Carrying the last troops to leave the country, ending americas two decade long War In Afghanistan and ushering in a period of uncertainty for the afghan people. Civilians were flown safely out of the country. This despite an attack at a gate that killed 13 u. S. Service members and 100 afghan civilians. Tony blinken says diplomatic efforts are underway to get 200 americans and afghans with special immigrant visas out of the country still. Mean time, in a very rare move, Vice President Kamala Harris presided over a brief Senate Session Today as the chamber increased payments to american citizens returning from afghanistan to help with transportation, housing, and other costs. That bill now heads to President Biden for his signature. Joining us is the senior white House Correspondent and Nbc News Correspondent Courtney Kube and Raf Sanchez in doha, qatar and matt bradley. So shannon, were expecting to hear from the president. His remarks are already a little delayed. What do we expect to hear from him when he does appear . This is certainly been a white House And President who have been on the defense for several weeks now. As you mentioned, these remarks are significantly delayed. We expect them to be rather lengthy. And we know that president was working on them yesterday with his national Security Team when he was actually informed that the last flight had safely left kabul. So something hes been thinking about for some time. A historic nature to this given the conclusion of this nearly 20year long war. President Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted out saying that we can expect the president to thank the military for the major logistical operation they pulled off. But tlos hear the president Lay Out once again his case for why he has pulled all u. S. Troops out of the country. They should be focused on doing what is in the national Security Interest of americans and putting americas national Security Interests first. And that was what shaped and guided his decision. He, of course, though, certainly has been facing criticism. Not just from republicans but members of his own party from past administrations. And while the White House may want to close this Chapter And Move on to the issues they have hoped to have been talking about this august, mainly, the president s domestic Policy Agenda and focusing on other areas of the foreign Policy Agenda that the president said should have a bigger priority such as China And Russia. Despite that desire this is, of course, going to be a story that continues with hundred to 200 americans still up in this the country, thousands of afghans wanting to get out and a big question remaining about what the Terrorist Threat is going to be in the future in that country and whether the u. S. Is going to be able to counter that without the intelligence and military infrastructure on the ground anymore. Raf, we have americans still in afghanistan, special Immigrant Visa Holders still trying to get out of the country. The u. S. Government says thats a Diplomatic Mission now. So talk about how we think that will work given that the u. S. Has no diplomatic presence on the ground in afghanistan and the Kabul Airport is really not an effective airport in any stretch of the imagination right now. Yeah, garret that, is the question hanging over the biden administrations promise that it will continue to try to get those one to 200 americans and that much, much larger number of afghans out of the country. The u. S. Had this enormous fortress like embassy in kabul. That Diplomatic Mission has been relocated here to doha, qatar. It will be that embassy in exile that will be the tip of the spear on this Diplomatic Mission in trying to get people out of afghanistan. The state Departments Argument is basically that the united States and its allies have diplomatic and political leverage over the taliban. And they will use that to force the taliban to give Safe Passage to people coming out of the country. And there is a certain logic to that. The taliban wants things from the international community. They want afghanistans funds unfrozen at the federal reserve and in other places. They want humanitarian aid especially as the winter comes in. And over the long term, they want to be recognized as the legitimate government of afghanistan. So you can see how this could potentially work. But the taliban has lots of reasons for not wanting to let people out. Are they really going to let people go who they know fought alongside u. S. Forces against them for 20 years . Theyre very concerned about a brain drain. Are they going to let highly trained engineers, are they going to let them leave . Assuming the taliban does cooperate and that, of course, is a big if if you said, the civilian side of the airport is not operational. There is a Big International Effort including the government here, the turks and the united States to try to figure out what needs to be done to get the airport running again. They cant fly out. So one alternative is a treacherous, dangerous Land Journey through taliban controlled territory to get to one of the neighboring countries around afghanistan and try to evacuate from there. So it is a very complicated diplomatic process ahead of this embassy relocated here. Qatar is emerging as such an interesting diplomatic player in all this. The pentagon is proud