The move comes after the attack on the US oil and gas shipping company Colonial Pipeline and the growing damage caused by cybercriminals. The US raised the level of investigation into the crime of extortion hackers to the level of ‘terrorists’. Photo: REUTERS In an internal guideline document sent to law offices across the United States on June 3, the US Department of Justice directed that investigations into ransomware should be coordinated with the central government, specifically: A new task force was established in Washington. “This will be a specialized process to ensure we can track all cases of extortion hackers regardless of where they happen in the US, so we can capture the connection between subjects and proceed to break the whole link,” said Deputy Attorney General John Carlin. Previously, in May, the largest US oil pipeline system, the Colonial Pipeline, was crippled by hackers. Colonial Pipeline has decided to pay hackers who have compromised their systems nearly $5 million to regain access. According to the Reuters , the DOJ’s guidance document specifically mentions the Colonial attack as an example of “the growing threat posed by cybercriminals and digital ransomware to the nation.” . “To ensure we can uncover connections between incidents and investigations across the country and globally, and to paint a big picture of national security and economic threats, The economy we face, we must strengthen and focus our internal monitoring,” the guidance document states. Reuters Citing US officials, the decision to include ransomware attacks in a special process by the Department of Justice shows that the issue is being prioritized. “We’ve used this model in the past for counterterrorism, but never with ransomware,” said Carlin, adding that the process typically applies to cases involving direct national security. In practice, this means that investigators at US attorneys’ offices dealing with ransomware cases will have to share both up-to-date case details and technical information with officials in Washington. The guidelines also require offices to review and report other investigations related to the large-scale cybercrime ecology. According to the guidelines, the list of investigations currently required to be reported to the central government includes: anti-virus services, illegal online forums or marketplaces, cryptocurrency exchanges, cybercriminal server services, botnets, and online money laundering services. “We would like to emphasize that prosecutors and criminal investigators need to report and conduct monitoring of cryptocurrency exchanges, illegal online forums or marketplaces for trading hacking tools. , as well as tracking botnets that serve a variety of purposes,” said Carlin. According to Mark Califano, a former US attorney and cybercrime expert, raising the level of investigation could allow the US Justice Department to “deploy resources more effectively” and “identify common exploits” variables” used by cybercriminals.

Withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, the US is still concerned about al-Qaeda. (Source: Reuters) In a report to the National Assembly entitled “Strengthening security and stability in Afghanistan”, the US Department of Defense emphasized: “The Al-Qaeda terrorist group still poses a threat to its soldiers and US allies in Afghanistan through ongoing interaction with local Taliban chiefs ”. Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden approved the complete withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by 9/11. Same day, CNN quoted three US defense officials as saying that some of the US military equipment began to be shipped out of Afghanistan, which were unnecessary equipment and supplies, which were not destroyed or transferred to the force. Afghan security. Meanwhile, outdated equipment will be destroyed. This is the first move by the US military since President Joe Biden last week announced details of a plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan with a deadline of 9/11, the full 20 years of the crisis. father in 2001 and also the event that sparked the US war in this southwest Asian country. (Reuters)

American soldiers at a training camp in Herat, Afghanistan. Photo: Getty Images According to the VNA correspondent in Washington, speaking during a Senate hearing, General McKenzie stated: “We will add resources to protect forces when withdrawing. This is normal in any event. form of withdrawal “. However, General McKenzie did not give temporary replenishment numbers and said plans were underway. General McKenzie also reiterated the US military’s concern that the withdrawal could facilitate the Taliban increased operations in Afghanistan. He is concerned about the Afghan military’s ability to maintain the current situation without the support it has had for many years. He warns the Taliban are now bigger than 2011, estimated at 50,000 fighters, and control more areas in Afghanistan than they did 10 years ago. Previously, President Joe Biden announced that the US – the country with the largest soldiers stationed in Afghanistan – would withdraw all remaining troops in Afghanistan before 9/11, 20 years after the series of attacks. Al-Qaeda’s father sparked a protracted US war in this southwest Asian country. US allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have also agreed to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan according to the US withdrawal route. The war in Afghanistan left 2,400 US soldiers dead and cost the country an estimated $ 2 trillion. At the peak, the number of US troops in Afghanistan once reached 100,000 people in 2011. Currently the number of NATO troops in Afghanistan is about 9,600 people, of which the US has 2,500 soldiers and Germany has 1,100 soldiers.

This decision is made in the context of the deadline to withdraw troops under the peace agreement that the Trump administration signed with the Taliban last year is about to take effect on May 1 here. A senior Biden administration official told the AP news agency that the September withdrawal deadline was appropriate and would not be affected by domestic security conditions.

