The Afghanistan debacle has weakened ties between Britain and America
It strengthens the case for Boris Johnson’s government to work more closely with the European Union
EVER SINCE Winston Churchill, British prime ministers have boasted of their special relationship with American presidents. Yet this supposedly sunny partnership has experienced its fair share of clouds. The past few weeks have seen a big one, after Joe Biden unilaterally announced that all American troops would leave Afghanistan by August 31st, opening the way to a lightning conquest of most of the country by the Taliban. The chaos that followed at Kabul airport as thousands of frightened Afghans tried desperately to escape has shocked the world—and led even the British to ask if the transatlantic relationship is still working.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Yet another squabble”
Britain August 28th 2021
- The Afghanistan debacle has weakened ties between Britain and America
- OnlyFans U-turns on its porn ban
- Britain has an enormous number of pheasants
- Sharon Graham, Unite’s new leader, plots a radical overhaul
- How German bombs shape London’s gangs
- Big British companies are entering the rental market
- Crossrail, London’s new train line, is almost finished
- What Tony taught Boris
From the August 28th 2021 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Britain
The rise of the Net-Zero Dad
Middle-aged men care less about the problem. But they love the solution
Backing Heathrow expansion suggests Labour is serious about growth
It is the surest sign yet that the government is up for the fight
What the rise of bubble tea says about British high streets
A sugar rush from foreign students
Why Britain has fallen behind on road safety
More than 1,600 people still die each year in road collisions
Britain’s brokers are diversifying and becoming less British
London’s depleted stockmarket is forcing them to change