about airlifting thousands of people out of afghanistan. The airlift came at a cost. 13 Service Members killed in at tack at the aurpt last week. Hundreds of afghans injured and killed. What do we expect from the pentagon now that their people are out of Harms Way in terms of an indepth after Action Review about how all of this withdraw operation was carried out . We heard elements of that from central command, commander general Frank Mckenzie when he briefed here. He talked about how they have been planning for this evacuation since the spring. Running through tabletop exercises, sending forces forward into the region in advance thousands of Service Members to be ready in case they were called in for just this sort of situation that they faced. The Bug Factor that wasnt expected is how quickly the taliban would run through the country and how quickly they would have to do this noncombatant evacuation. That being said, youre right to say that the military is proud of how this operation ultimately ended. They got more than 120,000 people out of afghanistan including 6,000 more than 6,000 americans. And they were able to get all of their people out the military out yesterday on deadline. That being said, they paid a very real cost with the 13 u. S. Service members who were killed and 20 who were injured in that deadly attack at Kabul Airport last week. Going forward, one thing we should expect from the military to do going forward in afghanistan is to be watching and trying to target the continuing remnants of isisk that exist in afghanistan. One thing we heard from The General yesterday is that there are now somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000 hard Corps Isisk fighters in afghanistan. That was new. We did not know the numbers. In fact, the more recent numbers that we heard from the United Nations is 500 to 1200 total fighters in that country. General mckenzie made it clear that the numbers went up and the fighters are concerned is because the taliban as they were going through parts of the country, they were opening up the prisons and letting the fighters out. Mckenzie made it very clear though. He said the taliban are going to have a very difficult time securing that country now and they will reap what they sow by let them out of the prisons. I had the former Nato Ambassador on yesterday. I asked him about isisk and if theyre any threat to the u. S. Homeland . Does the Pentagon View that any differently . Luke told me yesterday he didnt think they were a threat to the u. S. But what is the Pentagons Assessment . So right now lets seen go back. Before kabul fell to the taliban took over the country, both Al Qaeda and isisk were regional problems. They didnt have the ability or the strength to carry out what the military would call a tras national attack. Now the taliban are in charge. There are vast ungoverned spaces of afghanistan. The concern is Al Qaeda fighters who, you know, several hundred of them in that country they will will regenerate, more fighters come to the country, the same thing with isis. Most Al Qaeda, the biggest presence and most dangerous presence in the world right now is in yemen. Theyre under continue threat right now. The worry is that the fighters will move into afghanistan and that while they havent been able to carry out attacks against the west, transnational attacks, over time in the coming months and years that theyll be automobile to regain that capability and become a threat to the west. Thats one of the reasons well continue to see more of the united States the u. S. Military searching out these fighters and attempting to target them in afghanistan. Very interesting. Matt, youre in germany. Youre at the hospital why some people were treated. We theerd day from some of the people treating the wounded. What did they tell us about the impact of this attack and how people are recovering . Yeah. Its been the same message ive been here for about ten days hanging out with troops at the Air Base and then do to day at the medical center. Its been the same story over and over again from this huge u. S. Military community. Were talking about 55,000 people who live around here, especially around ramstein Air Base. All of them have this such depth of feeling. Such affinity towards their colleagues and uniform and their afghan colleagues but just towards the mission and when all of this, you know, really hit the fan here, they all wanted to be a part of it. And that is what we heard not only at ramstein Air Base where they set up an enormous tent city. Hundreds of Tents Housing afghan evacuees. Everyone wanted to be a part of that and not just uniform soldiers and spouse ands children. That was a really touching story. When the 31 wounded not just uniform Service Members who were wounded in that Appalling Sue suicide attack, there were ten afghan civilians also airlifted out and treated. You know, everybody wanted to help them. So much and i talked to one of the leaders, there one of the head doctors and heres what he had to say about the feeling about sort of the energy around that movement. I can tell you the team here was absolutely phenomenal in terms of response. Everybody was asking how they could help. In fact, when the first load of patients actually arrived here, we had probably over 100 staff members here sitting in front of the hospital. With gurneys and