On March 25, President Joe Biden stated at a press conference that meeting the Trump administration’s May 1st deadline for withdrawing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan would be difficult due to the logistical challenges of moving thousands of troops and their equipment out in such a short time frame.

The Trump administration brokered a settlement with the Taliban back in February 2020 that would usher in a permanent cease-fire and decrease the U.S. military presence from nearly 13,000 troops to 8,600 by mid-July last year. The deal calls on all foreign forces to leave Afghanistan by May 2021. While the majority of troops in the country are from Europe and partner nations, about 2,500 U.S. service members, if not more, are reportedly stationed in Afghanistan.

Since taking office, the Biden administration has made it clear that it is unwilling to let the Taliban have their way, amid reports of al-Qaeda gaining ground in the country. Given this, current and former military officers have argued that leaving now, with the Taliban in a position of relative strength and the Afghan government in disarray, risks weakening the counterterrorism efforts made in Afghanistan thus far. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, a Democratic ally of Biden’s and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed deep disappointment with the decision to withdraw by May 1st, stating that “the United States has sacrificed far too much” to leave Afghanistan without assurances of a stable future.

However, according to one U.S. official, the administration recognizes that “military force would not solve Afghanistan’s internal political challenges.” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki reiterates Biden’s position that “there is no military solution to Afghanistan,” adding that U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan “for far too long,” necessitating peace talks between parties. As a result, Biden claims that the question is not whether they will leave, but when they will leave in order to ensure a smooth and orderly withdrawal.

While some of Biden’s key congressional allies cautioned that a full U.S. withdrawal would plunge Afghanistan into further instability and violence, others also warned that having U.S. troops on the field any longer risks inciting a backlash by progressives who want the war in Afghanistan to end. However, as of early April, Biden reported that all U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11th, rather than May 1st, which would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, that prompted the country’s entry into what would become the longest war in American history.

However, Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed that the U.S. will remain committed to the people and development of Afghanistan, noting that “bringing our troops home does not mean ending our relationship with Afghanistan or our support for the country,” and that the U.S. and Afghanistan “will remain side by side going forward.” As former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CNN “there are consequences both foreseen and unintended of [U.S. troops] staying and leaving” Afghanistan, which explains why the decision to withdraw troops elicited such a wide range of responses. However, what is critical now is that the U.S. government closely monitors the situation and prepares for an appropriate and prompt response if conflict were to arise in the run-up to and following the withdrawal of U.S. troops to ensure the safety and security of Afghans.