President Joe Biden has set Aug. 31 — next Tuesday — as the deadline to finish the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He is being roundly criticized by Democrats, Republicans and leaders in the G-7 for that. The U.S. will not be able to get Americans and their allies out of Afghanistan, especially the Afghanis who cooperated and worked with us over the past 20 years.

We agree with the critics. It was a mistake to set a pullout date in the first place. It was a signal to the Taliban forces who have been waiting for their time to stage their week-long sweep to power in the country.

To now say, in spite of the overwhelming challenges, that we will get everyone out within the next week is a mistake.

Biden seems to have a variable goal for evacuations. He has been quoted as saying our goal is to get all Americans who want to leave out of the country, and as many allies “as possible.”

In other words, if allies can’t make it out by the 31st, sorry, guess it wasn’t possible.

If anything is going to be variable in the pullout mission, it should be the timeline. Tell the Taliban we are going to get the people out and we are going to stay until we do. If they want us out sooner, they should let us evacuate without hindrance.

This is a mission that shouldn’t be declared accomplished until it really is accomplished.