(CNN Español) — The alternative priority now for Washington is not Russia, as many might think, but a relatively new central player in global strategy: China, described by the United States as the greatest challenge humanity now faces. Where is the world headed?
Listen to the new episode of Global Challenges with Jose Levy.
This is the summary of the world according to the president of the United States Joe Biden: “You have to focus on the threats of today, not those of 20 years ago.”
In other words, we must look less towards the Middle East and more towards what is perceived in the United States as the main challenge now: China, the new great global power that warns Washington “not to play with fire.”
But if some applaud Biden’s attitude, others fear serious consequences, not only for the Fear East, sorry, the Middle East, but in general for the world.
Welcome to this new podcast from CNN Global Challenges in which I will try to make this important strategic change we are experiencing accessible, to understand in simple words where the world is going. This is José Levy.
But first: what is President Biden referring to?
Twenty years ago there were terrible attacks on September 11, 2001, which left nearly three thousand deaths.
After blaming the jihadist movement al Qaeda for such atrocities, Washington soon sent troops to Afghanistan and thus began the longest war in US history. There he ended the Taliban regime, as the accusation was that it had given safe shelter to al Qaeda terrorists.
A couple of years later, in another country in the area, Iraq, after accusations that chemical weapons of mass destruction were being developed there, US troops also arrived. Then-President George W. Bush spoke of the danger that the then leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, perhaps through terrorist groups, could come to rely on with unconventional weapons. Of course, such weapons were never found.
And if a few months ago, in April, Biden took the first step in his change of strategic course by announcing his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in the coming weeks, now he made the announcement that before the end of the year the combat missions will also end. in Iraq.
But, in the face of the strategic change we are experiencing, the great fear is that the departure of the United States will lead to jihadist extremist groups taking advantage of the power vacuum to once again take control.
Let’s see what already happens in Afghanistan with the departure of the vast majority of US troops, where the feared Taliban movement once again dominates a large part of the country. Although Biden assures that the Afghan army is much more numerous and militarily equipped, it is suspected that this Islamist movement commits war crimes that fuel a generalized panic that on the battlefield seems to be key. Now, although in this movement they try to reassure the world and assure that there is nothing to fear, the concern is considerable.
This, when in Afghanistan it is believed that there is a significant presence of al Qaeda and ISIS that it is feared could resurface and, again, threaten the world.
And you have to go back just a few years and remember what happened in Iraq itself as well.
In 2011, the United States of Barack Obama, with Biden himself as vice president, decided to withdraw from that country.
But what happened?
Listen to the rest on the podcast.
Well, so far this podcast. Next week we will continue with more Global Challenges to introduce us to this terrible or wonderful passionate corner of the universe where we lived.
Other Global Challenges:
A space race that leaves no one indifferent
The peak of the thaw: Biden and Putin see each other
Political earthquake in Israel
What is the origin of covid-19? That is the great question of a whole generation
In the Israel-Palestinian conflict, who has been the victor?
Alexey Navalny, a real nightmare for Vladimir Putin
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