George W Bush attacks Biden over Afghanistan withdrawal: ‘The consequences are going to be unbelievably bad’

Republican who sent troops to Middle East says ‘women and girls’ will suffer

George W Bush has attacked Joe Biden for withdrawing all remaining US forces from Afghanistan, and warned of “unbelievably bad” consequences for the Middle East.

The former US president told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle on Wednesday that by withdrawing all US and NATO troops from Afghanistan by 31 August, Mr Biden was making a “mistake”.

He told DW: "I think the consequences are going to be unbelievably bad”.

"Afghan women and girls are going to suffer unspeakable harm. This is a mistake,” said Mr Bush. “They're just going to be left behind to be slaughtered by these very brutal people, and it breaks my heart.”

The Republican, who sent American troops to Iraq and Afghanistan following in the 9/11 terror attacks, was discussing the Taliban’s gains in the region as US and NATO forces fully withdraw.

The Taliban, who were removed from power by the US-led invasion, were accused of harbouring its former leader, Osama bin Laden, and others connected to the 2001 terror attacks.

Bin Laden was killed by US special forces a decade ago.

President Joe Biden announced in April that US forces would withdraw from Afghanistan by 11 September, and the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks. That process is set to be formally completed by the end of August.

He told reporters last Thursday that he would not consign another generation of Americans to the decades-long war, and that he trusted Afghan forces to repel Taliban attacks.

"We did not go to Afghanistan to nation-build. And it's the right and the responsibility of the Afghan people alone to decide their future and how they want to run their country,” Mr Biden added.

The Taliban has claimed that it controls 85 per cent of the country — a figure that cannot be independently verified and is disputed by Afghan authorities — as well as strategic border crossing with Pakistan, in the wake of US withdrawal.

Mr Bush added on Wednesday that Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, “feels the same way” in regards to the withdrawal of US-led forces.