Afghanistan Crisis: US President Joe Biden stands by decision to withdraw American troops

President Biden has said "I stand squarely behind" the decision to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan, adding that the collapse of the administration "was quicker than anticipated".

Mr Biden said he was faced with a choice between sticking to a previously negotiated agreement to withdraw US troops this year or sending thousands more service members back into Afghanistan for a "third decade" of war.

Mr Biden said he will not repeat mistakes of the past and did not regret his decision to proceed with the withdrawal.

"I stand squarely behind my decision," Mr Biden said in a televised address to the nation from the White House East Room.

President Joe Biden says the US should not be fighting in a war while the Afghans themselves were unwilling to do so.

"After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces."

Mr Biden said he would rather take the criticism over the fallout in Afghanistan than leave the decision to another president.

He said the decision to leave Afghanistan is "the right one for America."

But the president said that the rapid end of the Afghan government only vindicates his choice to end the war.

Mr Biden added: "American troops cannot and should not be fighting the war, and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves."

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