NATO expects 'big decisions' from Biden on issues of Afghanistan, China

Kabul: NATO is trapped in a strange and complicated problem due to the US stand on Afghanistan. NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg reacted that NATO expects President-elect Joe Biden to break this tangle after taking over the reign of the United States. Whereas, the NATO chief also said that clarity is required even about the stand against the Chinese threat while speaking to a military website in the United States. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the US Ambassador to NATO, has declared that China is becoming a threat for the United States as well as NATO.

Joe Biden will take oath as the President of the United States, on 20th January 2021. It is being observed since the last few days that Europe and the Gulf countries along with China and Iran are keenly waiting for this change of guard in the United States. Jens Stoltenberg, the Chief of NATO, the military association of the US, Canada and the European countries, clarified during an interview that NATO also has big expectations from the new President of the United States. Stoltenberg suggested during the interview that Biden should expeditiously take some firm decisions regarding Afghanistan and China after taking over the reins of the United States.

The current US President, Donald Trump has announced military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Senior US military officials announced that 2,500 US soldiers would return to the homeland in the first ten days of January. But Stoltenberg warned that the IS terrorists, who have lost Syria and Iraq, can start Khilafat in Afghanistan. Therefore, the NATO Chief suggested that Biden should reconsider the decision of military withdrawal from Afghanistan, after taking over as the President.

Whereas, Stoltenberg clarified that NATO would be changing its strategies given the increasing Chinese threats. Stoltenberg made a suggestive statement ‘The question is not whether to dash as far as the South China Sea. But it has to be noted that China has reached to us. The Chinese influence is increasing in Africa and NATO members; China has also entered the 5G technology, and cyberspace.’ Stoltenberg underlined that this Chinese expansion is a threat for NATO member countries, democracy and human rights. NATO Chief pointed out that Biden’s stand on these issues will prove vital.

Meanwhile, Biden had opposed US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, during his election campaign. But after announcing Lloyd Austin as the future Secretary of Defence, last week, Biden suggested that Austin should decide for withdrawing the United States from a ‘Perpetual War’ situation. Whereas, Biden’s stand regarding China is still not clear. Some analysts are expressing doubts that Biden will profess a pro-Chinese policy. But some other analysts believe that Biden hardly has any options other than carrying on with Trump’s anti-China policies.