Although President Biden’s decision to keep US troops in Afghanistan for four more months than originally planned, it will ultimately end a two-decade war that has left more than 2,200 soldiers. The United States was killed, 20,000 people injured and it cost about $ 1 trillion.

The purpose of President Joe Biden’s 9/11 selection is to highlight the reason why the United States is pouring troops into Afghanistan: to prevent al-Qaeda from turning the West Asian nation into a springboard to attack America. . Photo: AP

Military officials and commanders have once made harsh protests about the Trump administration’s May 1 deadline, saying that the US withdrawal should be based on field security conditions in Afghanistan, including: including Taliban attacks.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Mr. Biden had taken a position on “the next steps to take in Afghanistan, including the plan and timing of the withdrawal”.

Ms Psaki did not provide details, but said President Biden “was consistent in the view that there would not be a military solution in Afghanistan, and that the US military has been there for too long.”

Mr. Biden will also visit Arlington National Cemetery “to pay homage to the brave men and women who have died in Afghanistan.”

According to the Biden administration’s withdrawal plan, the only US force that will remain in Afghanistan is the security force protecting the diplomatic mission. There is no exact figure on the total number of US troops in Afghanistan, but some senior officials have tacitly admitted that the actual number is more than 2,500 people, which will include special operations forces with secret missions. secret or anti-terrorism, intelligence agents.

The timeline set by President Biden will allow the US to proceed with a safer and more orderly withdrawal, with the coordination of NATO allies.

However, it is not excluded that the Taliban will retaliate against US forces in Afghanistan. This could become the risk of escalating tensions again, as well as stemming from further political divisions in the US since the country sank into the “endless war” in Afghanistan.

Mixed reaction

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said: “The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is a serious mistake. It is avoidance when faced with an enemy that has not been destroyed and the surrender of American leadership.

Republican Senator Jim Inhofe also rated it as a “reckless and dangerous decision.”

The majority of Democrats support this decision of President Biden. Sen. Jack Reed said the May 1 deadline for former President Donald Trump limited Mr. Biden’s options.

“The United States also has important interests in combating possible terrorist attacks in this region, but other hotspots should also be considered,” Reed said.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine said that US military forces in Afghanistan should be returned home and the US must focus on rebuilding national security in the face of more pressing challenges.

Speaking to TIME magazine, Mr. David Sedney – a former Pentagon official under President Barack Obama, called this a “foolish strategy, a humanitarian disaster and worthy of moral condemnation.” virtue.

An Afghan official said the US administration’s decision to unconditionally withdraw troops was a shock to the Ashraf Ghani administration, as well as causing the Kabul government to lose its leveraged negotiating card with the Taliban. .

According to the Washington Post, the decision to unconditionally withdraw troops after a series of short but unsuccessful diplomatic efforts has raised concerns.

“This move will likely reverse the economic, political – social progress that the US has fought to protect during the past two decades in Afghanistan,” according to the editorial board of the Washington Post. “This is the tragedy for the 39 million people of the West Asian nation when the US chooses to give up the people here who once hoped to build a democracy, guaranteeing basic human rights”.

In addition, the withdrawal of all US military forces will likely allow al-Qaeda to restore its bases in Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed told the Associated Press that the force is waiting for official announcement from the US administration to give a suitable response. The Taliban had previously issued warnings of “consequences” if the US extended its withdrawal period on May 1.

In a February 2020 deal with the administration of former US President Donald Trump, the Taliban agreed to stop the attacks and hold peace talks with the Afghan government, in exchange for US commitment. on full withdrawal by May 2021.

Over the past year, US military commanders and defense officials have said that attacks on the country’s military have largely ended, but Taliban’s attacks on Afghan people have increased.

They argue that the Taliban have failed to meet the conditions of the peace deal by continuing to attack people and have not completely severed ties with al-Qaeda and other extremist groups.

When he took office earlier this year, Mr. Biden was well aware of the upcoming withdrawal deadline and consulted with defense security advisers and his allies.

In recent weeks, US President Joe Biden’s views have become clearer. “It will be very difficult to meet the May 1 deadline,” he said in March. “If the US withdraws its troops, it will be done safely and in an orderly manner.”

As expected, today (April 14), the administration of President Joe Biden will announce plans to withdraw all US forces stationed in Afghanistan in stages and end before September 11, full 20 years. after the horrible terror that started the war in Afghanistan.

Accordingly, thousands of US troops will continue to be stationed in Afghanistan after May 1, the deadline that former President Donald Trump’s administration has agreed with the Taliban. There are now 2,500 US troops stationed in Afghanistan, though the difference in fact could be as high as 1,000. The coalition in Afghanistan also has the presence of more than 7,000 troops, mainly NATO troops.

