Raghida Dergham is the founder and executive chairwoman of the Beirut Institute, and a columnist for The National
September 05, 2021
In his speech earlier in the week, US President Joe Biden essentially declared that under his watch America will only be reactive to provocations and won’t take the initiative to lead. Mr Biden’s America, it seems, won’t be responsible for global peace and security. This marks a radical shift both in its position as a superpower and in its dynamics with allies and rivals alike.
During the speech, in which he defended his handling of America’s messy withdrawal from Kabul, Mr Biden said his decision to end the 20-year war there was also about “ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries". The speech will have caught the attention of the US’s allies in the West and Far East. It will have reinforced the growing impression among allies that today’s America seems weaker and less interested in looking after their interests.
Policymakers in China, meanwhile, are already upping their game to fill the vacuum being gradually left by Washington. Indeed, the Biden administration’s retreat will leave the door wide open for China to build relations with countries that have natural resources it can use to expand its Belt and Road Initiative. Afghanistan, which sits on abundant mineral wealth, is but one example.
The Biden administration’s incompetence in the final days of America’s presence in Afghanistan will have prompted some in Beijing to question whether the US president should even be considered a worthy adversary. China, which has emerged as America’s new Cold War rival in the eyes of recent US administrations, will start pressuring the current administration in upcoming negotiations and drive a hard bargain where possible.
Russia, which is second only to China in the Biden administration’s list of priorities, will also be a beneficiary of wobbly American foreign policy. In his speech, Mr Biden said: “There's nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan.”
Yet, both China and Russia are likely to view the resurgence of Al Qaeda and ISIS in the Middle East and Central Asia as a bigger problem for the US than it is for either of them, given the fact that these groups have primarily been hostile towards America. These groups have the ability to ruin Mr Biden’s plan to withdraw from countries such as Afghanistan – with the rationale of protecting America and her interests and ending wars on behalf of others – by further implicating him in such wars.
Indeed, what would the Biden administration do if Al Qaeda or ISIS or both use Afghanistan or Iraq or both to launch attacks on American soil, now that US-led forces have withdrawn from the former and are in the process of pulling out combat troops from the latter, thereby leaving no other operational capabilities except complex and ineffective air strikes from afar?
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks in Moscow in 2019. AP Photo
America’s receding stakes in global peace and security mean that its ability to shape trends will be limited, as it allows, for instance, Russia to expand its influence in the Middle East. I have reason to believe that as Russia consolidates its influence in Syria, it intends to build relations with Iraq. Moscow’s rationale will be that shared interests with Iran in Iraq – similar to an already existing coalition inside Syria – will put Kremlin in a stronger position in the Middle East and in the American-Russian equation.
Moscow is spotting a historic opportunity in the US retreat from the region, and in the European failure to play a leading role, as we have seen following the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Iraq recently. Iraq is strategically invaluable to Moscow, both for its oil wealth and as a key gateway to Syria. Russian policymakers are, therefore, determined to enhance Russian-Iranian partnership, despite Moscow’s favourable equations with Arab Gulf countries.
Russia is also reassured by the American-European failure in Afghanistan not only in terms of existing relations within the Nato alliance, but also in terms of its impact on Europe’s policy vis-a-vis Russia. Before the Afghanistan crisis, the Europeans came to believe that their proximity to the Biden administration will make them a key global player, and thus sought to flex their muscles against China and Russia. Today, however, Moscow sees the Europeans as weak powers with little influence.
In fact, the appetite in some European countries for re-entering coalitions with America has declined. A few of them will welcome these alliances, because they need the US’s contribution towards the West’s collective security. At the same time, however, it has chilled European ambitions that had emerged during the short honeymoon its members enjoyed with the Biden administration.
An Iranian woman holds a poster of the late Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani during an anti-US demonstration near the former US embassy in Tehran in 2018. EPA
America’s 46th president has decided that reducing America’s influence means calming America, and that downsizing its role will protect it
Perhaps reviving the nuclear deal with Iran will be the only success story for the European countries, which de facto not only represent Iran’s interests in the Vienna talks but are also pressuring the US to yield to Tehran’s blackmails and diktats following the election of Ebrahim Raisi.
Mr Biden stands to lose in the Vienna talks, whether he yields or not. Tehran is reaping the fruits of his administration’s mistakes in Afghanistan, and will do the same in Iraq once the US withdraws. In Iraq, it lies in wait for the post-American era to begin.
America’s 46th president has decided that reducing America’s influence means calming America, and that downsizing its role will protect it. This is a huge gamble for American prestige. More dangerously, this downsizing could leave America at the mercy of terrorists – amid genuine fears of a terror strike during the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks next week.
The US military will need time to absorb the impact of the Afghanistan crisis, before it can properly plan its exit from Iraq. While the military executes the orders of the president, it is unlikely to be proud of America’s shrinking stature in the world and the reputation for abandoning its allies.
There is still time for Mr Biden to change course in Iraq and reverse his decision to withdraw combat troops from the country. Else, there could be an ambush waiting for him – metaphorically speaking – from Iran and ISIS. Iraq could be the place where whatever is left of America’s prestige is completely destroyed.
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
8.50pm: Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
9.25pm: Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections
6.30pm: Final Song
7.05pm: Pocket Dynamo
7.40pm: Dubai Icon
8.15pm: Dubai Legacy
8.50pm: Drafted
9.25pm: Lucius Tiberius
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
