Afghanistan Withdrawal a Mistake, May Lead to 'Unspeakable Harm' for Women, Bush Says

Former President George W. Bush said in an interview released Wednesday that he thinks the decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan is a mistake that will ultimately hurt the Afghan people.

"I'm afraid Afghan women and girls are going to suffer unspeakable harm," he said in a lengthy interview with the German public broadcasting service DW posted online.

When asked whether the withdrawal is a mistake, Bush said, "I think it is, yeah," adding that he's saddened contemplating what will come next.

Read Next: White House: 'Operation Allies Refuge' to Start Evacuating Afghans by End of July

"I think the consequences are going to be unbelievably bad," he said. "[Former first lady Laura Bush] and I spent a lot of time with Afghan women, and they're scared."

President Joe Biden announced plans in April to pull all remaining troops from Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The process is ahead of schedule. Biden told reporters at the White House on July 8 that the American withdrawal -- which the military says is now 95% complete -- will be completed by the end of August.

Former President Donald Trump had also long pushed to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. His administration reached a peace agreement with the Taliban in February 2020, and he attempted to withdraw nearly all troops from Afghanistan before his term in office concluded, drastically cutting the US footprint during his tenure. At the time Bush didn’t comment about Trump’s intended withdrawal.

Bush also raised concerns to DW about thousands of Afghans who served as interpreters and in other jobs for the U.S. and NATO allies, and are now at risk of violent reprisal from the Taliban.

"It seems like they're just going to be left behind to be slaughtered by these very brutal people," he said. "It breaks my heart."

But the White House said Wednesday it plans to begin evacuating eligible Afghans who worked for the U.S., if they are interested, beginning the last week of July as part of Operation Allies Refuge.

Exact details on how this evacuation will take place are unclear. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declined to outline where the Afghans will go or other details in a news conference Wednesday, citing operational security concerns.

-- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey.

Related: How President George W. Bush Consoled Wounded Warriors and Their Families