China Trying To 'Take Over' Bagram Air Base In Afghanistan: Former Diplomat Nikki Haley
Former envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley they are also making a move in Afghanistan and trying to use Pakistan to get stronger to go against India.
New Delhi: With the exit of US military forces from Afghanistan and Taliban regaining power, a former senior American diplomat has warned of China making a move to take over the Bagram air force base that was controlled by the US for nearly two decades.
What are concerns raised on Bagram air force base?
In response to China’s interest in the region, former envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley said “We need to watch China because I think you are going to see China make a move for Bagram Air Force Base.
“I think they are also making a move in Afghanistan and trying to use Pakistan to get stronger to go against India. So, we have got a lot of issues. The biggest thing he should do is strengthen our allies, strengthen those relationships, modernise our military, and make sure we are prepared for the cyber-crimes and the terrorist crimes that are headed our way," Haley noted.
While raising concerns she said there is need to ensure that cybersecurity is strong because countries such as Russia are going to continue to hack us because we show no signs of willingness to fight back. In an interview with Fox News, Haley stressed that President Joe Biden's administration reaches out to its allies including India, Japan, and Australia to assure them that the US will have their back.
“The first thing you should do is immediately start connecting with our allies, whether it's Taiwan, whether it's Ukraine, whether it's Israel, whether it's India, Australia, Japan, all of them, and reassure them that we will have their back and that we need them as well,” Haley said, as per PTI report.
She also noted that it is important to send a message that anti-terrorist efforts are on. Haley said, “With this moral victory that the jihadists have, you are going to see a heavy recruitment campaign around the world. You are going to see more lone wolf situations”.
What are criticisms against Biden?
Haley targeted Biden for his disastrous withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. “By the end of that speech that President Biden gave, it was the beginning of the lame-duck presidency for Joe Biden,” she said.
“I mean, he has lost the trust and confidence of every member of the military and the military families that I'm proud to be a part of. He has lost the trust and confidence of our allies who are now negotiating without us because they don't know why we are doing what we're doing,” she said.