The administration of President Joe Biden is expected to announce plans to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan before 9/11/2021. (Source: EPA)

The above decision was made in the context of the unsuccessful peace negotiations. An unnamed US official revealed that the announcement of the plan was necessary because if the US did not make a clear roadmap of the May 1 deadline, Washington would have to fight the Taliban again.

For Joe Biden, this clearly does not serve the national interest of the US administration.

However, while withdrawing troops from Afghanistan will help the Americans end their presence in Afghanistan after two decades and help Mr. Biden score in the eyes of voters, it could also be a step backwards to Joe Biden’s foreign affairs.

first, this decision will go against what Mr. Joe Biden committed before becoming President. He once thought that Washington needed to maintain an anti-terrorist force in Afghanistan to ensure that Islamic extremist groups like Al-Qaeda would not be able to attack the United States.

However, his views changed after only two months in office. On March 17, interviewed by radio station ABC News, President Biden admitted having “difficulty” in withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan before May 1 under the agreement of his predecessor.

Now, the plan to withdraw troops is becoming clear, but the promise of anti-terrorist forces in the South Asian country has yet to be fulfilled.

Monday, the withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan leaves a great void for the Islamic extremist forces.

Speaking before the National Security Committee of the Afghan Parliament, National Intelligence Director Ahmad Zia Saraj said the number of Taliban attacks had increased by 24% since the peace agreement with the United States in February 2020. , with a total of 20,600 targeted attacks and bombings of all kinds.

According to him, this figure shows that the Taliban are not showing any change in Turkish ideology and the upcoming peace conference in Turkey may not yield any results.

Tuesday, the civil administration proved ineffective in ensuring security and political stability for development. On April 12, Afghanistan recorded 122 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number to 57,364 cases.

However, it should be remembered that the Covid-19 testing procedure in this country is limited and the actual number of cases may be much higher, while the health system is gradually overloading.

According to the World Bank, Afghanistan’s economy declines by 1.9% in 2020. Food prices increase rapidly because Covid-19, sometimes up to 17% in April 2020 alone, while tax revenue decreased by 7 , 6%.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s economic growth in 2021 is expected to reach 1%, but only possible if foreign aid and security are secured, two factors increasingly uncertain with Kabul’s governance capabilities. and after the withdrawal of US President Joe Biden’s administration.

Because of that, Washington may end its presence in the South Asian country after two decades and help Biden score points with voters, but the price will be political stability and security of Afghanistan.

On April 14, The Guardian quoted US President Joe Biden officials as saying that the withdrawal would begin before May 1-5. These officials stressed the US sending of troops into Afghanistan to “enforce justice against those who caused the September 11, 2001 attacks, to prevent terrorists from trying to make Afghanistan a safe haven.” and that goal “was achieved a few years ago”. “We evaluate the current Afghanistan threat to the United States as manageable without the need for Washington to maintain a military presence or maintain war with the Taliban here,” one American officials stressed. On the same day, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will join the United States with the withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan next September, because “we always say they I will come together and leave together ”.

US soldiers in Afghanistan Photo: Reuters.

According to the AP, the above decision also means that the US will not meet the deadline for the withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan on May 1-5 under the peace agreement that the former administration of President Donald Trump had. signed with the Taliban last February. The Taliban have warned that they will resume hostile actions against foreign forces in Afghanistan if Washington does not withdraw as agreed.

In fact, although Mr. Biden once committed to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan when running for the presidency, the White House boss himself admitted that withdrawing by a deadline of May 1-5 was “very difficult”. A US official confirmed, on September 11, 2021, would be “the absolute deadline” and would not be affected by the security situation in Afghanistan, because “conditional withdrawal of troops means staying in Afghanistan forever.” far away ”. AP said that “absolute deadline” shows the determination of the US administration to end the longest war in American history. The costly and costly war in Afghanistan has left more than 2,200 US soldiers dead, 20,000 injured and costing more than $ 1 trillion.

US intelligence agencies have warned the Biden administration about the danger that the Taliban could control much of Afghanistan within the next two to three years, if Washington withdraws all troops from the southwest Asian country. Along with that, this will facilitate the rise of al-Qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan. According to The Guardian, the Biden administration’s plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan immediately met with opposition from many MPs from both Democrats and Republicans. Sen. Mitch McConnell of the Republican Party said that foreign terrorists will not leave America “just because our politicians are tired of fighting them.” Mr. McConnell asked President Biden to explain to the American people “why giving up allies and withdrawing in the face of the Taliban makes America safer”. Meanwhile, according to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of the Democratic Party, the withdrawal “undermines our commitment to the Afghan people, especially Afghan women”. “I urge the Biden administration to do its best from now to September to protect progress has been made, as well as to assist our partners in forming a transitional government,” said Thuong. MP Shaheen wrote on the social networking site Twitter.

