Asharq Al-Awsat
Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo
Oil prices were stable on Wednesday ahead of an OPEC+ meeting, at which major producers will decide whether to go ahead with their plan to add supply while COVID-19 cases soar in Asia and US refiners assess flood damage in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and allies, together called OPEC+, are due to meet on Wednesday at 1500 GMT to decide whether to stick to a plan to add 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) each month through December. OPEC+ expects the market to be in deficit at last until the end of 2021, OPEC+ sources said. "This should provide comfort to the group that they can proceed with their planned monthly 400,000 bpd increase in production," ANZ Research analysts said in a note. OPEC+ sources told Reuters the meeting is likely to roll over existing policies despite pressure from the United States to boost supply further. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures inched up 7 cents, or 0.1%, to $68.57 a barrel at 0125 GMT, after falling 1% on Tuesday on expectations oil demand would drop as six refineries in Louisiana were shut after Hurricane Ida hit. Brent crude futures were up 5 cents at $71.70 a barrel, after losing 42 cents on Tuesday. A total of 2.3 million bpd of refining capacity, or 13% of US capacity, was shut in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida, the US Department of Energy estimated. At the same time, about 94% of oil and natural gas production remained suspended in the US side of the Gulf of Mexico. Power outages are likely to slow reopening of the processing plants, but Exxon Mobil's 520,000 bpd Baton Rouge complex was preparing to restart on Tuesday. "We see a risk that the loss of US refinery demand will be greater and more prolonged than the loss of crude supply," Bjornar Tonhaugen, head of oil markets at Rystad Energy, said in a note, adding that it could weigh on WTI prices through September. Supporting the market, American Petroleum Institute industry data showed US crude stocks fell by 4 million barrels for the week ended Aug. 27, which was a bigger decline than analysts had expected in a Reuters poll. Official US Energy Information Administration inventory data is due on Wednesday.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3164016/oil-steady-ahead-opec-supply-decision
Deputy Defense Minister Visits Headquarters of Royal Saudi Land Forces
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
Prince Khalid bin Salman visits the headquarters of the Royal Saudi Land Forces in Riyadh. (Twitter)
Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman visited on Tuesday the headquarters of the Royal Saudi Land Forces in Riyadh. In a tweet, he said he carried out the visit at the directives of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. He inspected the readiness of the troops in terms of development and modernization of their armament and training that will reinforce the combat efficiency of all branches of the armed forces.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3164011/deputy-defense-minister-visits-headquarters-royal-saudi-land-forces
Taliban Government Will Decide on Kabul Airport Charter Flights, Germany Says
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Taliban fighters take control of Afghan presidential palace after the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. Person second from left is a former bodyguard for Ghani. (AP Photo/Zabi Karimi)
Germany will wait for the Taliban to install a new government to see if the militants will honor their pledge to allow civilians to leave Afghanistan on flights from Kabul airport, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday. "The Taliban have promised, but in the coming days and weeks we will find out whether we can count on that," Maas said during a news conference in Islamabad with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi. "The Taliban want to install a new government, and this will give us an indication whether our request that it be inclusive is met," he added.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162346/taliban-government-will-decide-kabul-airport-charter-flights-germany-says
Abdollahian’s Violation of Protocol at Baghdad Conference Sparks Controversy in Iran
Iran
London, Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian (second right) seen in the front row designated for heads of states and governments during the Baghdad summit family photo (AFP)
Iranian newspapers criticized new Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, for violating diplomatic protocol at Saturday’s Baghdad conference in his first foreign appearance after taking office. Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh was forced to answer press questions about the controversy raised by Abdollahian’s violation of the diplomatic protocol. “It was a successful visit,” he said, warning against focusing on “marginal issues not in the field of foreign policy.” Abdollahian sparked widespread controversy when he stood in the front row designated for heads of states and governments during the summit family photo. Former director-general of the Middle East Department at the Foreign Ministry, Qassem Mohebali, criticized the FM for not respecting protocols. The former diplomat wrote an editorial for Jahane Sanat newspaper, titled “The Consequences of Not Respecting (Diplomatic) Protocols,” saying the conference was a “missed opportunity.” Mohebali noted that it was a chance for Iran to stand by the Saudi delegations and improve foreign relations. He said respecting protocols at diplomatic events is very important, adding that honoring procedures shows familiarity with international affairs and respect for the host country. He warned that an official’s lack of understanding of the occasion leads to unfamiliar behavior, which can have negative consequences. In turn, the reformist Etemad newspaper strongly criticized the FM’s lack of respect for diplomatic protocol and said that the mistake made by the events director at the Foreign Ministry was unfortunate and unforgivable. The newspaper wondered if Abdollahian is aware that the host country arranges where a guest must stand or sit at official occasions and ceremonies. “If he does not know, what is the role of the events director during the conference?” it asked, adding that if Abdollahian did not want to stand or sit next to officials from certain countries, he should have informed the conference’s managers. The FM returned to Tehran on Monday, after a brief visit to Damascus, where he met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and leaders of Palestinian factions. Iranian media interpreted the visit as Iran’s protest against Syria’s absence from the conference. Moreover, Abdollahian was criticized for his “poorly” written Arabic language speech at the summit. Former deputy speaker, Ali Motahari, welcomed the Arabic speech, but regretted that an Arabic language teacher did not review it to mark the parsing accurately.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162331/abdollahian%E2%80%99s-violation-protocol-baghdad-conference-sparks-controversy-iran
Egypt Accelerates Establishment of Covid-19 Vaccines Production Facility
Arab World
Cairo - Asharq Al-Awsat
Madbouly visits the local vaccine production factory. (Egyptian government via Facebook)
Egypt is moving at a quick pace to establish a complex to produce up to eight kinds of coronavirus vaccines. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly urged citizens to adhere to the preventive measures as the country grapples with a fourth wave of the pandemic. The Health and Population Ministry said 255 new coronavirus cases were detected, upping the total to 287,899. Recoveries reached 238,249. Seven people have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the toll to 16,721. Madbouly said the complex is a massive facility that aims at producing eight types of vaccines. During a press conference following a tour of the complex at the 6th of October City, he said production capacity at the facility is expected to reach 3 million vaccine doses per day or an average of 1 billion annually. Madbouly was accompanied by Health Minister Hala Zayed and Giza Governor Ahmed Rashed. Zayed said that the coronavirus vaccines plant at the Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) complex is planned to produce up to 24,000 packs per hour. The factory covers 6,000 square meters of the VACSERA complex, she added. It will be the biggest in the Middle East and North Africa for the production of COVID-19 vaccines, she continued. Zayed expects the facility to become a regional hub for the production of vaccines planned for export to African countries. President of VACSERA Heba Wali said the new factory comprised eight central laboratories equipped with the latest devices for measuring production quality and testing manufacturing inputs and the final product according to the standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162311/egypt-accelerates-establishment-covid-19-vaccines-production-facility
'Talking Movies': The Chinese Cinema Bringing Film to Blind Audiences
