Biden signals end to ‘era of major military operations to remake other countries’
There was a key section in the president’s speech which, in the chaos of the Afghan withdrawal, might get overlooked.
“As we turn the page on the foreign policy that has guided our nation the last two decades,” he said, “we’ve got to learn from our mistakes.
“To me, there are two that are paramount. First, we must set missions with clear, achievable goals – not ones we’ll never reach.
“And second, we must stay clearly focused on the fundamental national security interest of the United States of America.”
And then the crux: “This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. It’s about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries.”
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Biden chose ‘not to extend forever war’
As the dust settles from the chaos of the past two weeks in Afghanistan, beyond the message the hasty exit sent to allies, foes and terrorists, a clear shift in America’s desired position in the world is emerging.
If observers thought Donald Trump’s inward looking “America first” mantra was a blip, maybe they were wrong.
This was President Biden’s latest address to the nation from the White House.
It was the speech where he hoped to draw a line under a brutal few weeks for American leadership.
He defensively declared a mission accomplished, but he could only honestly claim a success in achieving a retreat.
“We completed one of the biggest airlifts in history, with more than 120,000 people evacuated to safety… The extraordinary success of this mission was due to the incredible skill, bravery, and selfless courage of the United States military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals,” he said.
He defended, again, his decision to bring the war to an end: “I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit.”
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Destroyed military planes and vehicles left by US
He reflected on the past fortnight, conceding that assumptions had been wrong but claiming that the chaos was factored in.
“The assumption was that more than 300,000 Afghan National Security Forces that we had trained over the past two decades and equipped would be a strong adversary in their civil wars with the Taliban. That assumption – that the Afghan government would be able to hold on for a period of time beyond military drawdown – turned out not to be accurate.”
For terrorist groups, there was this warning: “We are not done with you yet. To those who wish America harm, know this. The US will never rest. We will never rest. We will hunt you down to the ends of the Earth and you will pay the ultimate price.”
Yet, he said that the focus would be where terrorists hide now, not where they hid two decades ago. That, despite the evidence that al Qaeda and ISIS endure and could prosper in Afghanistan.
The president can, for now, successfully claim that this so-called forever war is over for America.
But the legacy of his decision will follow him – the impact on relations with allies because the chaos has cost them politically, the message it sends to China and Russia about American priorities, and then there is the all-important reaction of the American people – that’s what drove him.
They wanted the war finished, but it’s how it came to an end. A humiliation? People and equipment left behind; an enemy and terrorists emboldened.
South of Kabul in the city of Khost, Taliban supporters staged a mock funeral, with coffins draped in the flags of France, Britain, America and NATO.
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Taliban’s mock funeral for Western nations
It was a message from them but maybe also a reflection of the end of an era in western foreign policy – America and its allies no longer able or willing to uphold their values, through force if necessary, beyond their borders.
Right or wrong, that marks a fundamental shift.
US
‘Targeted terror attack’ in Colorado as petrol bombs reportedly thrown at Israel supporters in Boulder
The FBI says it is investigating a “targeted terror attack” in Colorado after a man reportedly threw petrol bombs at a pro-Israel event.
FBI boss Kash Patel said agents were working with local law enforcement on the scene in Boulder.
Witnesses told US media the attacker threw Molotov cocktails at people doing a walk to remember Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Phone footage showed smoke rising over a park area
A male suspect is in custody.
Local police said there were “multiple victims” and a large part of the downtown area around Pearl Street was cordoned off.
Police chief Steve Redfearn said it happened around 1.26pm local time and initial reports were that “people were being set on fire”.
He said some victims were in hospital and injuries ranged from “very serious” to “more minor”.
“When we arrived we encountered multiple victims that were injured, with injuries consistent with burns,” Mr Redfearn told the media.
He said a suspect had been pointed out and taken into custody without incident.
“This area is not safe yet and we’re dealing with a vehicle of interest,” he added.
Law enforcement were seen putting on what appeared to be a bomb suit. Pic: AP
Mr Redfearn said it happened as a “group of pro-Israel people” were peacefully demonstrating, but that he couldn’t confirm a specific group had been targeted.
The police chief said it was too early to call it a “terror attack”. However, Colorado’s governor did use those words.
Jared Polis said on Facebook it was “unfathomable that the Jewish community is facing another terror attack here”.
A joint statement from Boulder’s Jewish community said “an incendiary device was thrown at walkers at the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they were raising awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza”.
It added: “Our hearts go out to those who witnessed this horrible attack, and prayers for a speedy recovery to those who were injured.”
Colorado attorney general Phil Weiser said it “appears to be a hate crime” and that “violence is never the answer to settling differences”.
His statement said the group affected gathered weekly on Pearl Street to call for the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Boulder is a university city of about 105,000 people on the northwest edge of Denver, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
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The attack follows the arrest of a Chicago-born man in the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington DC two weeks ago.
Tensions are simmering in the US over Israel’s war in Gaza.
