George W. Bush has spoken out for the first time since the chaotic conclusion to the war that was launched under his presidency two decades ago. In a statement released late Monday, a day after Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul fell to the Taliban, the former president shared his “great sadness” about the takeover, and urged President Joe Biden to do everything possible to evacuate Americans as well as Afghan refugees. “Our hearts are heavy for both the Afghan people who have suffered so much and for the Americans and NATO allies who have sacrificed so much,” he wrote. “The United States government has the legal authority to cut the red tape for refugees during urgent humanitarian crises. And we have the responsibility and the resources to secure safe passage for them now, without bureaucratic delay.” Bush went on to pay tribute to the troops who have fought in Afghanistan since 2001. Just last month, Bush warned that a hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan would leave women and girls in the country at risk of suffering from “unspeakable harm.”