(AP) - President Joe Biden has decided to leave American troops in Afghanistan beyond the May 1 deadline negotiated with the Taliban by the Trump administration, and has set the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks as the new goal, a U.S. official said Tuesday.
Biden has been hinting for weeks that he was going to let the deadline lapse, and as the days went by it became clear that an orderly withdrawal of the remaining 2,500 troops was difficult and unlikely. A U.S. official provided details on Biden's decision on condition of anonymity, speaking ahead of the announcement. Ashley Jones, whose husband is an Army Veteran, served in Afghanistan for nine months.
"It's always good to come back to those emotional connections," Jones said.
Jones knows all too well how it feels to have a spouse be gone for so long. To the Decatur native, bringing the troops back home is a sign of hope. She expressed how she felt isolated while her husband was away. Jones did not stay on a military base nor did she have any support.
"Had he come home earlier," Jones said. "It wouldn't have been as stressful and I think there would've been an easier transition back into civilian life."
The Biden administration said the pullout would start before May 1. It is possible all 2,500 troops will step foot on U.S. soil before the deadline.
The decision was first reported by The Washington Post.