There has been an increase in antisemitic hate crime, as well as moves by some supporters of Israel to brand pro-Palestinian protests as antisemitic.
President Trump’s administration has detained protesters without charge and pulled funding from elite universities that have permitted such demonstrations.
US
AB Hernandez: 16-year-old transgender athlete wins two golds and a silver as participation sparks controversy
A 16-year-old transgender athlete who is the focus of a US sports row has won two golds and a silver at the California high school track and field championship.
AB Hernandez was born a boy but has transitioned and now competes against girls.
And the teenager’s inclusion in the girls category in the high jump, long jump and triple jump became a national conversation.
Critics, including parents, conservative activists and President Trump, had called for Hernandez to be barred from competing.
AB Hernandez poses with her medals. Pic: AP
In the city of Clovis on Saturday, she took part under a new rule change brought in by the state’s interscholastic federation, under which an extra student was allowed to compete and win a medal in the events where Hernandez qualified.
And it meant there were two winners when she finished first.
Hernandez shared first place in the high jump with Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle.
All three cleared a height of 5ft 7in (1.7m), but Hernandez had no failed attempts, while the other two had each logged one failure.
Hernandez also had a first-place finish in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher, who trailed her by more than half a metre.
AB Hernandez shares the first-place spot on the podium with Kira Gant Hatcher during the triple jump medal ceremony. Pic: AP
Also, Hernandez came second in the long jump with Brooke White.
“Sharing the podium was nothing but an honour,” White said. “As a part of the queer community I want AB Hernandez to know we all have her back.”
Plane protest
During Hernandez’s qualifying events on Friday, a plane flew over the stadium trailing a banner, which read: “No boys in girls’ sports.” It was organised and paid for by two women’s advocacy groups.
A small protest also took place on the road outside. “Save girls’ sports,” one poster read. “XX does not equal XY,” read another.
A plane, paid for by women’s advocacy groups, flew a banner over the stadium that read: ‘No boys in girls’ sports’
Transgender inclusion is a thorny issue but a vote winner for Donald Trump, who campaigned last year with a promise to “kick out men from women’s sport”.
He signed an executive order seeking to ban transgender women from female sports.
And Mr Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funding from California over Hernandez’s participation in this weekend’s athletics event.
Pic: AP
‘Pilot entry process’
The California Interscholastic Federation had earlier said it was launching a “pilot entry process” to allow more girls to participate in the championship.
It only applied to the three events in which Hernandez competed.
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The rule change may be the first attempt nationally by a high school sports governing body to expand competition when trans athletes are participating.
If a transgender athlete wins a medal, their ranking would not displace a “biological female” student from also medalling, the federation confirmed, and it will be reflected in the records.
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The federation said the rule opens the field to more “biological female” athletes.
The organisation did not specify how it defines “biological female” or how it would verify whether a competitor meets that definition.
Donald Trump said he plans to double tariffs on steel imports from next week, deepening his trade war which has hit global markets.
The US president told a rally of steel workers in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, on Friday that tariffs would be raised from 25% to 50%, “which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States”.
Mr Trump later said on Truth Social that the new levy – also affecting aluminium imports – would be in effect from Wednesday and that American “industries are coming back like never before”.
“This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum (sic) workers,” he added. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
He then said: “We don’t want America’s future to be built with shoddy steel from Shanghai – we want it built with the strength and the pride of Pittsburgh!”
The new levy will come into effect on Wednesday, the US president says. Pic: Reuters
Sky News understands that British steel exports are exempt from this rise after a UK-US trade agreement was signed earlier this month.
The agreement said at the time that the US “will promptly construct a quota at most favoured nation (MFN) rates” for British steel, aluminium and derivative products.
Read more: Key details in the UK-US ‘historic’ trade deal
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How good is the UK-US deal?
Earlier, the US president claimed China had “totally violated” an agreement to mutually roll back tariffs and trade restrictions for critical minerals.
“So much for being Mr Nice Guy,” he said in a post on his social media platform.
In March, Mr Trump introduced a 25% tariff on all foreign steel and aluminium imports as a way to protect US manufacturing and bolster jobs by making foreign-made products less attractive.
The rates threaten to make the cost of products using steel and aluminium – such as cars or soft drink cans – more expensive for Americans.
He also previously threatened Canada with 50% levies on imports, while the provincial government of Ontario, in turn, threatened to charge 25% more for the electricity it supplies to the US.
Canada’s most populous province provides electricity to more than 1.5 million American homes and businesses in Minnesota, New York and Michigan.
At the time, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the proposed 50% tariffs an “attack” on Canadian workers, families and businesses.
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Roughly a quarter of all steel used in the US is imported, with a majority coming from Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Germany.
In 2024, 6.6m tonnes of steel were imported by the US from Canada, while 3.5m tonnes were brought in from Mexico.
The US is also reliant on imports for aluminium, with 3.2m tonnes coming from Canada last year.
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