Entertainment
Asharq Al-Awsat
Dozens of blind moviegoers come to Saturday screenings organized by Xin Mu Theater. Jade GAO AFP
Every Saturday, Zhang Xinsheng travels two hours for a movie date with friends, navigating Beijing's confusing subway system with his white cane and a speaking map that screams directions on his mobile phone. Zhang lost his sight in his early twenties due to a degenerative condition, but since going blind has discovered a love for cinema at the "talking film" club, where volunteers give vivid narrations to an auditorium of blind or partially sighted cinemagoers, said AFP. "After I listened to a film for the first time in 2014, it felt like a (new) world had opened up for me," he said. "I felt I could understand the film despite my blindness. There were clear images forming in my mind's eye... as (the narrator) described the scenes... of laughter, the crying." Now 51, he makes the weekly pilgrimage to a theatre in Qianmen, in the heart of old Beijing, without fail. Dozens of blind moviegoers come to the Saturday screenings organized by Xin Mu Theater, a small group of volunteers who were the first to introduce films to blind audiences in China. Their method is surprisingly low-tech. A narrator describes what is happening on screen, including facial expressions, unspoken gestures, the setting and costumes. They relay visual clues that would otherwise be missed, like a sudden change of scenery from falling leaves to snow that conveys the passage of time. Last month the group screened "A Street Cat Named Bob" -- a story of a ginger feline who helps a homeless man in London quit drugs and become a bestselling author. Narrator Wang Weili described what is happening on-screen: "There is snow falling over London, a city in England. It's a little like Beijing but the buildings aren't that tall," he says in between the dialogue dubbed in Chinese. "A man with binoculars -- two long round cylinders used to see things that are far -- is watching James as he sings on a street corner with Bob the cat." There was pin-drop silence as he spoke. No one whispered or crunched snacks -- instead, the audience listened intently. - 'Tell me what you see' - Wang was inspired to introduce films to blind audiences after narrating "The Terminator" to a friend. "I saw sweat pouring from his forehead when I described the action scenes. He was so excited," he said. "He kept saying tell me what you see!" Wang rented a small room in an old Beijing courtyard with his savings in 2005 and started the talking film club with a small flat-screen TV, a second-hand DVD player and about 20 chairs. His 20-square-metre (215-square-foot) makeshift cinema was always packed. Explaining films to blind audiences can be challenging, especially if the plot has historical or imaginary elements that audience members are yet to encounter. Before screening "Jurassic Park" for instance, Wang lets the audience feel several dinosaur models. "I watch a film at least six or seven times... and write my own detailed script," the businessman-turned-disability activist said. Xin Mu now partners with bigger cinemas for their screenings. The pandemic has also pushed the team to introduce a streaming service with recorded audio narrations. The group has screened nearly a thousand films over the past 15 years. - 'Limited opportunities' – China has more than 17 million people who are visually impaired. Eight million of them are completely sightless, according to The China Association for the Blind. Over the past decade, cities across the country have built more blind walkways, added braille markings on elevator panels and allowed blind candidates to take exams for government jobs and colleges. "But the blind community have limited opportunities to participate in cultural activities," said Dawning Leung, Founder of the Audio Description Association in Hong Kong. "They are shut out of cinemas, theatres or art exhibitions because there is no awareness about the need for audio narrations." "Even audio descriptions at museums are written with sighted people in mind. They tell you about the history of an object or where it was found but rarely describe what it looks like," she said. Activists have for years pushed for legislation mandating audio descriptions for films, television programs or artwork in mainland China, like those in Hong Kong, with little progress. The free film screenings by Xin Mu offer a rare chance for blind moviegoers to be part of the world's biggest box office. "Movies help enrich my life... they help me understand life's challenges," Zhang said. His favorite film is Bollywood blockbuster "Dangal," where a strict dad coaches his daughters to overcome social taboos and become champion wrestlers. "At times I think, just like the protagonists in that film, I can change my fate by working hard," he said.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162291/talking-movies-chinese-cinema-bringing-film-blind-audiences
Egyptian Presidential Directives to 'Make Use of Every Drop of Water'
Arab World
Cairo - Mohammed Abdo Hassanein
A general view shows the River Nile with houses and farmland in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
The Egyptian government aims to implement presidential directives to "make use of every drop of water," as the country suffers from a scarcity of freshwater resources, in addition to its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that the expansion of the sewage treatment plant in the Abu Rawash area in Giza governorate is part of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to use “every single drop of water.” Madbouly explained that the water could be used after treating it according to the Egyptian and the international code. The Abu Rawash plant is the largest sewage project in the region, and the second largest in Egypt after the al-Gabal al-Asfar plant, with a production capacity of 1.6 million cubic meters per day, Madbouly indicated. The project's first phase, which represents half of the plant's capacity, will begin in late November. It is scheduled to be fully operational in March 2022 to serve nine million people at the cost of EGP6.2 billion. "The new project is carrying out primary treatment of 1.2 million cubic meters with an upgraded triple treatment, in addition to 400 thousand cubic meters of advanced dual treatment, and thus the treatment volume will reach 1.6 million cubic meters per day,” Madbouly said. The PM pointed out that this giant project is financed by the Egyptian state and some foreign efforts. He indicated that water treatment is an urgent requirement for Giza and the West Delta region. Egypt suffers from a scarcity of freshwater resources. According to official statements, it has officially entered the "water poverty" era, in which the per capita share is less than 1,000 cubic meters annually. It relies on the Nile River for more than 90 percent of its water. Meanwhile, the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel-Aty, affirmed that work would continue to ensure the efficiency of all drainage departments in the country. He asserted that authorities would monitor and follow up to guarantee the purification of riverbanks and the readiness of the sectors to confront any emergency. Abdel-Aty directed the concerned departments to continue identifying and removing the infringements on all banks, noting that any violation will be reported to authorities for legal action.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162266/egyptian-presidential-directives-make-use-every-drop-water
Amman - Asharq Al-Awsat
Jordanian pupils return to school for the first time in nearly a year, in the capital Amman, Jordan, Feb. 7, 2021. (AFP)
Starting September 1, Jordan will implement the third phase of its reopening plan by cancelling its COVID-19 nightly curfew and allowing the majority of sectors and activities to operate at full capacity. Meanwhile, schools and universities will return to in-class education on their scheduled dates, according to safe protocols that guarantee the safety of students, faculty and staff. In the past months, Jordan had imposed numerous restrictions as part of the nation's efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. A nightly curfew was in force nationwide from 1am until 6am, while businesses were required to close by 23:59. Restaurants and cafes were permitted to operate at a limited capacity of 50 to 75 percent, provided that the total number of diners remains under 100. The new government’s reopening plan will go into effect after the country expanded its vaccination campaign. Jordan has rolled out a free inoculation program for more than 6 million its population of 11 million. More than 95 percent of teachers and school staff have already been vaccinated. On Monday, the Ministry of Health announced 15 COVID-19-related fatalities and 1,098 new infections, bringing the death toll to 10,398 and the caseload to 796,259.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162256/jordan-lifts-several-covid-19-restrictions
Sri Lanka Declares Food Emergency as Forex Crisis Worsens
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Sri Lankan flag. Reuters.
