Earlier this year, US President Joe Biden decided that the country would withdraw all troops from Afghanistan, no later than September 11 this year.

At the same time as the United States reduced its presence, the Taliban movement went on the offensive, and before the end date was even reached, the Taliban had seized power and the government forces capitulated before the evacuation was completed.

Biden's actions are now being criticized by both Democrats and Republicans.

Former President Donald Trump, like several other Republicans, has criticized what is being called a failure.

The minority leader in Congress, Mitch McConnell, calls the withdrawal a "shameful failure", Trump said in a statement that it is inconceivable to withdraw troops before evacuating civilians.

"I think he (Joe Biden) will have blood on his hands because of what they did," Republican Congressman Michael McCaul told CNN.

Criticism also comes from Democratic party colleagues from the time of the Obama administration.

- It may be the biggest crisis so far for Joe Biden as president.

Biden has repeatedly assured that there will be no repetition of Vietnam, chaos and tumult, which is exactly what we see now, says SVT's foreign reporter Tomas Thorén.

Biden: There is never a good time

Biden himself has blamed the Afghan government - and its military - for the Taliban's rapid advance.

He repeats this in his speech to the nation during Monday evening Swedish time.

- Developments in recent weeks strengthen the decision that it was right to end US troops' presence in Afghanistan.

American troops should not fight and die in a war that Afghan troops do not want to fight themselves, says Biden.

He recalls what the original purpose of the operation in Afghanistan was.

- Our purpose was not to build a united democracy, it was to prevent a terrorist attack on the United States, Biden says.

Biden also points out that he inherited the agreement that the Taliban would be part of President Trump's negotiations, and that the former president decided to withdraw troops.

However, he admits that the development has gone faster than could have been predicted, which now defends the evacuation enormously.

- There is never a good time to withdraw troops.

This developed faster than we thought.