from all departments throughout the hospital ready to receive the patients. And i wont Say Excitement but the energy was palpable. Everybody wanted really a part of that action. And you know, ive been saying this all day. I think its interesting. In the middle of all the talk of Death And Destruction and defeat, we heard this morning that there were Nine Babies Born at ramstein Air Base. Nine babies to the afghan evacuee thats are eager to start their new lives in america. And something to think about when we talk about how devastating all of this was to the Military Community and to afghan evacuees. It really is on some level i know its hard to think about it this way there is hope. There is a new beginning for so many of these people. Thats such a good point, matt. Lives at least right there that will have such a better chance to be successful because of the sacrifices of our u. S. Military and the work that they were able to do in this airlift. I think thats a good thought to end on there. Thank you all very much. And joining us now to continue this conversation is mark jacobson, a senior civilian representative in afghanistan and retired Military Reservist who served in afghanistan. He is currently the Assistant Dean of Washington Programs At Syracuse University Maxwell school of citizenship and public affairs. So, mark, were waiting on the president. My apologies in advance if i have to cut you off. What do you want to hear from the president when he addresses the Nation Today if this is the Wrapup End of the War Speech . I want to hear a couple things. We need to get right of trans it to pick up the sivs, the high risk afghanses and even american citizens who still need to get out so they can transit through the countries and move on to germany, the united States, wherever that final location is going to be. I want to hear that the united States remains committed to Human Rights. There is a suggestion that president said well do things in our national interests. Of course, thats what the president should do. But since at least the carter administration, standing for Human Rights is a vutal national interest whether it is a democrat or republican administration. This administration cannot stay kmuted to it and then leave these thousands of afghans who work Side By side with us behind to a fate i dont want to think about. Is that building on that human Rights Legacy Key in your mind to establish that yes, in fact, what we did is worth it and not from a combatting Terror Perspective . Sfwh i think its larger than. That regardless of the anniversary of 9 11. Thats what this nation stood for. You know, we have we dont want to be thinking about rwanda and killing fields. We want to think about what question do. What we have done. Not what we have failed to do. Ill tell you, someone in the pentagon at 9 11 and someone whose life is shaped by this particular war for 20 years, yeah, its difficult to be entirely objective because we all have deep feelings about it. I you this Human Rights is one of those. That is one thing that all americans can agree upon whether they felt this commitment is worth it, should have tund or this was the right time to end it. How concerned should we be from a national Security Perspective about leaving afghanistan to the likes of isisk or Al Qaeda or whom ever may decide to take advantage of the situation . I tend to agree with what ambassador said on the earlier programs. Isis k is larnlly something that the taliban have to deal with. There is a problem for regional instability. It was a transnational threat in us existence. We didnt hear from lloyd austin. He said the earlier estimates mao not be quite right. Maybe theyre able to regroup more quickly than expected. I think that at a minimum, the jury is out on whether they can control the territory to the extent that they wont permit terrorist groups from using afghanistan as a base for transnational tax that could threaten the united States or its allies. I think its a more likely Sen Sen Aur Yoe that many groups will search them as a refuge because it will be a safe Plaus Place where they dont have to worry about the Host Nation Government causing them problems. Place where there is easy access to Ammunition Training grounds, weapons, what have you. Im so glad you brought that up. Im fascinated by the question of what the taliban is going to be looking ahead. Yesterday when Frank Mckenzie the commanding general talked about the u. S. Leaving, he said the taliban had been very pragmatic. He called them business like. Im wondering if you see that cooperation that We Saw over the last three weeks or so. Does it tell us anything about the future of what our relationships should we choose to have as a country with the taliban will look like . Perhaps. I mean, this is very tactical for the taliban. Their goal is to get us out quickly. By doing this military to Military Cooperation at a very low level, we were automobile to accomplish all of our objectives. When you look at a higher level, there will be problems. If i were the taliban, id want Diplomatic Recognition in exchange for whatever the united States wants. I also dont think that our regional interests aline with the afghans. We look at south Asia And India and we have concerns on the western border. Of we have concerns with the afghans Western Neighbor iran. We have