Sri Lanka on Tuesday declared a state of emergency over food shortages as private banks ran out of foreign exchange to finance imports. With the country suffering a hard-hitting economic crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he ordered emergency regulations to counter the hoarding of sugar, rice and other essential foods, reported AFP. Rajapaksa has named a top army officer as "Commissioner General of Essential Services to coordinate the supply of paddy, rice, sugar and other consumer goods". The move followed sharp price rises for sugar, rice, onions and potatoes, while long queues have formed outside stores because of shortages of milk powder, kerosene oil and cooking gas. The government has increased penalties for food hoarding, but the shortages come as the country of 21 million battles a fierce coronavirus wave that is claiming more than 200 lives a day. The economy shrank by a record 3.6 percent in 2020 because of the pandemic and in March last year the government banned imports of vehicles and other items, including edible oils and turmeric, an essential spice in local cooking, in a bid to save foreign exchange. Importers still say they have been unable to source dollars to pay for the food and medicines they are allowed to buy. Two weeks ago, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka increased interest rates in a bid to shore up the local currency. Sri Lanka's foreign reserves fell to $2.8 billion at the end of July, from $7.5 billion in November 2019 when the government took office and the rupee has lost more than 20 percent of its value against the US dollar in that time, according to bank data. Energy minister Udaya Gammanpila has appealed to motorists to use fuel sparingly so that the country can use its foreign exchange to buy essential medicines and vaccines. A presidential aide has warned that fuel rationing may be introduced by the end of the year unless consumption was reduced.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162251/sri-lanka-declares-food-emergency-forex-crisis-worsens
Shtayyeh Says Looking Forward to Tripartite Cairo Summit
Arab World
Ramallah - Asharq Al-Awsat
Relatives of Palestinian Omar al-Nile, 12, who was shot on Saturday during a violent demonstration on the eastern border between Gaza and Israel, react during his funeral in the family home in Gaza City, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday that he is looking forward to the tripartite Egyptian-Jordanian-Palestinian summit to be held in Cairo soon. At the start of a cabinet session, the PM said the summit aims to urge the US administration to fulfill its promise on the establishment of two states and to end “racial” settlements, as well as resolving Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. The summit is expected to be held soon to coordinate positions over the latest developments in the region ahead of President Mahmoud Abbas's trip to the United Nations. The summit is planned after the meeting held between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and US President Joe Biden at the White House and prior to Abbas’ departure to New York. Last week, Biden discussed with the Israeli PM his view that a negotiated two-state solution is the only viable path to achieving a lasting resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. However, Bennett saw that now, only an economic solution is possible, a proposal that Palestinians have rejected. The Palestinians have been working with Egypt and Jordan for many months to develop a plan that enjoys Arab and US support to launch a new political process in the region that leads to direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The coordination began before Biden came to power and intensified after the 11-day fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip in May. The US administration aims to find a comprehensive solution based on the two-state solution, not just a partial solution in the Palestinian enclave. Separately, Shtayyeh urged international legal organizations and Defense for Children International (DCI) to “stop the continuous killing and torture of Palestinian children.” He referred to the recent killing of Omar al-Nile, 12, who was shot on Saturday during a violent demonstration on the eastern border between Gaza and Israel, in addition to the kidnapping of 15-year-old Tareq Zbeideh who was tied, and beaten by settlers while picnicking with his friends near a settlement outpost.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162226/shtayyeh-says-looking-forward-tripartite-cairo-summit
One of the Daraa Children Who Sparked Syria Revolt Recounts to Asharq Al-Awsat His Journey of the Past 10 Years
Features
Idlib – Firas Karam
Mouawiya Syasneh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
“I have no regrets and I am ready to do it again,” declared Mouawiya Syasneh, one of the children whose anti-regime graffiti in Daraa ten years ago sparked popular protests against Damascus’ iron-fisted rule. Daraa is now known as the cradle of the revolution that has evolved into a brutal conflict pitting the opposition against the regime. “I would do it again twice and thrice if it means not living under a regime that has not spared a single means of killing and destruction against our people,” Mouawiya told Asharq Al-Awsat. Mouawiya was forced to quit Daraa, but his departure paved the way for a new phase of struggle against the regime. He was among the second batch of people who were displaced from Daraa through a Russia-sponsored agreement on Daraa al-Balad. He has found a new home in Aleppo. Beginnings With the eruption of the so-called Arab Spring revolts across the Arab world a decade ago, people were pinned to the television screens to watch the rapid developments. In early 2011, protests swept Daraa when regime forces arrested 20 children, who were no older than 15, for spray-painting anti-regime graffiti on a local school wall. Mouawiya was among the detainees. “We were just children back then. The most we dreamed of was playing and staying up late,” he recalled. “We avidly watched the developments in the Arab world. Our parents doubted whether such revolts could be taken up by the Syrians against a regime that controls the country through its security agencies and military.” He recalled how he and several of his friends impulsively wrote the graffiti on the school wall at around 3:00 am in mid-February. “Your turn is up, doctor,” read one, in reference to president Bashar al-Assad. Another read “freedom” and “down with the regime”. “We quickly fled the scene,” he added. “The next day people, including the school principal, were dumbstruck by what they saw. It was incredible.” Soon after, security agency and police vehicles descended on the school to investigate. “Eventually, informants pointed the fingers at us and the security agencies soon raided our homes.” Mouawiya said six of his friends were detained, while he remained in hiding for three days. Once he believed that the situation was calm, he ventured home at around 4 am to find political security agents waiting for him. He was beaten and verbally abused. He was taken to the police station where he was severely tortured and beaten. Terror and torture Mouawiya recalled the “hellish and terrorizing” conditions of his arrest and torture. “I was held by the political security agency for around a week in Daraa. I was tortured for four hours a day during which I was investigated through intimidation and threats.” Their questions focused on the sides that had encouraged the children to write the graffiti. Soon after, Mouawiya was transferred to the political security branch in Sweida and then the Palestine branch in Damascus. There, he said he encountered several children from Daraa who were also accused of writing anti-regime graffiti on the walls of other school and government buildings. More torture was in store. “After 20 days, we felt that we would die at the underground facility. Then, one day, the security forces eased their torture and changed the way they treated us,” said Mouawiya. The children were informed that Assad had issued an amnesty for them. “This is a generous gesture from him and you must respect and appreciate it by cooperating with us later and inform the security agency of any person who tries to undermine the state security or encourage protests,” the children were informed by a senior