((NATSOUND: U.S. soldier firing, AFP V000_1JU8MA TC 4:38))
((Various U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, AFP V000_1JU8MA, lots of good shots beginning TC 5:00, there’s also a shot of an injured U.S. soldier around 3:40))
((NARRATOR))
After 20 years, close to a trillion dollars, more than 2,300 American deaths and the loss of tens of thousands of Afghan lives,
((Biden walks in))
((NARRATOR))
the U.S. is saying, enough.
(( https://app.frame.io/player/7e1ecebf-918f-4eb6-a53c-8f216d05e2a7 ))
((President Joe Biden))
“We went to war with clear goals. We achieved those objectives. Bin Laden is dead, and al-Qaida is degraded in Iraq and Afghanistan. And it's time to end the forever war."
((Various US soldiers in Afghanistan, AFP V000_1JU8MA))
((NARRATOR))
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced that all 2,500 American troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11,
((9/11 File, AFP V000_VID338455_FR))
((NARRATOR))
two decades after the U.S. invaded the country following attacks by the terrorist group al-Qaida, who sought haven there.
((Various US soldiers in Afghanistan, AFP V000_1JU8MA, Taliban fighters, AP 4320628))
((NARRATOR))
The Trump administration had previously set May 1st as the withdrawal deadline, providing that the Taliban, the Muslim fundamentalist group controlling Afghanistan, cut ties with al-Qaida.
((Various Kabul scene, AP 4320781, Taliban fighters, AP 4320628))
((NARRATOR))
Biden set his withdrawal without conditions, arguing there is no point to continue to fight an intractable war and expect different results.
Some Republicans say the Taliban will regain control and hurt Afghan and U.S. interests.
((Radio track: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham))
((MRT clip: https://app.frame.io/projects/107d8a33-963a-48f0-9001-585725df7d34/3d2cfb3d-4308-4a50-9682-f0470456a14a ))
((Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator))
“President Biden unfortunately has chosen the highest risk option available, which is to leave, no matter what.”
((Blinken NATO meeting, AP 4320738))
((NARATOR))
In coordination with the U.S., NATO on Wednesday announced withdrawal of 10,000 of its forces from Afghanistan by May 1st.
((Radio track: Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg))
((AP 4320853))
((Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General))
“Any Taliban attacks on our troops during this period will be met with a forceful response."
((Afghan troops training, AP 4320628 TC 1:40))
((NARRATOR))
Biden said the U.S. and its allies will continue training and equipping almost 300,000 Afghan troops, support humanitarian efforts and engage diplomatically.
(( https://app.frame.io/player/c9774ee4-7841-4980-93c2-e40dcdcb043e ))
((President Joe Biden))
“We will support peace talks between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, facilitated by the United Nations, and will continue to support the rights of Afghan women and girls.”
((Taliban fighters, AP 4320628))
((NARRATOR))
In response to Biden’s decision to pull troops in September instead of May, the Taliban issued a warning, increasing fears of violence and the collapse of the Afghan government.
(( https://app.frame.io/player/7ee0c1e3-1f84-4431-ba6c-adaa71e4adc3 TC 4:02))
((Radio Track: Austin Wright is a professor at the University of Chicago, focusing on Afghanistan))
((Austin Wright, University of Chicago))
“There's probably no option that significantly reduces the level of violence. There's also probably no option on the table to build the Afghanistan that the United States probably had in mind when they invested more than a trillion dollars in the war. So yes, this is probably the best out of a series of bad options.”
((Use footage of the Afghan Peace Council from this story — I will email Production the raw footage from Afghan stringer))
(( https://www.voanews.com/episode/afghanistan-finalizes-draft-peace-proposal-taliban-not-ready-istanbul-conference-4656846 ))
((NARRATOR))
The Afghan Peace Council, a body created to negotiate with the Taliban, is set to meet in Turkey later this month, but peace prospects are dim.
((Biden Arlington, AP 4320864))
((NARRATOR))
Following his remarks, Biden visited Arlington National Cemetery to pay respects to soldiers who lost their lives in the war.
Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News.