President Biden’s remarks following deadly terror attacks at Kabul’s airport suggested that U.S. activities in Afghanistan could continue beyond the Aug. 31 deadline for a permanent withdrawal of U.S. troops, raising further questions about the current parameters of the mission.
Biden vowed to retaliate against ISIS-K militants responsible for the suicide bombings that killed at least 13 U.S. military service members on Thursday, though he did not provide a timeline for when those strikes could occur. He also noted that there would be “numerous opportunities” to evacuate at-risk individuals after Aug. 31, even as he pledged to maintain his current timeline for the withdrawal.
“These ISIS terrorists will not win. We will rescue the Americans there. We will get our Afghan allies out and our mission will go on,” Biden said during his speech. “America will not be intimidated. And I have the utmost confidence in our brave service members who continue to execute this mission with…