Psaki defends Biden’s objection to reporters over Afghanistan questions: He’s ‘done’

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden criticized reporters who questioned him about the Afghanistan withdrawal because he was “prepared to answer questions.”

With US forces withdrawing from the region after 20 years, journalists questioned the president on Friday about the possibility of Afghanistan falling into the hands of the Taliban.

“I’m not going to answer any more questions about Afghanistan,” Biden said. “Look. It’s the Fourth of July. I’m worried you guys are going to ask me questions I’ll answer next week… I’m going to answer all your negative questions, not the negative and legitimate ones.”

“I want to talk about happy things, man,” said the chief.

Biden has been bothered by the frequently asked questions about Afghanistan

“I think what he’s trying to convey is that he’s heading into July 4th weekend, family weekend, America’s celebration weekend, he was ready to answer questions,” Psaki told reporters who pressed her to explain the president’s evasiveness.

“I think people are over-reading his response,” she later added, saying he had already answered three questions about Afghanistan.

Psaki emphasized that the president did not believe the war in Afghanistan could be won “militarily,” and that the United States would continue to engage in diplomatic negotiations.

She also said the department has identified a group of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants who worked as interpreters for the US military and whose lives are now at risk as they have been targeted by the Taliban. She said the group would be moved out of Afghanistan before the troops withdraw.

The Islamist group has gained momentum in the region since Biden announced that all forces would be withdrawn by 9/11. In recent weeks, nearly a quarter of Afghanistan has fallen into the hands of the Taliban.

Biden tells Afghanistan leaders ‘We’ll stick with you’ as he withdraws nearly all US forces

A recent US intelligence assessment, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, concluded that the government of Afghanistan could fall within six months of the US leaving.

However, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said last week that Afghans “respect” the administration’s decision to withdraw.

“President Biden’s decision is a strategic decision,” the Afghan leader said during his visit to Washington to meet Biden and leaders in Congress.

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“We respect that decision. It’s dealing with the new chapter of our friendship, our strategic relationship and our relationship between people and the relationship between governments that we have focused on.”

Biden promised Rich at the time: “We’ll stick to you.” Hours earlier, the United States launched two drone strikes targeting Taliban strongholds in northern Afghanistan.

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