Blair calls US exit from Afghanistan 'imbecilic'
Former UK PM Tony Blair has described the US decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan as "imbecilic" in his first public statement since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban last Sunday.
The abandonment of Afghanistan and its people was "tragic, dangerous, unnecessary", he said on his website.
Mr Blair led the UK when it invaded the country alongside the US in 2001, following the 11 September attacks.
He said the exit of allied troops would have Jihadist groups "cheering".
Mr Blair also said that Britain has a "moral obligation" to stay in Afghanistan until "all those who need to be are evacuated".
The former Labour leader said: "We must evacuate and give sanctuary to those to whom we have responsibility - those Afghans who helped us and stood by us and have a right to demand we stand by them."
Former UK PM Tony Blair has described the US decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan as "imbecilic" in his first public statement since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban last Sunday.
The abandonment of Afghanistan and its people was "tragic, dangerous, unnecessary", he said on his website.
Mr Blair led the UK when it invaded the country alongside the US in 2001, following the 11 September attacks.
He said the exit of allied troops would have Jihadist groups "cheering".
Mr Blair also said that Britain has a "moral obligation" to stay in Afghanistan until "all those who need to be are evacuated".
The former Labour leader said: "We must evacuate and give sanctuary to those to whom we have responsibility - those Afghans who helped us and stood by us and have a right to demand we stand by them."
He added this should not be done "grudgingly but out of a deep sense of humanity and responsibility."
Mr Blair said the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan had been driven by politics, describing it as "in obedience to an imbecilic political slogan about ending 'the forever wars'" - a phrase used by US President Joe Biden during his election campaign.
The US has a planned deadline of 31 August for withdrawal - but President Biden has said troops may stay past this date to help with evacuations.
Mr Blair admitted mistakes had been made over Afghanistan, but "the reaction to our mistakes have been unfortunately further mistakes". He said while "imperfect", the "real gains over the past 20 years" were now likely to be lost.
The withdrawal would have "every jihadist group around the world cheering", he said.
Russia, China and Iran will take advantage, he added. "Anyone given commitments by Western leaders will understandably regard them as unstable currency."
President Biden has vowed that "any American who wants to come home, we will get you home", but has described the evacuation as one of the "most difficult airlifts in history".
