According to a new book, President Joe Biden stands by his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan in summer 2021, despite ongoing congressional investigations into the chaos and casualties that ensued. The book, authored by Politico reporter Alexander Ward and titled "The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore Foreign Policy After Trump," reveals that Biden privately defends his administration's handling of the withdrawal, stating that ending the war was always going to be messy.

Despite criticism and calls for resignations over the chaotic scenes at Kabul airport and the Taliban's rapid takeover, no one offered to resign, with Biden reportedly believing that no mistakes were made. The book also highlights the staggering human toll of the Afghanistan conflict, with thousands of US military personnel, contractors, allied troops, and Afghan civilians losing their lives over the 20-year war. Biden's determination to withdraw US forces led to a swift Taliban resurgence and scenes of desperation at Kabul airport, leaving behind hundreds of stranded US citizens despite promises of evacuation.