
The White House on Thursday released its review of President Biden's fumbled withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, dropping the long-awaited report days before the Easter holiday while former President Donald Trump's indictment dominates headlines.
In a 12-page outline, Biden officials defend the president's decision to withdraw, calling his decision to end the two decades-long war "the right thing for the country." The report does not appear to acknowledge any mistakes made by Biden. However, the document repeatedly criticizes the Trump administration for constraining the conditions of American evacuation, during which 13 American soldiers died in a suicide bombing while protecting the Kabul airport.
The review does acknowledge that the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan should have started sooner, but blames the delays on the Afghan government and military, and on U.S. military and intelligence community assessments.