President Biden on Wednesday night released a statement marking the second anniversary of his heavily criticized Afghanistan withdrawal.
Biden’s statement touted the operation as one of the “largest airlifts in history,” but he made no specific reference to the 13 U.S. service members who died defending the Kabul airport during the operation. He did mention them during a separate event on Saturday, however.
“Today, we pause to remember the selfless service of generations of brave women and men over the course of the conflict — who, time and time again, sacrificed their own safety and security for that of their fellow Americans. That includes the 2,461 U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, and 20,744 of their brother-and-sisters-in-arms who were wounded in action,” Biden wrote.