relationships with the stans and turkey and other nation thats have interest in afghanistan. Im not sure our interests are going to align with the taliban. Im not sure were going to be willing to concede those points or fulfill those desires the taliban have for a relationship with the united States, if they even want one beyond the tactical and the media. Theyre very much dependent on foreign aid, at least the afghanistan government has been for the last 20 years. The so it will be very interesting to see how they conduct themselves going forward. Mark jacobson, Thank You. We have to leave it. There. Any minute now well take you to the White House for the president s address to the nation. First, we take you luf to louisiana where still people are left basic necessities like power and clean drinking water. Youre watching msnbc reports. G two desserts wait. Do we have to thank our moms twice . I dont know. laughs breyers. 100 grade a milk and cream, and loaded with delicious cookie pieces. Better starts with breyers. This is the greatest Idea Youll ever hear. Okay, its an app that compares Hundreds Of Travel Sites for hotels and cars and Vacation Rentals like kayak does for flights. So its kayak. Yeah, like kayak. Why dont you just call it kayak. Im calling it. Canoe. Compare Hundreds Of Travel Sites for thousands of trips. Kayak. Search one and done. 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Crews are still scrambling to restore electricity as quickly as possible as ida ravaged Power Lines in New Orleans and across the state. Lets get right to our reporters on the ground with the latest. Allison barber is in New Orleans, Vaughn Hilliard is in fair hope, alabama and also michelle grossman. With apologies if i have to cut you off for the president. Obviously power seems to be the biggest need down there. What are we hearing about when folks might get some electricity back . Yeah, we got a pretty promising update. This is a Charging Station for many people. This is kind of the only option they have is hoping to find something like this. You think of the ripple effects if you dont have power, if if you dont have any battery on your phone. Its hard to find any sort of Age Shelter and food resources and we did just get this update. They say that Power Company say there is potentially two ways to get some power back on in parts of New Orleans within 48 hours. One option, by creating their own grid in New Orleans with Power Lines that they say still seem to be in decent shape. Or hooking back up to the main grid that runs through the entire country. The company is saying it will take weeks to get power back in the hardest hit area. This could be a really positive potential way out for some people. Garret . Vaughn, we know Coast Guard is out trying to pull people to safety all across the region. We know the Coast Guard have 28 aircraft working as part of this Search And Rescue effort here. There are still questions of the extent to which there may be individuals. The grand isle areas, they were so decimated here from that storm. And just in the last two hours, the parish is granting access to the communities that are south of New Orleans. But the issue is when you look at that video, the extent to which the Roadway Buckled and that so much of that land is still underwater. Michelle, the remnants of ida i believe we got the president now. Lets listen to the president of the united States. 20 years of War In Afghanistan. The longest war in american history. We completed one of the biggest airlifts in history with more than 120,000 people evacuated to safety. That number is more than double what most experts thought were possible. No nation, no nation has ever done anything like it in all the history. The only united States had the capacity and the Will And Ability to do it. We did it today. The extraordinary success of this mission was due to the incredible skill, brave you are and selfless courage of the united States-military'>States Military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals. For weeks, they risked their lives to get american citizens, afghans who helped us, citizens of our allies and partners and others onboard planes and out of the country. And they did it facing a crush of enormous crowds seeking to leave the country. And they did it knowing isisk terrorists sworn enemies of the taliban were lurking in the midst of those crowds. And still, the women and men in the united States-military'>States Military are Diplomatic Corps and intelligence professionals did their job and did it well. Risking their lives, not for professional gains, but to serve others. Not in a mission of war, but in Awe Mission of mercy. 20 Service Members were wounded in the service of this mission. 