Biden's national security advisor says Afghanistan fell to the Taliban because the Afghan army lacked the 'will' to defend its country

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Biden's national security advisor says Afghanistan fell to the Taliban because the Afghan army lacked the 'will' to defend its country
Nominated National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan participates as US President-elect Joe Biden speaks during a cabinet announcement event in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 24, 2020. - US President-elect Joe Biden introduced November 24, 2020 a seasoned national security team he said was prepared to resume US leadership of the world after the departure of President Donald Trump. "It's a team that will keep our country and our people safe and secure," Biden said, introducing his picks for secretary of state, national security advisor, intelligence chief, and other key cabinet jobs"It's a team that reflects the fact that America is back. Ready to lead the world, not retreat from it," Biden said. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images
  • NSA Jake Sullivan blamed the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on the Afghan army.
  • He said the army "ultimately decided that they would not fight ... for the country."
  • Biden faces criticism from Democrats and Republicans for withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan.
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President Joe Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, has blamed the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban on the country's army, which he said lacked the "will" to defend its own country.

On Sunday, the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul and the Afghan presidential palace, as President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

"At the end of the day, despite the fact that we spent 20 years and tens of billions of dollars to give the best equipment, the best training, and the best capacity to the Afghan national security forces, we could not give them the will," Sullivan told NBC's "Today" show Monday.

"And they ultimately decided that they would not fight for Kabul and they would not fight for the country."

Biden is facing mounting criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his decision in April to withdraw all remaining troops from Afghanistan, after the Taliban seized most of the country in little over a week.

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