Congressional hearings on the Biden administration’s controversial withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 have become a renewed focal point for political narratives about blame. But they also create an opportunity to consider counterfactual hypothetical scenarios that could expand our understanding of the U.S failure in Afghanistan.
While an exit by U.S. forces from Syria and Iraq is unlikely in the near term, it also seems inevitable. That raises the questions of why U.S. forces are still in both countries. Despite the fraught politics around withdrawal in Washington, it’s time policymakers start thinking about how best to bring those troops home.
Last week, Colombian President Gustavo Petro threatened to call for a constitutional convention, reopened peace talks with a notorious criminal group and canceled a cease-fire with a dissident FARC faction. Announcements like these would normally create months’ worth of media coverage. Under Petro, they have become almost uneventful.
A surge in violence in Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado underscores the complex nature of the conflict there. After a period of reduced activity over the past three years, the insurgency has engaged in a series of high-profile attacks since December, underscoring the need for a more comprehensive approach to the conflict.
It may not be a return of the “Pink Tide,” but the region’s left has been showing signs of a revival. Perhaps more than questions of right and left, though, what most characterizes South America today is a sense of instability and democratic fragility. What’s next for the continent?