# Withdrawal From Afghanistan

> Completed the U.S. military exit from Afghanistan, ending the 20-year war. The Taliban swept to power and the chaotic Kabul evacuation included a suicide…

Joe Biden · Foreign Policy · Major Decision · Aug 30, 2021
Official record: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_of_United_States_troops_from_Afghanistan_(2020%E2%80%932021)

## What happened

Completed the U.S. military exit from Afghanistan, ending the 20-year war. The Taliban swept to power and the chaotic Kabul evacuation included a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members.

## How it happened

Executed an exit under a 2020 deal; final withdrawal completed August 30, 2021.

## Documented impact

- [positive / substantiated] Ended America's longest war, which most Americans supported doing. — ~77% supported withdrawing U.S. troops; over 120,000 people were airlifted out in a massive evacuation.
- [negative / substantiated] The chaotic collapse was widely judged a failure of execution. — The Taliban takeover, the deadly Kabul airport bombing, and abandoned allies drew bipartisan criticism; ~60% disapproved of the handling and Biden's approval never recovered.

## Public opinion

Handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal

Approve handling: 38% · Disapprove handling: 60%

Americans backed withdrawal in principle (~77%) but disapproved of the execution; the episode began a lasting slide in Biden's approval.

Source: ABC/Washington Post, Sep 2021

## Sources

- [Withdrawal from Afghanistan (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_of_United_States_troops_from_Afghanistan_%282020%E2%80%932021%29)
- [NPR: approval hits new low](https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033433959/biden-approval-rating-afghanistan-withdrawal)

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Canonical: https://eo.alanwizemann.com/eo/biden/withdrawal-from-afghanistan