13 heroes gave their lives. I was just at Dover Air Force Base with the dignified transfer. We owe them and their families a debt of gratitude we can never repay. But we should never, ever, ever forget. In april i maud a decision to end this war. Part of that decision, we set the date of August 31st for american troops to withdraw. The assumption was that more than 300,000 national Afghan Security Forces we traund over the past two decades would be a strong adversary in their civil wars with the taliban. That assumption that the afghan government would be able to hold on for Awe Period of time beyond Military Drawdown turned out not to be accurate. But you still instructed them to prepare for every eventuality even that one. And thats what we did. So we were ready. And the Afghan Security Forces after two decades of fighting for their country and losing thousands of their own did not hold on as long as anyone expected. We were ready when they, the people of afghanistan watched their own Government Collapse and the president flee amid the corruption of malfeasance, handing over the country to their enemy, the taliban and significantly increasing the risk to u. S. Personnel and our allies. To safely extract american citizens before August 31st and embassy personnel, allies and partners, and those afghans that worked with us and fought alongside of us for 20 years, i had authorized 6,000 troops, american troops to kabul to help secure the airport. As General Mckenzie said, this is the way the mission was designed. It was designed to operate under severe Stress And Attack and thats what it did. Since march, we reached out 19 times to americans in afghanistan. With multiple warnings and offers to help them leave afghanistan. All the way back as far as march. After we started the evacuation 17 days ago, we identified around 5,000 americans who decided earlier to stay in afghanistan but now wanted to leave. That got 5,000 americans ought. We got out thousands of citizens and diplomats and those that went into afghanistan with us to get Bin Laden. We got out locally employed staff in the united States-embassy'>States Embassy and families. Totalling roughly 2,500 people. We got thousands of afghan translators and interpreters and others who supported the united States out as well. Now we believe 100 to 200 americans remain in afghanistan with some intention to leave. Most of those remain are duel citizens. Long time residents but Easterly Youer decided to stay because of their Family Roots in afghanistan. The bottom line, 90 of americans in afghanistan will want to leave were able to leave. For those remaining americans, there is no deadline. We remaun committed to get them out if they want to come out. Secretary of State Blinken is leading the kin continued diplomatic efforts to ensure Safe Passage for any american, afghan partner or foreign national that wants to leave afghanistan. In fact, just yesterday the united Nations Security Council passed the resolution that sent a clear message while the international community expects the taliban to deliver on moving forward. Notably, freedom of travel. Freedom to leave. Together were joined by 100 countries that are determined to make sure the taliban uphold those commitments. It will include on going efforts in afghanistan to reopen the airport as well as overland routes. Allowing for continued departure for those who want to leave. The taliban made public commit mebts, broadcast on Television And Raid yoe across afghanistan. On Safe Passage of anyone that wants to leave including those working alongside americans. We dont take them by their word alone. But by their actions. And we have leverage to make sure the commitmentes are met. Let me be clear. Leaving August 31st is not due to an arbitrary deadline. It was designed to save american lives. Awe former president signed an agreement with the taliban to remove troops by May 1st, months after i was inaugurated. It included in requirement the taliban work out a arrangement with the afghan government. But it did authorize the release of 5,000 prisoners last year. By the time i came to office, the taliban was the strongest Military Position since 2001. Controlling or contesting nearly half of the country the previous Administrations Agreement said that if we stuck to the May 1st deadline they signed on to leave you about, the taliban would not attack any american forces. But if we staued, all bets were off. So we were left with a simple decision. Either followthrough on the commitment made by the last administration and leave afghanistan, or saw we werent leaving and commit another Tens Of Thousands more troops going back to war. That was the choice, the real choice. Between leaving or escalating. I was not going to extend this Forever War. And i was not extending a forever exit. The decision to end the Military Operations is based on unanimous recommendation of my civilian and military advisors the secretary of state, the secretary of defense, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and all the service chiefs and the commanders in the field. The recommendation is that the safest way to secure the passage of the remaining americans and others out of the country was not to continue a 6,000 troops on the ground in Harms Way in kabul. Rather to get them out through nonmilitary means. In the 17 days we operated in kabul, after the taliban ceased power, we engage in an around the Clock Effort to provide every american the opportunity to leave. Our State Department was working 24 7, contacting and talking and in some cases walking americans into the airport. Again, more than 5,500 americans airlifted out. For those that remain, well make arrangementes to get them out if they so choose. As for the afghans we and our partners airlifted 100,000 of them. No country has done bhor to airlift out the number of residents in another country than we have done. Well continue to work to help more people leave the country who are at