Europe left exposed as Biden walks America away from the world stage
Luke McGee
Analysis by Luke McGee, CNN
Updated 1026 GMT (1826 HKT) August 20, 2021
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 alliance were left dismayed.
Their disappointment was not at the contents of Biden's address, but the America First optics of the leader of the free world washing his hands of a global problem. The unilateral decision to withdraw seemed to somewhat contradict Biden's claim upon entering the White House that "America is back."
A crisis like the one unfolding in Afghanistan has, for some, hammered home the bleak reality that, without America, Europe's immediate ability to control its own destiny is limited.
From London to Paris, Brussels to Berlin, the sudden fall of Kabul shone a light on Europe's limited diplomatic heft, military capacity, and political stability.
Diplomats and officials all over the continent have privately expressed their sorrow that this is where we are: If the US says it's over, it's over.
We know from comments made by Britain's defense secretary, Ben Wallace, that he thought the withdrawal was a mistake and signaled victory to the Taliban. UK government officials told CNN they had tried to encourage both the Trump and Biden administrations to slow down, but failed to convince them.
Starkly, Wallace said in a recent interview to Sky News that when the US "took that decision, the way we were all configured meant that we had to leave."
Multiple European officials and diplomats told CNN of their shock at Biden's assertion that the only US interest in Afghanistan was to neutralize the terrorists who attacked the US in 2001 and prevent further attacks on American soil.
They now fear the humanitarian and political consequences of mass migration from a country run by militants who've historically harbored terrorists and that is connected to mainland Europe by land.
Without the might of America to keep a lid on the situation, Europe is undeniably more exposed. As one EU official put it:
"When America reversed course on Syria it sparked a crisis in Europe, not the US."
When former President Barack Obama U-turned on his decision to attack the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad following reports that he was gassing his own citizens, it had a knock-on effect still being felt today.
Not only did millions of Syrians flock to Europe seeking refuge, but the vacuum left by America left room for terrorist groups to build bases from where they could launch and inspire attacks across the world.
Geography and history suggest that once America is gone and the Taliban takes complete control of Afghanistan, ordinary citizens left behind who fear persecution will make every attempt to flee the country for somewhere safer.
Contínua:
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