Biden defends withdrawing from Afghanistan, dropping re-election bid in last UN address as president

NEW YORK CITY — President Biden, in his final address to the United Nation's General Assembly, warned that the world is at an "inflection point," while defending his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan and his move to suspend his re-election campaign.

Biden delivered his fourth and final speech to the assembly as President of the United States on Tuesday, addressing leaders and representatives from 134 countries around the globe.

"Today is the fourth time I’ve had the great honor of speaking to this assembly as President of the United States," Biden said Tuesday morning. "It’ll be my last."

Biden reflected on the global order when he was first elected as a U.S. senator in 1972, saying the world was at "an inflection point" and a "moment of tension and uncertainty."

BIDEN ADDRESSES UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR LAST TIME AS DICTATORS, DESPOTS COME TO NEW YORK

"The world was divided by the Cold War; the Middle East was headed toward war; America was at war in Vietnam at that point — the longest war in America’s history," Biden said. "Our country was divided and angry, and there were questions about our staying power and our future. But even then, I entered public life not out of despair, but out of optimism."

Biden said when he was elected president, the world was in "another moment of crisis and uncertainty," referring to the ongoing U.S. presence in Afghanistan.

"We were attacked on 9/11 by Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. We brought him justice. Then I came to the presidency in another moment of crisis and uncertainty," Biden said. "I believed America had to look forward--new challenges, new threats, new opportunities were in front of us."

Biden said he needed to put the United States "in a position to see the threats, to