US President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the US exit from Afghanistan after a failed 20-year war that he had vowed to end but whose chaotic last days are now overshadowing his presidency. AFP
US President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the US exit from Afghanistan after a failed 20-year war that he had vowed to end but whose chaotic last days are now overshadowing his presidency. AFP
US President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the US exit from Afghanistan after a failed 20-year war that he had vowed to end but whose chaotic last days are now overshadowing his presidency. AFP
US President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the US exit from Afghanistan after a failed 20-year war that he had vowed to end but whose chaotic last days are now overshadowing his presidency. AFP

Biden's pivot from international interventions worries allies


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President Joe Biden is using America's defeat in Afghanistan to accelerate his approach to US foreign policy that breaks from the kinds of expensive and drawn-out military interventions that have defined the global security order since the end of the Second World War.

With the Taliban back in power after 20 years and unresolved conflicts simmering across the Middle East, the US has not managed a clear-cut military success since the 1991 Gulf War, when it recaptured Kuwait from Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

During a speech defending his handling of America’s messy withdrawal from Kabul, Mr Biden said his decision to end the war was also about “ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries".

“We must set missions with clear, achievable goals — not ones we’ll never reach,” he said.

It's a turnaround for Mr Biden.

First as a senator, then as vice president, he repeatedly voted for foreign military interventions, from Yugoslavia in 1999 to Libya in 2011, as well as the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

“As we turn the page on the foreign policy that's guided our nation the last two decades, we've got to learn from our mistakes,” he said, noting that future military interventions must be focused mainly on the “fundamental national security interest of the US”.

But a reduced role for America as the world’s policeman worries allies in the Middle East and Europe.

“It sounds like the end of an era,” said Bruno Macaes, a prominent European author on geopolitics and a Portuguese politician.

In his speech, Mr Biden said human rights would be at the centre of US foreign policy, but noted these would not be enforced through “endless military deployments”.

Instead, the US would use “diplomacy, economic tools and rallying the rest of the world for support,” he said.

Mr Biden has sought to reassure allies that “America is back” after four years of Donald Trump’s isolationist “America First” worldview and verbal attacks on partners, including those in Nato.

But several allies, including Britain, France and Germany, are unhappy with America’s end to the Afghanistan war, which came with little co-ordination even though hundreds of troops from those countries had been killed in the two-decade conflict.

“Mr Biden wants to appeal to a strong notion of the American national interest. That has a cost: partners can no longer expect their own interests to be taken into account in major US foreign policy decisions,” Mr Macaes said.

Gerard Araud, the former French ambassador to Washington, put it more bluntly on Twitter.

“Wake up, Europe! Your nanny has resigned,” he wrote after Mr Biden’s speech.

Gen Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sounded a chastened tone at a Pentagon press conference on Wednesday. For years, military officials assured the American public that the Afghanistan conflict could be won — until suddenly it couldn't.

“Our military mission has now come to an end. We will learn from this experience as a military, and how we got to this moment in Afghanistan will be analysed and studied for years to come,” Gen Milley said.

“We in the military will approach this with humility, transparency and candour.”

Richard Haass, a former US special envoy to Northern Ireland and a seasoned diplomat at the heart of the Washington foreign policy establishment, hit back at Mr Biden's decision to retreat from Afghanistan, but agreed the US should not be looking to nation build.

“Transformation of other societies is not a realistic goal for US foreign policy or good use of the US military. But building up local capacities to tackle terrorism and promote domestic order is a proper foreign policy goal, one in our national security interest,” he said on Twitter.

