News

US expert says that America is far worse off reputationally and fiscally as a result of the 20-year war on terror

Published

3 years ago

09/09/2021

According to an analyst, the world order is “no better off” and the United States is “definitely considerably poorer off — reputationally and monetarily” 20 years after it launched post-9/11 wars on terror.

“I would propose that the last 20 years, and more generally the years since the Cold War’s conclusion, will rank as among the most disastrous times in the history of US foreign policy,” Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Following the Cold War, the US “could have chosen global leadership by consensus,” according to Gupta. However, it opted to “impose an America-dictated image of order on the world.”

Gupta stated that after the incident, America had the world’s sympathy and support. “Yet, the US pressed ahead into Afghanistan with it’s my way or the highway’ attitude and has now departed Afghanistan with the same attitude.”

Other ongoing “wars of choice” were also launched by the US during these 20 years, “many of them illegal under international law, and which have rained death and destruction on hundreds of thousands of human beings across Southwest Asia, the Middle East, and the Arab world,” he claimed.

With more than 47,000 Afghan civilian deaths, 10,000 or more US combat deaths, and over $2 trillion in war-related costs, “the world order is no better off, and America is certainly much poorer off — reputationally and fiscally,” he said, adding that the vision of a partnership of nations united by principles and norms under the multilateral umbrella of the United Nations “has remained.”

According to the expert, “two basic lessons” must be extracted from the last two decades for better global governance.

First, Gupta stated that “the epoch when America’s shoulders were broad enough to support the entire economy and preserve global order alone is definitively past.”

“This needs all parties to rededicate themselves once more to an UN-centered global system,” he continued, with greater responsibility placed on big countries to ensure the success of cooperation.

Second, global concerns such as climate change and pandemics necessitate global solutions, and “during a period of flux in the international system, it is difficult to marshal this collaboration – given disputes about the allocation of benefits and liabilities,” he said.

“Yet, in the absence of genuine cooperation, all parties will unquestionably be significantly worse off,” he warned. “As a result, the systemic order must discover methods to avoid the ‘Kindleberger Trap,’ ensuring that the large incumbent powers and major emerging powers, in concert and separately, provide their due share of global public goods,” he added.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

News

Foreign observers impressed with election arrangements

Published

21 hours ago

23/04/2024

Foreign observers have praised the voting arrangements made by the Elections Commission (EC) for the this year’s parliamentary election.

A total of 19 international observers from nine different countries visited the Maldives to observe the election for the 20th parliament assembly. The observer groups consisted of elections commissioners and chief elections commissioners of the foreign countries.

The chair of the foreign observers team spoke with the local media, noting they monitored the elections by splitting the team into four groups.

The observers team chair also highlighted peaceful proceedings across the all polling stations from commencement until the end, and singled out the installation of fans for voters in waiting areas.

“It is delightful to see that 90% of the elections officials were women. Vote counting had begun almost immediately after polling closed, which too proceeded peacefully,” the observers team chair commented.

Besides this, majority of the observers had praised the use of technological equipment in the voting as well. Nelson Sallis, the election monitor from the Philippines highlighted the voter’s details could be accessed promptly using the tablets used by the officials, which allowed voters to cast the ballots faster.

“This was an exemplary usage of technology by the Maldives Elections Commission,” Nelson said.

The monitors unanimously singled out the lack of any notable confrontations or commotions at the polling stations during the election, and praised the Elections Commission for it.

Source(s): sun.mv

World

Biden tells Zelenskyy new arms will be provided quickly to Ukraine

Published

21 hours ago

23/04/2024

U.S. President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over phone on Monday that his administration will soon quickly provide additional arms to Ukraine once a bill authorizing related funds clears Congress and becomes law.

“President Biden shared that his administration will quickly provide significant new security assistance packages to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield and air defense needs as soon as the Senate passes the national security supplemental and he signs it into law,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

Biden was referring to the $61 billion aid for Ukraine that the House passed Saturday. The measure, now bundled with other foreign aid funding, will be voted on as a comprehensive national security supplemental appropriations bill in the Senate this week, with passage all but certain and Biden pledging to sign it as soon as it reaches his desk.

“President Biden also underscored that the U.S. economic assistance will help maintain financial stability, build back critical infrastructure,” the readout said, adding that the economic assistance will also “support reform as Ukraine moves forward on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.”

Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the new aid from Washington is expected to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense as well as its long-range and artillery capabilities.

The Ukrainian president also discussed with Biden the work on a bilateral security agreement and the preparations for the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland slated for mid-June, he said.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on X on Saturday that senators have reached an agreement to vote on the national security supplemental on Tuesday.

Source(s): CGTN

News

President invites political leaders’ involvement for nation’s progress

Published

21 hours ago

23/04/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has urged all political leaders to refrain from political rivalry and to exert collaborative efforts, aiming for the nation’s expedite development. The remarks were made by the president in the event held to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the People’s National Congress (PNC) in the parliamentary elections.

Speaking at the event, President Dr. Muizzu affirmed that the projects and plans made by the government will be executed and completed at an accelerated rate, following PNC’s victory. The president assured that with the new Parliament, the international community will comprehend the significance of independence and freedom of expression to the Maldivians. On this stance, he invited all political leaders to participate and exert collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable development in a timely manner. He additionally ensured that no individual will be discriminated based on their parties.

Furthermore, President Dr. Muizzu stated that it is a responsibility of all individuals to contribute to the development of the nation. The president urged boosting communal harmony and bolstering Islamic values as well.

Source(s): PsmNews