President Biden on Friday he addressed the attempt to evacuate US citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan facing the takeover of the country by the Taliban, while facing a torrent of criticism for his handling of the US withdrawal.
"There will be a lot of time to criticize and doubt when this operation is finished, but now I am focused on doing this work," he told a news conference from the White House.
LIVE UPDATES: AFGHANISTAN EVACUATION FLIGHTS NOW LEAVING KABUL AIRPORT ON MAXIMUM CAPACITY
August 20, 2021 - President Joe Biden speaks about the evacuation of American citizens, their families, SIV applicants, and vulnerable Afghans in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta)
In a broad speech in which he promised to bring Americans home, Biden said the United States was increasing evacuations of citizens and Afghans and had made "significant progress." He also warned that he could not promise what the final outcome of the dire situation in Kabul would be.
"I cannot promise what the end result will be, or that it will be without risk of loss, but as commander-in-chief I can assure you that I will mobilize all the necessary resources," he said.
Authorities said Friday that they have so far evacuated some 13,000 people from the country since the Taliban pushed into Kabul, prompting chaotic scenes at the capital's airport when citizens and Americans made desperate offers to board planes outside the besieged country. Biden has been widely criticized for the crisis, but on Friday he tried to portray the situation as one in which the United States was in control.
"We have established a flow of flights and we have increased the number of people leaving the country," Biden said.
Those looking to get out amid fears of retaliation have faced Taliban checkpoints as well as a slow effort to get people out. The Pentagon said 5,700 people have been evacuated from Kabul aboard 16 Air Force C-17s in the past 24 hours. That's 356 per flight, slightly more than the aircraft's maximum capacity and a significant increase from the previous day, when flights were almost half empty.
Biden on Friday made a promise to American citizens still in the country: "Any American who wants to go home, we will take him home."
The State Department had acknowledged Thursday that there was "congestion" around the airport and reports of Americans unable to get there. He had also included a line in his messages telling Americans to go to Kabul airport for evacuations, saying: "The US government cannot guarantee safe passage to Hamid Karzai International Airport."
The latest State Department guide said on Friday that Americans should "use their best judgment to get to the airport" and warned that "airport doors can open or close without warning."
However, Biden said the United States "has had no indication" that Americans with passports were unable to reach the airport and said there was an agreement with the Taliban.
Separately, the Pentagon has said that intends to transfer 22,000 Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants to the United States, where they will be housed on military bases. Biden said Friday that the United States is committed to providing a safe haven for American allies.
"The United States maintains the commitment we have made to these people and includes other vulnerable Afghans, such as women leaders and journalists," he said.
He also dismissed questions about the possibility that the credibility of the United States will be damaged by the debacle: "I have not seen any doubt of our credibility in our allies around the world."
It is the latest case this week that Biden defended his administration's strategy, which he did in a public address and in a television interview.
"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that - we're going to go back and look at it, but the idea that somehow there was a way out without chaos, I don't know how that happens." Biden told ABC News earlier this week.
Republicans, who have been scathing about Biden's handling of the crisis, were equally critical on Friday.
"President Biden is either divorced from reality or is intentionally misleading the nation about what is really happening in Afghanistan," Sen. Thom Tillis, RN.C., said in a statement. "The evacuation process is a nightmare. It is inconceivable that the most powerful nation in the world does not guarantee the safe passage of American citizens, but chooses to put their fate in the hands of the Taliban."
"We cannot leave any American behind, and we must use all necessary means to bring all Americans home safely. Anything other than that is a breach of duty on the part of our commander-in-chief," he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Republican National Committee accused Biden of creating a "disaster" in Afghanistan.
"Biden's claims that Americans can safely get to Kabul airport and that our allies support his efforts in handling the crisis are verifiably false," said RNC spokeswoman Emma Vaughn. "Americans deserve accountability and transparency, not lies and continued failure."
Earlier this week, Biden ordered more US troops to be sent into the country to help with evacuations and keep operations running smoothly. As of Friday, nearly 6,000 US troops were on the ground at the Kabul airport and the military rally was nearly complete, defense officials told Fox News.
The White House said Friday morning that Biden will not go to Wilmington, Delaware, as scheduled, and will remain in Washington, D.C. Biden spent most of the last week in Wilmington and the presidential retreat from Camp David as the crisis subsided. got out of control. .
Tyler Olson and Lucas Tomlinson of Fox News contributed to this report, as well as The Associated Press.
