Joe Biden defends his decision to pull US troops out of Afghanistan
August 17, 2021, 2:50 am

Joe Biden defends his decision to pull US troops out of Afghanistan

US flag-

According to the Media Line, US President Joe Biden, in a televised speech from the East Room of the White House Monday afternoon Washington time, addressed the nation on events in Afghanistan, where Taliban forces have overrun the country and taken the reins of government while the United States pulled out its last troops and diplomatic staff.

President Biden said: “I stand squarely behind my decision” to pull US troops out of Afghanistan, even while acknowledging that his administration did not anticipate the quick collapse of the government in the face of a Taliban offensive that took over province after province and finally, the capital, Kabul.

The Media Line reported, the US president said that the American military could not take on a mission that the Afghan army itself was unwilling to fight for: “It is wrong,” he said, “to order American troops to step up when Afghanistan’s own armed forces would not.”

The news website added, the president noted that this was America’s longest war, and said that it could not be won.

“The events we see now are sadly proof that no amount of military force would ever deliver a stable, united, secure, Afghanistan. … I cannot and will not ask our troops to fight on endlessly in another country’s civil war.”

It should be noted that after concluding his remarks, the president left the room without taking questions from reporters.

Source: themedialine

Formalization of normalization? Iran demands US to facilitate freedom of movement of Iranian residents in US

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”