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Afghanistan updates: US, Taliban hold first direct talks since withdrawal
State Dept. spokesperson Ned Price called the talks "candid and professional."
It's been more than a month since the U.S. withdrew all U.S. troops from Afghanistan on President Joe Biden's order to leave by Aug. 31, ending a chaotic evacuation operation after the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban seized control of the country.
In testimony to Congress last month, their first since the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan -- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley and Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, candidly admitted that they had recommended to Biden that the U.S. should keep a troop presence there, appearing to contradict his assertions to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos.
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'It was time to end this war': Biden
In his address to the nation, the president said it was time to end the war.
"We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago. Then we stayed for another decade. It was time to end this war," he said. "This is a new world: Al-Qaida affiliates in Syria and ISIS attempting to create a caliphate in Syria and Iraq and establishing affiliates across Africa nation. The fundamental obligation of a president, in my opinion, is to defend and protect America. Not against threats of 2001 but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow."
"That is the guiding principle behind my decisions about Afghanistan," he added. "I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and sending billions of dollars."
Biden says 90% of Americans who wanted to leave were able to leave
Biden touted efforts to get out Afghans who helped the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and said, "Now we believe that about 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan, with some intention to leave."
"Most of those who remain are dual citizens, long-time residents who had earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan," Biden said. "The bottom line, 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. And for those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out."
Biden addresses nation following US withdrawal
In his first formal remarks since the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, the president said, "The extraordinary success of this mission was due to the incredible skill, bravery and selfless courage of the United States military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals."
"For weeks they risked their lives to get American citizens Afghans who helped us, citizens of our allies and partners and others onboard planes and out of the country," he continued. "And they did it facing a crush of enormous crowds seeking to leave the country. And they did it knowing ISIS-K terrorists, sworn enemies of the Taliban were lurking in the midst of those crowds."
McConnell blasts Biden for breaking 'promise,' leaving Americans behind
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized President Biden, claiming he broke his "promise" to get every American who wanted to leave Afghanistan out of the country before the U.S. military left, saying Biden's "reckless withdrawal has created a humanitarian disaster and emboldened the terrorists."
"Two weeks ago, President Biden specifically promised he wouldn’t pull out before every American who wanted out had gotten out. By their own admission, the Biden Administration has now broken that promise," McConnell said Tuesday at an event in Ashland, Kentucky.
In an exclusive interview on Aug. 18 with ABC's George Stephanopolous, Biden said that "If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out."
At the event, McConnell also warned of the continued threat from the Taliban, adding, "This fight will not end just because our politicians want it to go away."
-ABC News' Trish Turner