitate an orderly withdrawal, Biden and the State Department focused on getting out as soon as possible. At the same time, Biden vowed he would reman in Afghanistan until every American citizen who wanted to leave could leave.

'If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out,' Biden said in an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos. 'There's no one here who thinks we can meet that promise,' a White House senior official told Ward at the time.

‘If there’s American citizens left, we’re gonna stay to get them all out,’ Biden said in an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos. ‘There’s no one here who thinks we can meet that promise,’ a White House senior official told Ward at the time.

The administration's hasty exit led to a great deal of chaos, including Afghan refugees falling off of cargo planes leaving the country and women handing their babies over the airport fence to American troops. The chaos at the airport ultimately led to the horrific suicide bombing at the airport that killed 13 American service members.

The administration’s hasty exit led to a great deal of chaos, including Afghan refugees falling off of cargo planes leaving the country and women handing their babies over the airport fence to American troops. The chaos at the airport ultimately led to the horrific suicide bombing at the airport that killed 13 American service members.

Ultimately more than 800 American citizens were left behind in Afghanistan as well as tens of thousands of Afghans who supported American troops. Publicly, Biden was never contrite for the messy exit in Afghanistan, defending himself in remarks at the White House on August 18.

Ultimately more than 800 American citizens were left behind in Afghanistan as well as tens of thousands of Afghans who supported American troops. Publicly, Biden was never contrite for the messy exit in Afghanistan, defending himself in remarks at the White House on August 18.

'The bottom line is, there is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges, threats we faced. None,' he said. Ward wrote that Biden believed his team had done their best, and did not expect anyone in his administration to resign.

‘The bottom line is, there is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges, threats we faced. None,’ he said. Ward wrote that Biden believed his team had done their best, and did not expect anyone in his administration to resign.

'Biden told his top aides, [National Security Advisor Jake] Sullivan included, that he stood by them and they had done their best during a tough situation,' he wrote.

‘Biden told his top aides, [National Security Advisor Jake] Sullivan included, that he stood by them and they had done their best during a tough situation,’ he wrote.

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