  • Celebratory gunfire light up part of the night sky after the last US aircraft took off from the airport in Kabul early on August 31, 2021. AFP
    Celebratory gunfire light up part of the night sky after the last US aircraft took off from the airport in Kabul early on August 31, 2021. AFP
  • Planes are seen on the tarmac at the airport in Kabul late on August 30, 2021, hours ahead of a US deadline to complete its frenzied withdrawal from Afghanistan. AFP
    Planes are seen on the tarmac at the airport in Kabul late on August 30, 2021, hours ahead of a US deadline to complete its frenzied withdrawal from Afghanistan. AFP
  • Planes are seen on the tarmac at the airport in Kabul late on August 30, 2021, hours ahead of a US deadline to complete its frenzied withdrawal from Afghanistan. AFP
    Planes are seen on the tarmac at the airport in Kabul late on August 30, 2021, hours ahead of a US deadline to complete its frenzied withdrawal from Afghanistan. AFP
  • Celebratory gunfire light up part of the night sky after the last US aircraft took off from the airport in Kabul early on August 31, 2021. AFP
    Celebratory gunfire light up part of the night sky after the last US aircraft took off from the airport in Kabul early on August 31, 2021. AFP
  • Celebratory gunfire light up part of the night sky after the last US aircraft took off from the airport in Kabul early on August 31, 2021. AFP
    Celebratory gunfire light up part of the night sky after the last US aircraft took off from the airport in Kabul early on August 31, 2021. AFP
  • US soldiers arrive board an US Air Force aircraft at the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP
    US soldiers arrive board an US Air Force aircraft at the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP
  • US soldiers arrive to board an US Air Force aircraft at the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP
    US soldiers arrive to board an US Air Force aircraft at the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP
  • An US Air Force aircraft takes off from the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP
    An US Air Force aircraft takes off from the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP
  • An US Air Force aircraft takes off from the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP
    An US Air Force aircraft takes off from the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. AFP

Mr Biden said America must refocus its foreign policy to counter challenges from Moscow and Beijing.

“There’s nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan,” he said.

But this approach could grow complicated, as many US allies are hesitant to anger Beijing.

“We are hearing from EU officials that a new caution is necessary on forging a common EU-US policy on China. That’s an immediate and heavy cost of the Biden decision,” said Mr Macaes, author of Belt and Road: A Chinese World Order.

He stressed, however, that European and Asian allies remain dependent on Washington for security — at least for now.

In the Middle East, fears of a similar US withdrawal from Iraq and a more isolationist American policy are forcing regional players to reconfigure their own relations and security.

Over the past two weeks, reconciliation efforts have gained momentum between the UAE and Egypt, and between Turkey and Qatar.

Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman visited Russia last week and signed a military agreement.

Karen Young, director of the Economics and Energy Programme at the Middle East Institute, saw these developments as ways for countries to manage their own disputes while the US shrinks its footprint in the region.

“It is all related [to Afghanistan], but also anticipated before the US withdrawal, where there has been a need for Gulf states to de-escalate tension and some active disputes, to create some opportunities for economic co-operation,” Ms Young told The National.

“Without a US commitment to force in the region, there have to be other ways of dispute management.”

Whether it’s Turkey and the UAE mending ties, or Iranian-Saudi backchannel talks, the expert saw it linked to “a more opaque regional security environment, more pressing economic needs and [that] requires some deal-making".

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

The%20Beekeeper
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Price, base / as tested Dh57,000

Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine

Transmission Six-speed gearbox

Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm

Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km

Step by step

2070km to run

38 days

273,600 calories consumed

28kg of fruit

40kg of vegetables

45 pairs of running shoes

1 yoga matt

1 oxygen chamber

MATCH INFO

France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')

Italy 1
Bonucci (36')

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey

Directed by: Pete Doctor

Rating: 4 stars

About Okadoc

Date started: Okadoc, 2018

Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Healthcare

Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth

Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February

Investors: Undisclosed

RESULT

Bayern Munich 3 Chelsea 2
Bayern: Rafinha (6'), Muller (12', 27')
Chelsea: Alonso (45' 3), Batshuayi (85')

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback

Price, base: Dh315,000

Engine: 3.0-litre V6

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm

Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm

Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km

Updated: September 02, 2021, 5:31 AM