risk. Were far from done. For now, i urge all americans to join me in grateful prayer for our troops and diplomats and intelligence officers that carried out this mission of mercy in kabul and a tremendous risk with such unparallel results. An airlift that evacuated Tens Of Thousands to a network of volunteers and veterans who helped identify the Evacuation Ands provided support along the way. Were going to continue to need their help. We need your help. Im looking forward to meeting with you. And to everyone, who is now offering or who will offer to welcome afghan allies to their homes around the world including in america, i Thank You. I take responsibility for the decision. Now some say we should have started sooner and couldnt this have been in a more orderly manner . I respectfully disagree. Imagine if we began evacuations in june or july, bringing in thousands american troops and evacuating more than 120,000 people in the middle of a civil war. There still would have been a rush to the airport. A breakdown of Confidence And Control of the government. And stul would have been very duffle and dangerous mission. Bottom line is the evacuation from the end of the war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenge and threats we face. None. Those that would say we should have stayed indefinitely. Why dont we keep doing what we were doing . Why do we have to change anything . The fact is, everything had changed. My President Sesor when i came into office, we faused a dead line, may 1. Taliban onslaught was coming. We faced one of two choices. Follow the agreement in previous administration and extend it to have or extend to have more time for people to get out. Or send in thousands of more troops and escalate the war. To those asking for a third decade of War In Afghanistan, i ask, what is the vital national interest . And in my view, would only have one. To make sure afghanistan can never be used again to launch an attack on our homeland. Remember why we went to afghanistan in the first place . Because were attacked by Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda on september 11th, 2001. And they were based in afghanistan. We delivered justice to Bin Laden and may 2nd, 2011. Over Awe Decade ago. Al qaeda was decimated. Respectfully suggest you ask yourself this question. Would we have ever gone to War In Afghanistan . Even though the taliban controlled afghanistan in the year 2001 . I believe the honest answer is no. Thats because we had no vutal interest in afghanistan other than to prevent and attack americas homeland. And thats true to dau. We succeeded in what we set out to do in afghanistan. Over Awe Deck awed ago. And we stayed for another decade. This is a new world. The Terror Threat Ma Tast Suesed across the world, well beyond afghanistan. We face threats in somalia, Al Qaeda Affiliates In Syria and arabian Peninsula And Isis attempting to create a fight in syria and iraq. And establishing affiliates across africa and asia. The obligation of a president in my opinion is to defend and protect america. Not against threats of 2001. But against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow. That is the Guiding Principal for my decisions about afghanistan. I simply do not believe that the Safety And Security of america is enhanced bid continuing to deploy thousands of american troops and spending billions of dollars a year in afghanistan. But i also know that the threat from terrorism continues and its pernicious and evil naught. But its changed. Expanded to other countries. Our strategy has to change too. We will maintain the fight against terrorism in afghanistan and other countries. We just dont need to fight a Ground War to do it. We have what is called over the horizon capabilities. That means we can strike terrorists and targets without american boots on the ground or very few if needed. We have shown that capacity just the last week. We struck Isis K remotely. They murdered 13 of our Service Members. Dozens of innocent afghans. And to isisk, we are not done with you yet. Commander in chief you firmly believe the best path to guard our safety and our security lies in a tough, unforgiving targeted precise strategy. After terror where it is to dau not where it was two decades ago. Thats what is Nur O national interest. And heres a critical thing to understand. The world is changing. Were engaged in a serious competition with china. Were dealing with the challenges on multiple fronts with russia. Were confronted with cyber attacks and nuclear proliferation. We have to meet the new challenges and the competition for the 21st century. We can do both. Fight Terrorism And Tau on new threats that are here now and well continue to be here in the future. There is Nothing China or russia would rather have, would want more in this competition than the united States to be bogged down another decade in afghanistan. As we turn the page on the Foreign Policy [ no audio ] all right. We seemed to have lost the feed from the White House here. The president of the united States. Okay. We got him back now. Lets listen. Clear, achievable goals. And second look, folks this is unusual. Were having technical difficulties with the feed from the president. I think we got it back now. Thats about ending an era of major Military Operations to remach other countries. We saw Awe Mission of