BRUSSELS — President Biden says he hears no criticism from America’s allies about the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and the collapse of the government. But the criticism in Europe, at least, is loud and persistent. Officials from Britain, Germany, Italy and France have complained that despite Mr. Biden’s promises of consultation, there has been more diktat than conversation on Afghanistan. He is likely to hear more grumbling in an emergency videoconference call on Tuesday among the leaders of the Group of 7. The latest fiasco in Kabul, following earlier U.S. missteps in Libya and Syria, not to speak of Iraq, has added greater urgency to a question that has dogged NATO virtually since the end of the Cold War, long before President Trump happened on the scene: Will there be any serious shift in the way the NATO alliance operates, with the United States leading and Europe following behind?

Source: International New York Times August 23, 2021 18:45 UTC