official at the station. “In other words, they wanted us to work as informants,” continued Mouawiya. He and the other children were released after some 40 days in detention. Back in Daraa, they were forced to sign a pledge that they would no longer engage in anti-regime acts. “We were back, but were surprised to witness the heavy military and security deployment at the entrances of the city,” he added. “We were also surprised to see our families gathered at the Omari square as they waited our arrival. It turned out that a major revolutionary movement was underway in the city and its countryside in wake of our arrest.” Taking up arms “I was a child at the time and was not aware of the rapid developments related to the revolt that were taking place in Daraa and the province as a whole,” remarked Mouawiya. The regime soon started to bring in reinforcements and militias to contain the situation. It attempted to storm and strike Daraa al-Balad. It failed in controlling an inch of the city. In September 2013, military developments were rapidly taking place and the revolutionaries were liberating several military positions from the regime. They managed to liberate areas close to Jordan and the regime started to retaliate with heavy shelling and rocket fire. “My father was killed in such an attack as he was heading out for dawn prayers,” recalled Mouawiya. “I was 18 at the time and decided to take up arms and join the Free Syrian Army.” He would consequently take part in several battles against the regime and its militias. In 2018, Daraa came under a total siege by the regime and Russian forces and Iranian militias in an attempt to recapture the city and neighboring villages. Negotiations between local committees and the warring parties led to a ceasefire and an agreement that Daraa city would not be stormed. The situation would hold until July of this year when the regime again attempted to capture Daraa. Negotiations have again started between the concerned parties, with Russia acting as mediator. The regime is insisting that the remaining revolutionaries quit the regime. “I opted for the difficult choice of displacement to opposition areas in the north to avert violence against my loved ones,” Mouawiya said. “I will continue my revolutionary journey here in the north in the hopes of one day going home that we were forced to quit victoriously,” he added. “I am proud to be one of the youths who were a main spark of the Syrian revolt against the regime that has not spared any method to kill our loved ones.” “A decade later, I am now 26 years old. I will teach my children how to resist the regime until it collapses and until freedom and dignity prevail.”
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162211/one-daraa-children-who-sparked-syria-revolt-recounts-asharq-al-awsat-his
For Transplants, Covid Complicates the Race against Time
Varieties
Asharq Al-Awsat
With Covid-19 patients filling ICUs, the number of transplant procedures in Spain fell by 20 per cent last year. PHOTO: AFP
Its blue lights flashing, the ambulance races along the Madrid ring road towards the airport, the words "organ donation" clearly marked on its side, cars pulling over to let it pass. A transplant team is on its way to retrieve a person's heart, which will be used to save the life of another patient who is already on stand-by. With the coronavirus pandemic throwing up a barrage of challenges for Spain's world-leading organ transplant experts, the recipient is one of the lucky ones, reported AFP. Last year, the number of such time-critical procedures slowed dramatically as intensive care units collapsed around the country. Waiting on the tarmac at Madrid's Barajas airport is a private jet, its pilot sitting at the controls as three medics in green scrubs hurry to board, one pulling an empty blue cooler on wheels. Under Spanish law, the location of the donor must remain confidential. - Intensive care crucial - "What the pandemic has changed is the number of transplants," says Erika Martinez, 41, a specialist nurse on board the plane who has been involved in some 450 transplants. "The main problem, especially during the first wave, was the collapse of intensive care units (ICUs) across all hospitals," she adds. With cases of Covid-19 spiraling across the country, ICUs -- which are critical for transplant surgery -- were suddenly overwhelmed with an unprecedented number of critically ill patients. "Donors are always identified in intensive care units," explains Beatriz Dominguez-Gil, director general of the Spanish National Transplant Organization (ONT). There, they are kept alive artificially, waiting for the organs to be taken out. And it is also where patients who have received an organ "have to spend at least the first few days after the transplant," she says. As a result, with Covid-19 patients filling ICUs, the number of such procedures fell by 20 percent last year. But even then, Spain maintained higher numbers than other countries had before the pandemic, with 37.4 donors per million residents in 2020 compared with 29.4 in France and 36.1 in the United States in 2019. And it retained its status as world leader, carrying out five percent of all transplants worldwide, even though it only represents 0.6 percent of the global population. Amparo Curt is one of those who went through the complex procedure at the height of the first wave. Last year in March, she was placed on a waiting list for an urgent transplant after developing autoimmune hepatitis, giving her "just days" to live. She recalls her anxiety. "You realize you're going to die. And you wonder: what organ are they going to be able to find in the middle of the Covid pandemic?" the 51-year-old tells AFP, her voice breaking as she relates the story. But by "miracle", they called her in several days later to receive a new liver. And five days later, she was back home, feeling "grateful to be alive". - 'You can't buy a heart' - Up in the air, 28-year-old surgeon Juan Esteban de Villarreal does not know if the heart extraction he is on his way to perform will succeed. At Puerta de Hierro hospital in Majadahonda just outside Madrid, a patient is hoping against hope that it will, anxiously waiting for the life-changing donation. Three-quarters of organs are transported by commercial airlines, which carry them free of charge, but those that cannot wait are flown in a private jet. After landing, the team quickly boards another ambulance, racing to a hospital where the donor lies on an operating table, machines beeping constantly. Approaching the donor, whose rib cage is open, Esteban de Villarreal delicately palpates the still-beating heart. After several minutes, he steps back and goes to make a phone call. "I would say yes, it's working well," he says, giving the green light for an extraction. Once removed, the heart is put into a simple plastic container filled with serum and placed inside three hermetically sealed bags. "Air is bad for it," he explains as the precious cargo is placed into a refrigerated container and whisked back to the plane with the medics, who are soon wheels up again for Madrid. After landing, the ambulance races them to the hospital in Majadahonda and after another change of clothes, the surgeon heads to the operating theatre where the patient's rib cage is already open. Walking in, he removes the damaged organ, replacing it with the new heart. Within hours, the tubes are removed and the heart starts a new life inside its new owner.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162196/transplants-covid-complicates-race-against-time
Abu Dhabi - Asharq Al-Awsat
President Sheikh Khalifa said the new institution, based in Abu Dhabi, will promote and safeguard human rights. AFP
