'Best decision for Americans': US President Joe Biden defends troops withdrawal from Afghanistan

A day after completing the troops' withdrawal process from Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden said ending the 20-year war was the best and the 'right' decision for America. He said that there was no reason to continue in a war that was no longer in the service of the 'vital national interest' of the US. 

Addressing from the White House, Biden on Tuesday said, “I give you my word: With all of my heart, I believe this is the right decision, a wise decision, and the best decision for America.”

He added, “We've been a nation too long at war. If you're 20 years old today, you have never known an America at peace. So, when I hear that we could've, should've continued the so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan, at low risk to our service members, at low cost, I don't think enough people understand how much we have asked of the 1 percent of this country who put that uniform on, who are willing to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation."

Biden said that he is the fourth US President who has faced the dilemma of whether or not to end this war. He said, “After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, I refused to send another generation of America's sons and daughters to fight a war that should have ended long ago."

“As Commander-in-Chief, I firmly believe the best path to guard our safety and our security lies in a tough, unforgiving, targeted, precise strategy that goes after terror where it is today, not where it was two decades ago. That's what's in our national interest," the US President said. 

Biden added, “The fundamental obligation of a President, in my opinion, is to defend and protect America -- not against threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow. That is the guiding principle behind my decisions about Afghanistan. I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America are enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan."

The US will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other nations, Biden added.