In a statement released late Monday, Bush said he and wife Laura Bush "stand ready as Americans to lend our support and assistance in this time of need" following the fall of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s swift return to power. "Laura and I have been watching the tragic events unfolding in Afghanistan with deep sadness.
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," the statement said in part.
The war in Afghanistan began under Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Washington gave Taliban leader Mullah Omar an ultimatum: hand over al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and dismantle militant training camps or prepare to be.