President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has set out plans to establish a National Human Rights Institution in the UAE. To achieve its objectives, the NHRI shall participate, along with the relevant authorities, in the development of a national action plan to promote and protect human rights in the country, to propose a mechanism for its implementation, and to promote a culture of human rights and submit proposals, recommendations, and advice to the relevant authorities. Sheikh Khalifa issued a federal law to set up the independent body, which will have its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. As part of its blueprint for the future, the institution will provide information to authorities on whether national laws are aligned with international treaties and conventions on human rights to which the UAE is a signatory. It will track human rights breaches and report them to relevant authorities. The institution could open further branches across the country as part of a long-term vision to advance human rights. The institution shall be an independent legal entity, which has financial and administrative autonomy in the exercise of its functions, activities, and competencies. The NHRI aims to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms following the provisions of the UAE Constitution, laws and legislation in force in the UAE, as well as relevant international conventions. The federal law issued by Sheikh Khalifa states that the NHRI should have a board of trustees comprising at least 11 people, half of whom will work on a full-time basis. The term of membership of the NHRI shall be four years, renewable once, beginning from the date of the issuance of the resolution. The human rights institutions that are established per the Paris Principles are treated as official state-created organizations for the promotion and protection of human rights. Such institutions enjoy financial and administrative autonomy in exercising their mandates and are guided by the Paris Principles for the National Human Rights Institutions, which were adopted in 1993. The NHRI aims to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms following the provisions of the UAE Constitution, laws and legislation in force in the UAE, as well as relevant international conventions. The establishment of this key mechanism stems from the UAE’s eagerness to develop its institutional structure of human rights in a way that will enhance the country’s position and highlight its role in advancing it. In developing the law, the UAE set out to follow the best practices of other countries that have developed similar institutions. The UAE also sought advice from international organizations, most notably the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which provided legal and technical assistance to draft the NHRI law.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162171/uae-establishes-national-human-rights-institution
Thousands Face Weeks Without Power in Ida's Aftermath
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Damage is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Houma, La. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Louisiana communities battered by Hurricane Ida faced a new danger as they began the massive task of clearing debris and repairing damage from the storm: the possibility of weeks without power in the stifling, late-summer heat. Ida ravaged the region's power grid, leaving the entire city of New Orleans and hundreds of thousands of other Louisiana residents in the dark with no clear timeline on when power would return. Some areas outside New Orleans also suffered major flooding and structure damage, according to The Associated Press. “There are certainly more questions than answers. I can’t tell you when the power is going to be restored. I can’t tell you when all the debris is going to be cleaned up and repairs made,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told a news conference Monday. “But what I can tell you is we are going to work hard every day to deliver as much assistance as we can.” President Joe Biden met virtually on Monday with Bel Edwards and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves along with mayors from cities and parishes most impacted by Hurricane Ida to receive an update on the storm’s impacts, and to discuss how the Federal Government can provide assistance. “We are closely coordinating with state and local officials every step of the way,” Biden said. Rescuers in boats, helicopters and high-water trucks brought hundreds of people trapped by floodwaters to safety Monday, and they planned to eventually go door to door in hard hit areas to make sure everyone got out OK. Power crews also rushed into the state. The governor said 25,000 utility workers were on the ground in Louisiana to help restore electricity, with more on the way. Still, his office described damage to the power grid as “catastrophic,” and power officials said it could be weeks before electricity is restored in some spots. More than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi were left without power as Ida pushed through on Sunday with winds that reached 150 mph (240 kph). The wind speed tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane ever to hit the mainland. By late Monday, the storm had been downgraded to a tropical depression with winds of up to 35 mph (56 kph), though forecasters still warned of heavy rain and a flood threat for parts of the Tennessee and Ohio valleys. The storm was blamed for at least two deaths — a motorist who drowned in New Orleans and a person hit by a falling tree outside Baton Rouge. Pamela Mitchell said Monday she was thinking about leaving New Orleans until power returned, but her 14-year-old daughter, Michelle, was determined to stay and was preparing to clean out the fridge and put perishables in an ice chest. Mitchell had already spent a hot and frightening night at home while Ida’s winds shrieked, and she thought the family could tough it out. “We went a week before, with Zeta,” she said, recalling an outage during the hurricane that hit the city last fall. Other residents of the city were relying on generators — or neighbors who had them. Hank Fanberg said both of his neighbors had offered him access to their generators. He also had a plan for food. “I have a gas grill and charcoal grill,” he said. The hurricane blew ashore on the 16th anniversary of Katrina, the 2005 storm that breached New Orleans’ levees, devastated the city and was blamed for 1,800 deaths. This time, New Orleans escaped the catastrophic flooding some had feared. But city officials still urged people who evacuated to stay away for at least a couple of days because of the lack of power and fuel. The US Environmental Protection Agency issued emergency fuel waivers for Louisiana and Mississippi, effective immediately, on Monday night. It will end on Sept. 16. Some places were also dealing with water problems. Eighteen water systems were out, impacting more than 312,000 people, and an additional 14 systems affecting another 329,000 people were under boil water advisories, Edwards said Monday. The hurricane twisted and collapsed a giant tower that carries key transmission lines over the Mississippi River to the New Orleans area, causing widespread outages, Entergy and local authorities said. The power company said more than 2,000 miles of transmission lines were out of service, along with 216 substations. The tower had survived Katrina. The storm also flattened utility poles, toppled trees onto power lines and caused transformers to explode. In Mississippi’s southwestern corner, entire neighborhoods were surrounded by floodwaters, and many roads were impassable. Several tornadoes were reported, including a suspected twister in Saraland, Alabama, that ripped part of the roof off a motel and flipped an 18-wheeler, injuring the driver, according to the National Weather Service.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162141/thousands-face-weeks-without-power-idas-aftermath
Syrian FM Says 'Thunderous' US Defeat Only the First
Arab World
Damascus - London - Asharq Al-Awsat
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, center left, receives Iran's new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, left, in Damascus, Syria, August 29, 2021. (SANA via AP)
