On Saturday, US President Joe Biden announced that he has authorized the deployment of 5,000 troops to Afghanistan to support the personnel drawdown, urging the Taliban not to jeopardize US personnel or the mission.
In a statement, Biden said he had authorized the deployment of some 5,000 US soldiers to ensure an orderly and secure withdrawal of US and ally forces, as well as the "evacuation of Afghans who helped our troops during our mission and those at special risk from the Taliban advance."
According to Xinhua news agency, Biden said the US military had warned Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar, that any action that put US soldiers or missions in jeopardy "will be met with a swift and strong U.S. military response,"
He also justified his choice to cease the United States military involvement in the country following the two-decade conflict. "One more year, or five more years, of U.S. military presence, would not have made a difference if the Afghan military cannot or will not hold its own country," he said. "And an endless American presence in the middle of another country's civil conflict was not acceptable to me."
The State Department announced an additional decrease of US forces in Kabul on Thursday, citing the deteriorating security situation.
To facilitate the drawdown, the Pentagon authorized three infantry battalions, totaling around 3,000 troops, to deploy to Kabul airport. In addition, a 3,500-strong infantry brigade combat team will deploy to Kuwait in case more troops are required.
According to a defense official, Biden gave his approval to send the message on Saturday morning "the 82nd Airborne Brigade Combat Team's lead battalion - about 1,000 troops - to help with the State Department's drawdown.
The Brigade Combat Team's remaining two battalions will be stationed in Kuwait as a ready reserve."
According to the official, the 5,000 US troops in Kabul include 1,000 troops already on the ground to secure the airport and embassy, three infantry battalions expected to arrive by the end of the weekend, and 1,000 newly approved soldiers.
The decision to send more troops to Afghanistan comes as the Taliban continues to gain ground on the battlefield.
The Taliban terrorists stormed Asadabad city, the capital of eastern Kunar province, earlier today, raising the total number of provincial capitals captured by the insurgent group to 20.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the urgency of ongoing diplomatic and political efforts to minimize violence with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in a phone call on Saturday, according to a statement from the State Department.
Blinken also emphasized the US commitment to the Afghan government's strong diplomatic and security connections.
Biden's move on Saturday came in the wake of mounting Republican criticism of the Afghan situation.
In a statement released on Friday, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell claimed, "This debacle was not only foreseeable but it was also foreseen," "The President and his team actively decided against a far more responsible approach to preserving our national security interests and protecting our Afghan partners."
To avoid the collapse of Kabul, McConnell encouraged the Biden administration to attack the Taliban and provide essential support to Afghan forces. "If they don't," he said, "the security threat to the US will undoubtedly grow, and the humanitarian cost to innocent Afghans will be catastrophic."
