ROME—Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Sunday that the Taliban government in Afghanistan could not be recognized, but urged foreign governments to prevent a financial collapse there that would spark massive flows of migrants. Italy holds the annual, rotating presidency of the G20 and is looking to host a special summit on…

Commentary Britain’s defense chief, General Sir Nick Carter, just revealed the Taliban’s end-game for victory. “It was the pace of it that surprised us and I don’t think we realized quite what the Taliban were up to. They weren’t really fighting for the cities they eventually captured, they were negotiating for them, and I think…

Commentary There is a school of thought that international relations is a zero-sum game: if you’re winning, then I’m losing. Nowhere is this more apropos than in the case of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to this zero-sum argument, the “loser”—the United States—is obvious. But who is the winner? The Taliban, of course, but…

Commentary Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said on Aug. 28 that “[We] should hold the ground of ideology. [We] should actively and steadily address the ideological issues that involve ethnic factors, and continue to eradicate poisonous thoughts of ethnic separatism and religious extremism.” Xi’s statement is profoundly racist and bigoted…

Commentary The success of China’s Pakistan investments depends on strengthening relations with the Taliban. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a series of initiatives, similar to the rest of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including infrastructure, transportation, energy, raw materials, telecommunications, and banking. CPEC and the Maritime Belt and Road connect China with…

Commentary The attack on 9/11 that killed almost 3,000 people in New York was a surprise to U.S. intelligence. Likewise, the rapid fall of Afghanistan over the last weeks has been a surprise, to the point where the United States and G7 allies, who meet Tuesday to discuss Afghanistan, are dependent upon Chinese, Russian, and…

Commentary Closing time Open all the doors and let you out into the world Closing time Turn all of the lights on over every boy and every girl Closing time One last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer Closing time You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here Semisonic—’Closing…

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Singapore on Aug. 22, as part of her Southeast Asia trip that will also take her to Vietnam. Her trip, which was announced last month, now has a new urgency following the Taliban’s seizure of Afghanistan. Harris arrived on Sunday morning and was greeted by Singapore’s Foreign Minister…

Commentary In last Monday’s speech on Afghanistan, President Biden made the claim, “I have been clear that human rights must be the center of our foreign policy, not the periphery.” He is right that basic human rights are central to America’s foreign policy, as a matter of law and core national values. This is in…

Commentary With the Taliban taking over Kabul just days ago, China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing has always played “a constructive role” in Afghanistan, during a press briefing on Aug. 17. The Chinese regime considers the situation as a strategic opportunity to be more actively involved in Afghan affairs. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with…