Biden calls veterans groups ahead of Afghanistan withdrawal anniversary

WASHINGTON —  On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Biden on Monday called the leaders of two U.S. veterans groups assisting Afghans who fled the country.

Biden spoke to the leaders of the veterans-led #AfghanEvac and Honor the Promise groups to express his appreciation for their work in resettling Afghan allies in the United States since Biden ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan.

“They discussed the substantial efforts that have been undertaken by the U.S. government, veterans and by so many Americans of all stripes to welcome nearly 90,000 Afghans to our country over the past year and the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to build a sustainable model to support relocation efforts and honor our commitments,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said.

Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of Biden declaring an end to the war. The final weeks of America’s longest war were chaotic as the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed, a grisly bombing killed 13 U.S. troops and 170 others, and thousands of desperate Afghans descended on Kabul’s airport in search of a way out before the final U.S. cargo planes departed.

Biden continues to face criticism from immigrant refugee advocates that the administration has fallen short in resettling Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort.

As of last month, more than 74,000 Afghan applicants remained in the pipeline for special immigrant visas that help military interpreters and others who worked on government-funded contracts move to the U.S. and pave the way for them to receive a green card.

That total counts only the principal applicant and does not include spouses and children. More than 17,000 people in that pool of applicants have received a crucial chief of mission approval, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

John F. Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, said the administration is continuing efforts to approve the visa process.

“We understand the frustration by many,” Kirby said. “Quite frankly, we share that frustration and we try as hard as we can to streamline the process.”

Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and founder of #AfghanEvac, said on Twitter after his call with Biden that he was “glad to hear him say that this issue matters to him and that he recognizes the impact this has had on #Afghans, our volunteers, and the world.”

Days after the unexpected fall of Kabul last year, national security advisor Jake Sullivan promised that the White House would “conduct an extensive hot wash” and “look at every aspect of the withdrawal from top to bottom.” The administration has not said when the review might be released to the public.

Biden last week issued a statement honoring 13 U.S. troops who were killed in the final days of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan at Kabul International Airport as they assisted with the evacuation of Afghans.

Jean-Pierre said she did not have details on how Biden would mark Tuesday’s anniversary. The president is scheduled to travel to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Tuesday to deliver a speech on his efforts to reduce gun crime in the U.S.

Associated Press White House correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.