When US President Joe Biden gave a detailed address on the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan earlier this month, his opening remarks focused on speed. Speed in the drawdown, he said, was safety.
That might have been true for American troops, but it was not so for Afghan ones, who claim they were not given notice the day the US left Bagram air base. And from that moment on, the only speed in Afghanistan has been the rate at which it has descended into chaos, mere weeks after Nato announced its withdrawal.
This is a domestic tragedy. In the past two months, the Taliban has captured more territory than at any time since 2001, the year the US-led coalition invaded. A rapid takeover by the group threatens a return to the barbarity of its rule seen in the 1990s. The Biden administration, which continues to negotiate with the Taliban in Doha, is hoping the organisation has since then become a moderate version of its former self. Many Afghans, most of whom endured the horrible reality of the Taliban's last stint in power, are far less trusting. They are preparing, often by arming themselves, for civil war.
This week has also shown the speed at which a regional disaster is unfolding. Instability in Afghanistan first poured over into neighbouring Tajikistan at the beginning of July, when more than 1,000 Afghan troops had to retreat across the border after heavy clashes with the Taliban. Now, Dushanbe, along with Moscow, is preparing for a new threat. On Wednesday, Russia announced it was reinforcing its military base in Tajikistan, as well as its training of Tajik troops. This is not primarily in response to threats posed by the Taliban, which historically takes less of an interest in carrying out foreign terrorism even if its hosts terrorists, but ISIS, a group that could now find a home in chaotic Afghanistan.
China, which shares a small border with the country, is another major power being drawn into the crisis. Also on Wednesday, a Taliban delegation was in Beijing to give assurances that the group would not allow Uighur separatists to shelter in its territories. The Taliban will use such meetings to claim international legitimacy, although US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has since said that China's increased engagement on Afghanistan could be "positive".
And to the west, the unfolding disaster is aggravating older problems. Turkey, which already hosts millions of refugees in line with a fragile deal signed with the EU in 2016, has seen an influx of Afghan migrants recently, which is being attributed largely to the renewed violence. About 1,200 people are are thought to be crossing each day.
There is speculation that US air support in Afghanistan could be extended, a move that would scrap a current deadline to withdraw it at the end of August. This could help stem Taliban advances; US bombs have proven crucial in keeping the organisation at bay. Drones and planes, however, do not provide economic and political support, or training, all of which are vital to keeping Kabul's government going, as well as the promise of a stable future for Afghans that Nato made when it rolled in two decades ago.
America is physically leaving Afghanistan, but a resurgent Taliban domestically and an unfolding geopolitical crisis regionally means Washington cannot claim mission accomplished. Mr Biden is trying to break a pattern of American forever wars, but the Afghanistan campaign is not yet over if tactical blunders drag its forces back.
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based:Â Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and familyÂ
Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland ChinaÂ
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul:Â Â Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air:Â Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines,  Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m;Â Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m;Â Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m;Â Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m;Â Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m;Â Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m;Â Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m;Â Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017Â Peshawar Zalmi
2018Â Islamabad United
2019Â Quetta Gladiators
Â
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food:Â Seafood
Favourite thing to cook:Â Duck l'orange
Favourite book:Â Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel:Â Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE:Â Al Qudra lakes
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
Winner: Miqyaas, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Shanty Star, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Alkaamel, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Speedy Move, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m​​​​​​​
Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
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