counterterrorism in afghanistan. Getting terrorist ands stopping attacks. Morph into a counter insurgency. Nation building. Trying to create a democratic he could hees you have and united afghanistan. Something that has never been done over many centuries in afghans history. We learned from that mindset and those kind of largescale Troop Deployments will make us stronger and more effective and safer at home. For anyone who gets the wrong idea, let me say clearly, to those who wish america harm, to those engaged in terrorism against us or our allies, know this united States will never rest. We will not forgive. We will not forget. Well hunt you down to the ends of the earth and you will pay the ultimate price. Let me be clear, well continue to support the afghan people through diplomacy and international influence and humanitarian aid. Well continue to push for reasonable Diplomacy And Engaujment to prevent violence and instability. Well continue to speak out for the basic rights of the afghan people, especially women and girls as we speak out for women and girls all around the globe. And ive been clear that Human Rights will be the center of our Foreign Policy. But the way to do that is through diplomacy, economic tools and rallying the rest of the world for support. My fellow americans, the War In Afghanistan is now over. Im the fourth president who faced the issue of whether and when to end this war. When i was running for president , i made a commitment to the american people that i would end this war. Today i honored that commitment. It was time to be honest with the american people again. We no longer had a clear purpose in an open ended mission in afghanistan. After 20 years of War In Afghanistan, i refuse to send another generation of americas Sons And Daughters to fight a war that should have ended long ago. After than 2 Trillion spent in afghanistan, costs that researchers at Brown University estimated would be over 300 Million a day for 20 years in afghanistan, for two decades. Yes, the american people should hear this. 300 Million a day for two decades. You take the number of 1 Trillion as many say. Thats still 150 Million a day for two decades. What have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities . I refuse to continue a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interests of our people. And most of all, after 800,000 americans serving in afghanistan, ive traveled that whole country, brave and honorable service, after 20,744 american servicemen and women injured, and the loss of 2,461 american personnel, including 13 lives lost just this week, i refuse to open another decade of warfare in afghanistan. Weve been a nation too long at war. If youre 20 years old today, youve never known an america at peace. So when i hear that we could, should have continued the socalled low Grade Effort in afghanistan at low risk to our Service Members, at low cost, i dont think enough people understand how much we have asked of the 1 of this country who put that uniform on, willing to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation. Maybe its because my deceased son, beau, served in iraq for a full year before that well, maybe its because of what ive seen over the years as senator, Vice President and president traveling these countries. A lot of our veterans and their families have gone through hell. Deployment after deployment, months and years away from their families, missed birthdays, anniversaries, empty chairs at holidays. Financial struggles, divorces, loss of limbs, traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress. We see it in the struggles many have when they come home. We see it in the strain on their families and caregivers. We see it in the strain on their families when theyre not there. We see it in the grief born by their survivors. The cost of war they will carry with them their whole lives. Most tragically we see it in the shocking and stunning statistic that should give pause to anyone who thinks war can ever be low grade, low risk or low cost. 18 veterans on average who die by suicide every single day in america. Not in a far off place, but right here in america. Theres nothing low grade or low risk or low cost about any war. Its time to end the War In Afghanistan. As we close 20 years of War And Strife and pain and sacrifice, its time to look to the future, not the past. To a future thats safer, to a future thats more secure, to a future that honors those who served and all those who gave what President Lincoln called their last full measure of devotion. I give my word with all of my heart, i believe this is the right decision, the wise decision, and the best decision for america. Thank you. Thank you, and may god bless you all and may god protect our troops. All right. There you have it. Weve been listening to President Biden give remarks from the White House on the end of the u. S. War in afghanistan, a 20year war the president says is now behind us. I think these are by far the most comprehensive remarks weve heard from the president yet, defending his decision to end this war, defending how it was done, laying out in stark terms the cost of the war, everything from the 300 Million per day spent by the united States to there at the ending a mention of the 18 american veterans who commit suicide every day in making this kind of complete case for ending