The day after the last US soldier left Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden gave a speech to the nation.

He defends the criticized decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan and gives a final message. 

- The war in Afghanistan is now over, says the president and continues. 

- I take responsibility for the decision.

I think that's the right decision.

I think it's a wise decision and the best decision for the United States. 

The president believes that the war no longer served its purpose, which according to him was to prevent an attack similar to the one that took place on September 11.

Biden further says that the effort has been extremely expensive, caused a lot of pain and cost many lives.  

- After 20 years, I refuse to send American sons and daughters to a war that should have ended several years ago.

A criticized retreat

The American withdrawal has received criticism from many quarters.

Biden says he had two choices when he became president.

Either to honor the peace agreement that the previous regime had made with the Taliban or to send thousands more soldiers to Afghanistan and escalate the war effort. 

- He puts a lot of blame on Donald Trump.

But the truth is that the bloody withdrawal and the chaotic scenes we have seen in Kabul, the responsibility of the current administration, says SVT's US correspondent Stefan Åsberg.

Biden: "An extraordinary success"

The president calls the US evacuation an "extraordinary success" and praises the soldiers for their courage and skill.  

- They risked their lives to save others, says Joe Biden. 

The president announces that the United States will work to get the approximately 200 Americans who remain in Afghanistan, if they want to leave the country.

The president also promises a continued fight against terrorists, but not through soldiers on the ground.

Addressing the Afghan branch of the Islamic State called IS-K or IS Khorasan, he said:


- To IS-K: We are not done with you yet.