Since Washington signed a peace deal with the Taliban, the number of US troops stationed in Afghanistan has dropped from 12,000 to 2,500, according to the Pentagon. However, The New York Times quoted US officials as confirming the number of US troops currently stationed in Afghanistan was 3,500.

A test with President Biden

For now, it’s not hard to see whether America’s adversies are trying to challenge the country’s leader, from Russia’s increased force on its border with Ukraine, China’s moves in Taiwan or North Korea’s missile tests to get President Biden’s attention.

President Biden. Photo: CNN

Mr Biden’s hopes of resuming the nuclear deal with Iran will be even harder if Tehran’s hardline followers are in charge of negotiations. Besides, if Israel is accused of carrying out an attack on Iran, President Biden will likely face a crisis with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in pending the situation. The ability to address these challenges will shape Mr Biden’s legacy.

China has been intensifying its rise over the past year and is now ready to assert military power in Asia, as well as its influence in many parts of the world. Meanwhile, Western tensions and divisions also have many problems related to Russia.

President Biden’s administration understands its enemies are probing a new White House. Bitter disagreements between U.S. and Chinese officials in Alaska last month sent a clear message from Washington to Beijing that President Biden would not be easily persuaded.

Since then, U.S. and Chinese carrier combat forces have increased their presence in the South China Sea. In addition, China sent 25 fighters to taiwan’s air defense zone as a message asking Washington not to interfere in its internal work.

Taiwan is considered the issue with the highest risk of sparking the US-China conflict. After Washington launched the USS John McCain into the Taiwan Strait last week, China warned the U.S. not to “play with fire.”

Along with its Western allies, President Biden’s administration has also put pressure on Russia over the Ukraine issue due to fears that current tensions in eastern Ukraine could lead to a full-on conflict in the sensitive region.

A senior U.S. defense official told CNN last week that the Pentagon is considering moving two ships to the Black Sea to show support for Ukraine, a move that could escalate tensions.

Tough stance

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who spoke directly to Chinese officials in Alaska, did not hesitate to give tough warnings to Russia and China.

“It would be a serious mistake if anyone tried to change the status quo by force,” Mr Blinken said on NBC on April 11.

In Europe, on April 13, during a NATO meeting to announce the U.S. increased military presence in Germany, Foreign Minister Blinken met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleb, and said that if Russia continues to escalate tensions, as President Biden has made clear, the country will pay the price and suffer the consequences.”

These hardline statements are intended to counter the claim in both Russia and China that america’s weakening and downward decline is inevitable after two decades of war, financial terrorism, internal political discord and limited ability to cope with the pandemic.

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken’s remarks also need to be taken into account when compared to the foreign policy approach of former President Trump, who has not taken a stance too tough on Russia.

The Current White House’s position with both Russia and China is to cooperate when possible but confrontational relations still prevail, especially in the fierce economic competition with Beijing.

As CNN reported, President Biden’s climate envoy, former Secretary of State John Kerry, will make a brief visit to Beijing to seek common ground between the two countries ahead of the Climate Summit in Scotland in November. In a surprise move, President Biden on April 13 offered a third face-to-face meeting next month with Russian President Putin, just weeks after the U.S. leader endorsed what he called the Russian leader a “murderer.”

The move is said to resemble a “carrot” that Mr Biden gave Mr Putin in order to avoid any escalation of tensions in Ukraine or in connection with the poisoning of opposition figures Alexei Navalny.

Decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

President Biden’s decision on Afghanistan appears to be a foreign policy given after calculations on domestic policies.

Republicans with hardline views argue that this decision by the American leader is a dangerous step. The power gap after years of civil war in Afghanistan will cause the Taliban to intensify operations and turn the country into a terrorist paradise for al Qaeda to stage attacks on New York and Washington.

“The hasty withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is a disastrous mistake because the process takes place when the enemy has not gone away and is a sign that the U.S. is abandoning its leadership,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Not all Republicans, though, have criticized the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Congressman Ted Cruz, who has always opposed most of Mr. Biden’s policies, is an example. Ted Cruz said he was not opposed to the deadline for withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan that Mr Biden set.

“Bringing our troops back should not be seen as a sign that the U.S. neglects caution in protecting the American people and our allies. We can still defend our interests without the need to maintain a long-term military presence here.”

If Mr. Biden is determined to implement his plan, he can achieve what former Presidents Obama and Trump have tried but failed to do, which is to end American interference in the endless wars that followed 9/11 abroad.