Syria’s foreign minister has said the “thunderous defeat” by the United States in Afghanistan will lead to similar defeats for American troops in Syria and other parts of the world. Faisal Mekdad made his comments Sunday following a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, who began an official visit to Syria. Mekdad said the US withdrawal from Afghanistan “is a strong lesson for the allies and tools of the United States in the region and the world.” He appeared to be referring to Kurdish-led fighters allied with the United States who control wide parts of eastern Syria, including the country’s largest oil fields. Hundreds of US troops are stationed in northeastern Syria, working with Kurdish-led fighters in battling ISIS. Mekdad and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, discussed bilateral relations in various fields of interest to the Syrian and Iranian peoples, SANA reported. Abdollahian told Mekdad that the presence of foreign forces will not help peace and stability in the Middle East. During his visit to Syria, the Iranian minister also met with President Bashar Assad. They discussed steps taken by the two countries to enhance bilateral cooperation with the aim of reaching a higher level of partnership at various levels, a Syrian official statement said. It added that such partnership enables the two peoples to continue facing the repercussions of the sanctions imposed on the two countries.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162126/syrian-fm-says-thunderous-us-defeat-only-first
Asharq Al-Awsat
Members of the Taliban stand at the site of the execution of three men in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, April 18, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
The Taliban joyously fired guns into the air and offered words of reconciliation on Tuesday, as they celebrated defeating the United States and returning to power after two decades of war that devastated Afghanistan. The last of 6,000 US troops who oversaw a desperate evacuation effort flew out of Kabul airport on Monday night, ending the war that has diminished the United States' status as a superpower, reported Agence France-Presse. Taliban fighters quickly swept into the airport and fired weapons into the sky in jubilation, an astonishing return after US forces invaded in 2001 and toppled the hardline militants for supporting Al-Qaeda. "Congratulations to Afghanistan... this victory belongs to us all," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters hours later from the runway of the airport. Mujahid said the Taliban's victory was a "lesson for other invaders". However the Taliban have repeatedly promised a more tolerant and open brand of rule compared with their first stint in power, and Mujahid continued that theme. "We want to have good relations with the US and the world. We welcome good diplomatic relations with them all," he said. Many Afghans are terrified of a repeat of the Taliban's initial rule from 1996-2001, which was infamous for their treatment of girls and women, as well as a brutal justice system. - Terror threat - The withdrawal came just before the end of an August 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden to call time on America's longest war -- one that ultimately claimed the lives of more than 2,400 US service members. The early finish followed a threat from the regional offshoot of the ISIS group, rivals of the Taliban, which was seeking to attack the US forces at the airport. Thirteen US troops were among more than 100 people killed when an IS suicide bomber late last week attacked the perimeter of the airport, where desperate Afghans had massed in the hope of getting on board an evacuation flight. More than 123,000 people were evacuated from Kabul aboard the US-led airlift operation, which began just after the Taliban swept into the capital on August 14. Biden said he would address the nation on Tuesday in Washington, as his critics continued to savage him for his handling of the withdrawal. "We can't fight endless wars, but the scope & consequence of Biden's failure here is staggering," Republican Senator Rick Scott said. "President Biden has brought great shame on the American people," added congressman Richard Hudson. Biden's top diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was able to offer little more than stern words for the Taliban. "Any legitimacy and any support will have to be earned," Blinken said, as he announced the United States had suspended its diplomatic presence in Kabul and shifted its operations to Qatar. - Airport uncertainty - All eyes will now turn to how the Taliban handles its first few days with sole authority over the country, with a sharp focus on whether it will allow other foreigners and Afghans to leave the country. Blinken said a small number of US citizens remained in the country -- "under 200" but likely closer to just 100 -- and wanted to leave. Many thousands of other Afghans who had worked with the US-backed government and fear retribution also want to get out. Western allies have voiced heartbreak in recent days that not all Afghans who wanted to flee could get on the evacuation flights. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution Monday, requiring the Taliban to honor a commitment to let people freely leave Afghanistan in the days ahead, and to grant access to the UN and other aid agencies. But they did not agree to call for the creation of a "safe zone" in Kabul, as envisaged by French President Emmanuel Macron. Talks are ongoing as to who will now run Kabul airport. The Taliban have asked Turkey to handle logistics while they maintain control of security, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not yet accepted that offer. It was not immediately clear which airlines would agree to fly in and out of Kabul. - Civilian deaths - The regional ISIS-Khorasan (IS-K) group had posed the biggest threat to the withdrawal after it carried out the devastating suicide bombing outside the airport last week. On Monday, they also claimed to have fired six rockets at the airport. A Taliban official said the attack was intercepted by the airport's missile defense systems. And in an echo of the tragedies of civilian deaths that plagued the war and cost the United States local support, a US air strike in Kabul targeting a purported IS car bomb on the weekend appeared to have killed children. The United States said Sunday it had carried out a drone strike against a vehicle threatening the Kabul airport. Members of one family told AFP they believed a fatal error had been made, and that 10 civilians were killed. "My brother and his four children were killed. I lost my small daughter... nephews and nieces," Aimal Ahmadi told AFP.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162121/taliban-celebrate-defeating-united-states
London - Paris - Asharq Al-Awsat
A dog in a housing estate in Singapore. Photo: Reuters
A dog lost on a holiday trip in France reappeared in its home town 380 kilometers away. On the way back from a holiday in Italy, the owners of hunting terrier Pablo had made a stopover in the French region of Savoie, radio station France Bleu reported. The two-year-old dog left the camper van to explore the surroundings, but unusually, did not return. His owners waited for hours in vain and reported Pablo missing to the mayor's office the next day before continuing their journey to relatives, reported the German News Agency. A few days later, they received a photo of a dog from acquaintances who were keeping an eye on the house near Nimes in the south of France. "I recognized Pablo from it, I couldn't believe it, it was a real moment of happiness," Catherine, member of the family that owns it, told the radio station. The dog was indeed Pablo – emaciated but very much alive. "We immediately decided to go home," said owner Roger. They then bought a GPS collar so they wouldn't lose Pablo again.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162086/dog-travels-380-km-return-home-france
Xi Is Forgetting the Very Thing That Made China Great Again
Opinion
Michael Schuman
Michael Schuman -
