Biden announced US troops could stay in Kabul past deadline

When asked in an interview with ABC News if the troops would stay until all Americans were evacuated, Biden replied, “Yes.”

“We will try to do it before August 31, “he said, adding:” If there are any US citizens left, we will stay and get them all out. “

The interview will air on ABC’s “World News Tonight” Wednesday, according to ANSA, and on “Good Morning America” ​​(8:00 am Argentine time) Thursday.

Biden However, he told ABC News that there would never be an easy way out of Afghanistan after two decades of war.

“The idea that somehow there was a way out without causing chaos, I don’t know how that was possible,” he said.

He said the Taliban were working with US forces, with whom they had spent so many years fighting, to help foreigners escape, but admitted “difficulties” in eliminating Afghan allies.

“They are cooperating, allowing American citizens to leave, American personnel to leave, embassy personnel to leave.”, he claimed.

“But we have more difficulties with those who helped us when we were there,” he added, apparently referring to the Afghans who worked alongside US and foreign forces and now fear retaliation.

In the interview, the president dismissed criticism that his administration suffered from a massive intelligence failure.

Referring to the overnight collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government and army in the face of the Taliban advancing, Biden said he was convinced the US exit had to go as planned.

“The initial question was, do we commit to leaving within the timeframe we set … or are we deploying a lot more troops?”, he recalls.

When asked what he thought upon seeing the footage of Afghans trying to flee by clinging to the fuselage of an American plane, and others falling after take off, Biden said his reaction was “We have to control this, we have to go faster. We have to move so that we can take control of this airport. And we have.”