Philip Stephens, Financial Times
The retreat from Afghanistan has seen the US draw a much tighter definition of its national interest
Stuti Bhatnagar, Lowy Interpreter
If the Taliban's return is seen a plus for Pakistan, India appears to be the loser.
Frida Ghitis, World Politics Review
In the aftermath of the Taliban's swift return to power, important questions loom about the future of Afghanistan. The answers to these questions, as they emerge over the coming weeks, months and years, will determine how exactly the past week's convulsive events will reshape the country, the region and the world.
Graham Allison, TNI
The ugly reality is that American presidents have to make hard choices from a menu that offers no good options. In choosing to withdraw, Biden accepted increased ownership of the risk that a Taliban-governed Afghanistan could indeed become the haven for a future mega-terrorist attack on the United States.
Jon Boone, Financial Times
There is less than a minute to go before Afghanistan's most-watched news broadcast goes live. A digital clock in the gloomy control room of Tolo News' Kabul headquarters counts down the seconds as a team of young journalists go about their final tasks. Just-finished news packages are loaded on to a running order controlled by Soraya Amiri, the twentysomething producer of the six o'clock news. Colleagues sit or stand around her, looking at the banks of monitors. It is August 2 2021. Читать дальше...
S. Ramachandran, Diplomat
Baradar appears as a moderate today but as part of the Taliban regime in the 1996-2001 period, he participated in horrific massacres.
Peter Mattis, WOTR
What are the Chinese Communist Party's intentions? Does it seek to turn China into the hegemon of Asia and a global superpower? Or does it just aim to stay in power by whatever means necessary? Unfortunately, U.S. policymakers and analysts haven't come to an agreement on how to answer these questions. That's a problem, because China's intentions ought to shape how the United States develops its strategy toward the Indo-Pacific.
I. Ali, P. Zengerle & J. Landay, Reuters
WASHINGTON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - About a month ago, Afghanistan's ministry of defense posted on social media photographs of seven brand new helicopters arriving in Kabul delivered by the United States.
E. McCusker, RCW
When addressing the nation about the crisis in Afghanistan this week, U.S. President Joe Biden commented on the continued American role in promoting human rights. He also emphasized the importance of the counterterrorism mission in the Middle East.
Luke McGee, CNN
London (CNN)When US President Joe Biden finally broke his silence on the chaos unfolding in Afghanistan, European allies who'd had high hopes for a reset in the transatlantic alliancewere left...
