You Vote: Do you trust Biden to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists?
President defended U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan while announcing death of al Qaeda leader.
President Biden announced Monday that the U.S. killed al Qaeda's top leader, Ayman al Zawahiri, in a drone strike in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, over the weekend.
During his announcement, Biden seemed to use Zawahiri's death to defend his decision last year to order the withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Afghanistan. He also said his administration will monitor al Qaeda and ensure Afghanistan doesn't become a "launching pad" for terrorist attacks against the U.S.
However, Biden said the U.S. intelligence community located Zawahiri earlier this year, noting the terrorist mastermind wasn't hiding in a discreet location but instead moved to downtown Kabul to reunite with members of his immediate family.
Experts described Zawahiri's death and presence in Kabul as proof that Afghanistan is a safe haven for al Qaeda in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal, during which the Taliban seized control of the country. Al Qaeda and the Taliban have maintained a decades-long alliance, according to experts.
The Zawahiri operation appears to be the first use of U.S. force on Afghan soil since the withdrawal.
With all this in mind, do you believe Biden when he says he's going to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a launching pad for terrorist attacks against the U.S.? Here's your chance to weigh in: