From Bretton Woods to Afghanistan

The nature of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan reminds of the unilateral withdrawal from the Bretton Woods arrangements 50 years ago. Big powers act like big powers.

The chaotic scenes from Kabul over the past fortnight have shocked, with Thursday’s attacks at the airport creating even more tragedy.

The strategic decision to fully withdraw from Afghanistan can be argued (although the US domestic political case for withdrawal is clear).  But the withdrawal itself has been a messy, heartbreaking process. 

I don’t think that this experience will materially alter the credibility of the US commitment to other geographies such as Taiwan and Israel.  Or that it will do much to weaken the US in terms of strategic competition with China: the US won the Cold War after the withdrawal from Saigon in 1975.

America First

But the manner in which the withdrawal was approached sends a message about US engagement with the world.  In particular, there was little meaningful prior coordination by the US with NATO allies and others on the withdrawal of military and diplomatic personnel - as well as other at-risk people.  And the G7 discussions on Tuesday, convened by Bor…