Biden plans to keep Afghanistan withdrawal deadline, but makes contingency plans

President Biden appeared unwilling Tuesday to bend to pressure, including from European allies, to extend a massive Afghanistan evacuation effort, planning — for now — to stick to his deadline for troop withdrawal.

“We are currently on a pace to finish by Aug. 31. The sooner we can finish, the better,” Biden said from the White House, noting the accelerating evacuations that had airlifted 21,600 people out of Kabul in 24 hours. But he left himself room to adjust, stating that completion by the deadline “depends on the Taliban continuing to cooperate and allowing access to the airport.”

On a chaotic day at the White House, Biden’s scheduled remarks on Afghanistan were delayed for five hours as aides huddled to assess the fast-moving situation.

When he finally spoke, Biden said he has asked the Pentagon and State Department to develop contingency plans “to adjust the timetable should that be necessary.” The president said, however, that he was mindful of “increasing risks” to troops the longer the U.S. keeps forces on the ground, mentioning the terrorist group “ISIS-K,” or Islamic State in Khorasan. Khorasan is the historic name for a region encompassing parts of modern-day Afghanistan.

Leaders of the Taliban, the Islamist militant group that has seized most of the country including the capital and government, have warned of dire “consequences” if the U.S. misses the deadline set by Biden.

At a news conference in Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said an extension of the U.S. presence would be “a violation of the agreement” and suggested the extremist militant group would no longer allow Afghans passage to the airport beyond the deadline, according to an interpreter. The path to the airport had already become a deadly gantlet for many.

“We want them to evacuate all foreign nationals by the 31st of August, and we are not in favor of allowing Afghans to leave,” Mujahid said, through the interpreter.

Administration officials said, however, they are exploring a presence beyond the deadline that would allow Western forces to keep the airport open. At the same time, they have pointed to the rising numbers of people being evacuated as evidence the military may be able to complete its rescue mission by the deadline.