President Biden on Friday said he would take no questions on Afghanistan at his only scheduled public event of the day — just four days away from the final withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
Biden announced the policy while seated in the Oval Office next to visiting Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — pinning his refusal to take questions on his company.
“Now, I’m not going to take any questions because of the prime minister being here on Afghanistan now, but I’ll be available another time,” Biden said.
In brief remarks, Biden described the desperate rescue mission at Kabul’s airport as “dangerous” but “worthy” following the Thursday bombing that killed at least 13 US servicemembers.
“Let me begin by once again acknowledging the bravery and the sacrifice that our military makes every single day. The loss of Americans — Marines and a sailor and army personnel — is tragic,” Biden said.
“Losing a son, a daughter, a husband, a wife, is like being sucked into a big black hole in the middle of your chest and you don’t think there’s any way out. You wonder what’s happening. So my heart goes out, our hearts go out, to all those who we’ve lost.
Biden added: “But look, the mission there being performed is dangerous and has now come with significant loss of American personnel, but it’s a worthy mission because they continue to evacuate folks out of that region, out of the airport.”
Medical staff brings an injured man to a hospital in an ambulance after an explosion at the Kabul airport on Aug. 26, 2021. AFP via Getty ImagesThe president took no questions on the chaotic US pullout from Afghanistan in the wake of last week’s Taliban takeover.
The departure of US troops is expected to leave behind an unknown number of US citizens as well as thousands of Afghan citizens who worked with the US during the 20-year conflict and are likely to face retribution from the Islamic fundamentalist group
Biden on Thursday evening blamed the Islamic State group for the airport bombing and vowed revenge. He also vowed to continue evacuations of US citizens and at-risk Afghans after Aug. 31, though it’s unclear how that will happen without a military presence.
President Biden and Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett chat during a meeting in the Oval Office. Biden declined any questions about Afghanistan at the event.REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst





