Former US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said in a statement on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks that the attacks were a devastating and life-changing shock for the United States, and that the fight against terrorism became the centerpiece of the country’s national strategy.
Khalilzad added that the United States had made significant achievements in the war on terrorism and weakened al-Qaeda to the point of destruction; but, he said, despite the continued need for vigilance, the era of intense focus on the war on terrorism has passed and Washington must turn its attention to the threats of the current era.
He considered the emergence of China as a power seeking to become the dominant global power, the artificial intelligence revolution and its possible consequences on the balance of power and war, as well as developments in Europe, Russia, India, and the Middle East, to be among the main characteristics and challenges of the new era.
Khalilzad has warned that in world history, great powers have often focused on their previous wars and ignored the threats and possible wars ahead; he has emphasized that the United States must prevent this mistake from being repeated and, while maintaining the necessary measures, ensure that the war on terrorism truly belongs to the past.