As any unfortunate investor in Chinese stocks already knows, the state is striking back. Perhaps the leaders of the Communist Party believe they are righting wrongs and solving problems. But their new intrusions also betray a bit of amnesia. They seem to have forgotten what really made China great again — not the state, but its absence. Until party boss Xi Jinping remembers that, he’s putting the economy’s future at risk. The recent regulatory crackdown that’s so roiled markets is typical of Xi’s economic vision. The Chinese economy certainly needs smarter, more consistent regulation. But whether directed at data security or education, the incoming rules have taken on an anti-capitalist edge, replete with vague and threatening pronouncements and attacks that appear aimed at specific businesses that give off a whiff of impending, arbitrary punishment. Take, for instance, one of Xi’s latest targets — income inequality. It’s a worthy cause, especially since the gap between rich and poor in China has been rapidly widening. If Beijing intends to tackle it through heftier welfare and tax systems, the economy could benefit. But the campaign’s early rhetoric should make big earners nervous. The Communist Party pledged to “adjust excessive income” — however that’s defined. State media has tried to assuage fears the government would start “robbing the rich,” but the well-heeled are already scrambling to kowtow. Online retailer Pinduoduo Inc. recently announced it would donate its first profit as a publicly listed company to rural development — money probably better spent investing in its own business. Similarly, tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. recently doubled its pledged funds for social programs to $15 billion. More worrisome, however, is that this regulatory drive is part of a much wider trend toward even bigger government. We can see signs of that just about everywhere, from the heavy reliance on state-led industrial policies to propel new industries to Beijing’s smothering of cryptocurrencies. Gaining more control over private enterprise is official policy. Last year, the Communist Party produced an “opinion” that its cadres should “guide” the private sector to create “a modern enterprise system with Chinese characteristics.” To some, this may look like business as usual. In China’s state capitalist system, the bureaucrats never stopped meddling with markets. Yet the new measures are also indicative of Xi’s thinking about China’s economic rise, and the party’s role in it. In a 2018 speech commemorating the launch of China’s liberalizing reforms, Xi said the program “has shown that Party leadership is the most essential attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics and is the greatest strength of this system.” He continues to hammer that message. In his speech on the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding in July, Xi did acknowledge the contribution of “the Chinese people” to the nation’s economic achievements, but never used the words “entrepreneurship” or even “business.” Instead, he said that “without the Communist Party of China, there would be no new China and no national rejuvenation.” Like any politician, Xi here is claiming credit for good news, hoping it burnishes his stature. Yet it’s also fundamentally wrong. Sure, the government’s strong stewardship of the economy over the past 40 years is undeniable. But so is the fact that the economy only began to excel when the party’s cadres released their grip from the nation’s throat. China’s economic miracle was not a triumph of state action, but its withdrawal, starting when Deng Xiaoping dismantled the communes and prohibitions on private enterprise in the 1980s. That freed the ample entrepreneurial energies of Chinese farmers, workers and businesspeople, who responded with an explosion of individual initiative that propelled growth and wealth. The scary part of Xi’s program is the return of a cadres-know-best mentality. Recall what China became when the Communist Party was really running the show — isolated, technologically archaic and abysmally poor. Of course, Xi isn’t about to take China into another Great Leap Forward. But his notion that he and his comrades can outthink both investors and the market is sending the wrong signals to the Chinese public, at the very moment in the country’s development when their entrepreneurial genius is most needed. Starting a company is already a risky endeavor — why take the chance if it might get you into hot water with Xi? We may already be seeing the negative effects. One recent survey revealed that more than 42% of college graduates preferred jobs at state-owned enterprises — a six percentage point increase from a year earlier — while those favoring the private sector declined to a mere 19%. That means China’s best talent is flowing to its most inefficient companies and away from its more productive and innovative ones. That should be heartening news only to China’s economic competitors. Xi’s program holds out the prospect that the party’s hands are again tightening around China’s neck. Xi needs to realize his people, not his party, transformed China. Until he does, stock investors won’t be the only ones gasping for air. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162071/michael-schuman/xi-forgetting-very-thing-made-china-great-again
Scientists Develop AI System to Train Robots on Cooperation
Technology
London - Asharq Al-Awsat
AvatarMind's iPal companion robots are displayed at CES International. (AP)
A research team at the University of Cincinnati has developed a new AI system to train robots on cooperation while implementing certain tasks. The tests of the new system included training the robots to work together to move a couch around two obstacles and through a narrow door, the German News Agency reported. "If you've ever helped someone move furniture, you know it takes coordination—simultaneously pushing or pulling and reacting based on what your helper is doing. That makes it an ideal problem to examine collaboration between robots," said Andrew Barth, a doctoral student in UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science. During the experience, which was published in the journal Intelligent Service Robotics, neither robot directed the other. Instead, they turned to an artificial intelligence system called Fuzzy Logic to coordinate their efforts. Fuzzy logic uses algorithms that replace a simple binary classification (yes, no) with degrees of right or wrong, and benefit from past results to optimize performance over time. The TechXplore website quoted Barth who said: "Ultimately, we want to expand this to 10 or more robots working cooperatively on a project. If you want to build a gigantic habitat in space, say, you'll need a lot of robots working together." If robots can work independently, losing one won't make much difference. The others can compensate to complete the mission, Barth explained.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162056/scientists-develop-ai-system-train-robots-cooperation
Latif Nassif Jassim, Saddam-Era Media Minister, Passes Away
Arab World
Baghdad – Asharq Al-Awsat
Latif Nassif Jassim
Latif Nassif Jassim, media minister under Saddam Hussein and prominent member of his regime, passed away after a chronic illness, announced authorities in Iraq’s southern Dhi Qar province on Monday. Jassim, 80, was jailed at the Nasiriyah Central Prison, which is known as al-Hoot, where several members of the former regime are detained. At the appeal of his family, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi had ordered that he receive treatment outside of prison. He was consequently being treated at a hospital in Baghdad where he passed away on Monday. This marked the first time that a prime minister responds to an appeal from the family of a prominent member of the list of 55 most-wanted Iraqi officials from Saddam’s regime that was put out by invading American forces. The list had included Saddam, his sons and siblings and members of the revolutionary council and Baath party. Jassim and other ministers, such as former interior and foreign minister Tariq Aziz and defense minister Sultan Hashem Ahmed, were on the list. The detention of Aziz and Hashem Ahmed had stirred the most controversy and demands for their release. The demands fell on deaf ears with both former officials dying in prison. Saddam’s former intelligence chief, Saber al-Douri, remains behind bars in spite of dozens of demands for his release from the predominantly Shiite Karbala province. Residents of the province believe that Douri was among the best governors to have ruled the province even though he is a Sunni and hails from the Salaheddine province. Jassim joined the Baath party in 1957. He served in Saddam’s regime for three decades, occupying various media posts, as well as the positions of minister of media and agriculture. He was also a close friend of the former ruler and one his most loyal aides. As media minister, he rose to prominence during the Iraq-Iran war (1980-88) where he was played a role in war propaganda. He was arrested in 2003 shortly after the US invasion and sentenced to life in jail. He was serving his sentence at the Nasiriyah Central Prison.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162051/latif-nassif-jassim-saddam-era-media-minister-passes-away
Stop the Doomsaying. US Credibility Will Weather Afghanistan.
