The U.S.’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan is casting a dark cloud over President Joe Biden’s pledge to reinforce alliances with other countries and restore his country’s global leadership. Biden now faces criticism for abandoning his much-touted “America is back” catchphrase and returning to his predecessor’s “America-first” agenda.
Criticism came after Biden defended his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and put the blame for the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the war-torn country on the corrupt and incompetent Afghanistan government. On Monday he said, “I will not repeat the mistakes we’ve made in the past — the mistake of staying and fighting indefinitely in a conflict that is not in the national interest of the United States, of doubling down on a civil war in a foreign country, of attempting to remake a country through the endless military deployments of U.S. forces.”
The remark was seen as affirming his position that the U.S. would not engage in any war which does not serve the U.S.’s interest. But it could be interpreted as a retreat from his security commitments to allies. It could also signal that his global strategy is focused on maximizing his country’s interests just as former President Donald Trump did with his America-centric mantras.
What Biden said has prompted many people to wonder if U.S. troops will leave any host country anytime if it loses its strategic value, as was the case with Afghanistan. It also appeared to send a message that there are no permanent friends or enemies in the stark international arena. In addition, his remark has apparently implied that the U.S. can’t keep playing the role of the “world’s policeman” as it had done in the Cold War era.National security adviser Jake Sullivan clarified that Biden has no intention to reduce U.S. military presence in South Korea or Europe. Yet some pundits point out that they cannot rule out the possibility that another troop withdrawal could take place in other U.S. allies’ territories.
Marc Thiessen, the Washington Post’s foreign policy columnist and former speech writer for former U.S. President George W. Bush, triggered controversy by saying that South Korea could experience similar consequences as Afghanistan if the U.S. pulls out its troops from the country. He tweeted Monday, “If South Korea were under this kind of sustained assault, they would collapse just as quickly without U.S. support. There’s virtually no American ally who could defend themselves without us.”
But it is improper to compare South Korea to Afghanistan because there are big differences between the two countries. As ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Song Young-gil pointed out, South Korea is a country with the world’s sixth-strongest military and 10th-largest economy. Song stressed the need for Seoul to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean forces from Washington. He also emphasized the importance of the nation establishing self-reliant defense readiness.
The Taliban’s return to power offers a valuable lesson to South Korea. Most of all, the country should modernize its own military and strengthen its defense preparedness to fend for itself as the U.S. military cannot stay here forever. It is also necessary to beef up its alliance with the U.S., boost its strategic value and contribute more to regional security, stability and peace.
Doubts over alliance
Source: Buhay Kapa PH
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