the war in the manner in which he has chosen to do so. Im joined now by Shannon Pettypiece as well as peter baker, a chief white House Correspondent for The New York Times and an msnbc political analyst. We just have a few minutes here, but shannon, this felt like a speech this president has wanted to give for some time to kind of fully defend his decision and the way in which its been handled. Yeah, absolutely. It was a defiant tone and an address that went after some of the criticism that he has been facing in recent Weeks Head on. Of course criticism not just from republicans but democrats as well. He said he refused to continue a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national Security Interests of the country. He said he was not going to extend these Forever Wars, he was not going to extend a forever exit. And he put some blame in pretty specific terms on his predecessors, former president president trump, saying that the Status Quo was no longer an option because the Trump Administration had reached an agreement with the taliban to be out of the country by May 1st, so he faced either the choice of sending in additional u. S. Troops to restart fighting with the taliban, which he says was at the strongest position they have been at since 2001, or carrying through with the commitment from the previous administration and withdrawing troops. He defended the exit, applauding the military for pulling off such an enormous logistical challenge by getting more than 120,000 people out of the country and said that there was no easy exit. There was no alternative, because evacuating people earlier could have led to a fall in confidence in the afghan government. So a lot of key points you see the president Lay Out as he tries to define this position as this war has wrapped up now. If i put on my Capitol Hill Reporter hat here for a second, i think where well hear this speech criticized from the right or from other democrats who may not agree with the president here is the choice he presented between Forever War or an exit that wasnt as clean as i think people thought this might have been. Here we heard the president doing the most to defending the way this exit happened, talking about how there could be no clean end to this war. Ive heard what is becoming the Biden Doctrine, trying to drag u. S. Foreign policy into the 21st century. He talked about a competition with china. We dont need to be boots on the ground everywhere to fight terror, this is not how this works anymore. Talk a little bit about how you see what We Saw here from the president as a piece of coherent Foreign Policy, a piece of Policy Planning and how he wants our government to work. Yeah, i think what you see here is a president whos trying to thread the needle between the kind of muscular, even militarized internationalism that We Saw under president george w. Bush and at times under barack obama, and the more, you know, defiant, Isolationist America First Policy that We Saw under donald trump. Hes saying were still going to be big players on the international stage, we just dont need to do it with guns and tanks in all these different countries. Now, hes left behind a lot of damage, though, at this moment which he didnt really address. The allies are angry with him. They didnt feel consulted. They felt like they were left hanging there. He says, well, Russia And China would have loved for us to have stayed, bogged down in afghanistan. Certainly Russia And China love watching america humiliated on the World Stage these last two weeks so he hasnt really, i think, squared his rhetoric with where he wants to take Foreign Policy and thats going to be the real question in the weeks and months to come. How does the Biden Doctrine play itself out . How do we take that beyond this lost war and apply it to the challenges, the very deep and extraordinary challenge that we face in a dangerous world today. Shannon, ive only got about 30 seconds left but weve heard from the president three or four times on afghanistan now. He hasnt taken a ton of questions but given several of these speeches. Do you think the White House views this as the president said in that speech a chance to turn the page from afghanistan . Have we heard the last from the president on this topic . Reporter i think they would like that and they would like to turn their focus to the president s domestic agenda and the areas they see as more crucial on his foreign Policy Agenda, mainly China And Russia to some extent. We will see if afghan and unfolding events will allow them to do that. Shannon Pettypiece And Pete baker, Thank You both. I know well have much more analysis coming up on deadline White House with nicolle wallace, which starts right now. Hi there, everyone. Its 4 00 in washington. President biden just moments ago wrapped up remarks on the end of americas nearly 20year War In Afghanistan. The president applauding the work of the u. S. Military and u. S. Diplomats in what he called one of the largest airlifts in history and singling out for praise the 13 u. S. Service members who were killed in a bombing near Kabul Airport late last week. The president also making a forceful defense of the decision to withdraw from afghanistan by the deadline of August 31st, saying he would not, quote, continue a Forever War and extend a, quote, forever exit. In a moment we will