Biden’s Cold Response To Afghanistan’s Collapse To Have Far-Reaching Consequences
July 6, 2021, 2:52 am

Biden’s Cold Response To Afghanistan’s Collapse To Have Far-Reaching Consequences

We For News reported, citing a Washington Post op-ed as saying that when US President Joe Biden chose in April to withdraw all American forces from Afghanistan by September, we were among those who judged that the result would be a disaster for the country's 38 million people, and in particular, its women. Collapse

The op-ed said "Now, that tragedy appears to be unfolding more quickly than even many of the pessimists imagined. In recent weeks, Taliban forces have captured dozens of districts in a nationwide offensive, surrounding several provincial capitals and blocking key roads into Kabul. On Tuesday, the top US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austin S. Miller, met reporters and warned with remarkable bluntness that ‘civil war is certainly a path that can be visualized".

It added "that should be a concern for the world". Collapse

We For News further reported the Washington Post as saying that it ought, at least, to be a concern for Biden, who inherited a difficult situation from his predecessor Donald Trump but chose to pull the plug on the US mission rather than fix it.

The President ought to be reconsidering the swift withdrawal he ordered in light of the incipient crumbling of an Afghan government and army that the US spent two decades helping to build. Instead, he has been cold to the country’s plight.

Last month, Biden decided against slowing the withdrawal from the main US air base in the country, Bagram, which some American officials favoured; the pullout was completed this week, We For News reported, citing the Wall Street Journal.

Last week, he met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the White House in what was cast as a show of support, only to declare that Afghans would have to “decide their future”. Collapse

That future is likely to be bleak, if current trends continue. As US advisers and air support melt away, Afghan Army units are being wiped out by the Taliban, or are surrendering without a fight. In desperation, the government has invited ethnic militias to remobilise, risking a return to the anarchic conflict and banditry that plagued the country in the 1990s.

Even with that support, the government may not be able to hold on; a US intelligence community assessment that surfaced last week said it could fall within six to 12 months of the US departure, We For News reported, citing the Washington Post. Collapse

If that happens, not only Afghans will be at risk. According to the intelligence community and a study commissioned by Congress, Al Qaeda could re-establish bases in the country. Waves of refugees are likely to pour out, destabilising neighbours such as Pakistan and massing at the borders of Europe. US rivals such as Iran, China and Russia could draw the conclusion that Biden lacks the stomach to stand up for embattled allies such as Iraq, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Biden rightly ordered up plans last week for an evacuation of Afghanistan’s who worked for the US. But he ought to be doing more for those still fighting to save the country. He should allow US air power to be used to support Afghan army units even after the withdrawal. Ways must be found to keep the Afghan air force aloft even after the withdrawal of foreign maintenance contractors. And agreement must be reached with Turkey on using its troops to keep the Kabul airport open; without that, the US Embassy could be forced to close, the Washington Post said.

Biden has long been a skeptic of the US mission in Afghanistan, and he has stuck to that position even as the number of troops and expenditure dedicated to it have drastically shrunk, it added.

“His view has been that the war against the Taliban is unnecessary and unwinnable. But the descent from stalemate to defeat could be steep and grim. We wonder whether he has fully considered the consequences,” the Washington Post added. Collapse

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Source: wefornews

Image source: wefornews

Putin Wishes Naftali Bennett Success In His New Position, Kremlin Says UK’s University Of Oxford Launched First Trial Doses Of HIV Vaccine

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.