Opinion
Dennis Ross
Dennis Ross - American Middle East envoy Dennis Ross has served in the Administrations of Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and is counselor and Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in Washington.
The cascade of crises in Afghanistan has left many Americans wondering if our credibility on the world stage has suffered a mortal blow. Not since the fall of Saigon and the ignominious evacuation of the last Americans in 1975 has the United States been so vulnerable to fundamental questions about America’s reliability, about whether friends and allies will ever again be able to count on US commitments. Before we draw definitive conclusions, however, a little perspective is in order. Vietnam, cited so often in recent days, was undoubtedly a debacle. But it did not spell the end of American leadership on the world stage, nor did it lead others to believe they could not depend on the United States. And since then, there have been many other geopolitical challenges and top-level decisions (or lack thereof) that have cast doubt on American credibility. They did not, however, lead to a waning of American influence. During the Carter administration, the Iran hostage crisis — marked by a failed rescue mission — dragged on for more than a year as the rest of the world witnessed American impotence. Following the loss of 241 Marines in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, President Ronald Reagan vowed to make the perpetrators pay. Within a few months, however, Mr. Reagan withdrew all forces from Lebanon. The United States never retaliated for the bombing. During the Clinton administration, terrorists bombed the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 US airmen. Despite tough talk and access to information that implicated Iran, the United States didn’t retaliate then, either. President George W. Bush and the invasion of Iraq are a story unto themselves. The invasion lacked legitimate justification: There never were any weapons of mass destruction. The United States also failed to sufficiently fill the leadership vacuum following the removal of Saddam Hussein, contributing to a sectarian conflict and the subsequent creation of ISIS. President Barack Obama drew a red line on the use of chemical weapons in Syria and failed to react militarily when chemical weapons were, in fact, used against Syrian civilians. And with President Donald Trump, the examples are almost too numerous to mention. A choice two: frequent threats to pull out of NATO and an impulsive decision to withdraw from Syria (that was partially walked back by his advisers). Each of these examples damaged American credibility worldwide, although not necessarily to the same extent. But countries continued to ask for — and offer — support. Despite the messy exit from Kabul and the devastating bombings at the Kabul Airport, Afghanistan will be no different. Partners and allies will publicly decry American decisions for some time, as they continue to rely on the US economy and military. The reality will remain: America is the most powerful country in the world, and its allies will need its help to combat direct threats and an array of new, growing national security dangers, including cyberwar and climate change. That does not mean that the United States can dismiss the costs of its mistakes in Afghanistan. But it does show that America can recover. President Biden declared: “America is back.” Going forward, it will be important to show that the United States is not walking away from its responsibilities, that it will not brook challenges. Instead, America needs to reaffirm its commitments. To begin, the administration must start by completing the evacuation of Afghanistan. It’s important to succeed not only in evacuating all Americans but also in evacuating those Afghans who worked with us and are now at risk. We are morally obligated to them. As of now, President Biden plans to stick to the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline, saying that each day of operations in Afghanistan “brings added risk to our troops.” The deaths of American Marines on Thursday prove he is right. Still, the administration should consider extending the Aug. 31 deadline, despite the very real risks of staying longer. America’s duty is to oversee a safe withdrawal. An artificial deadline should not take precedence over that or hurry us into mistakes. The United States has the means to pressure the Taliban to accept a limited extension and to permit and safeguard continuing evacuations even after American forces leave. The United States can continue to politically isolate the Taliban and keep frozen the billions of dollars in Afghan assets that the Taliban want and need. Mr. Biden can make clear that the United States will get out but that it needs more time. It is in the Taliban’s interest to facilitate the US exit. Second, the administration must discuss a long-term plan for the greater Middle East with European allies and other regional stakeholders. This is not the time to shift forces out of the area, including those in Iraq and Syria. The United States cannot allow ISIS or other armed organizations to regroup. Instead, the United States must clearly explain American aims in the Middle East, what America will be prepared to do to fulfill them and the roles it needs its allies to play. Third, the administration must respond to enemy attacks or challenges to international norms with strength and conviction. Its message to the world must be clear: US forces and allies cannot be attacked with impunity. Mr. Biden’s retaliatory unmanned airstrike against an ISIS-K planner Friday to avenge the airport bombings was a good first step. More actions against those who attack or threaten the US and its partners will be needed to drive home the point. It’s easy to despair over the idea that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan has forever doomed American credibility. Undeniably, the United States has paid and will likely continue to pay a high price in Afghanistan. But it can recoup, just as it has before. The New York Times
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3162046/dennis-ross/stop-doomsaying-us-credibility-will-weather-afghanistan
