U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan brings Biden new tests at home

2021-08-31T181409Z_1_LYNXMPEH7U0XZ_RTROPTP_4_AFGHANISTAN-CONFLICT-BIDEN-1200×800-1

President Joe Biden will herald the end of America’s involvement in Afghanistan on Tuesday, but the chaotic and deadly nature of the U.S. withdrawal and the relocation of tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees will present fresh challenges in the months ahead.

The departure of the last U.S. troops this week as the Taliban took over Afghanistan caps two decades of military involvement that Biden was determined to end.

While most Americans agreed with him, that end has not come smoothly. Biden’s presidency, which had been focused on fighting the coronavirus pandemic and rebuilding the economy, faces political probes over the handling of the withdrawal as well as the logistical challenge of finding new homes for thousands of Afghans being moved to U.S. military bases.