Carla Robbins of The New York Times and Richard Haass of the Council on Foreign Relations join Worldfocus anchor Martin Savidge to review the major events of the week.
They discuss the speculation swirling around the end of American financial domination. The current situation exposes the U.S.’s vulnerability to energy and international currency flows. Haass and Robbins insist the U.S. has lost its “street cred” — marking a new period of decline in America’s influence around the world.
The discussion turns to Afghanistan, where the U.S. is reviewing its current policy amid reports of a general downward spiral. According to the report, the Taliban and al-Qaeda are strong, more opium is being produced, the government is corrupt and cross-border violence with Pakistan has increased.
Finally, Haass and Robbins address North Korea’s aggressive posturing. The U.S. is expected to take North Korea off the list for state-sponsored terrorism, but the real question is: What happens after that? Unless China plays a role in helping to fight terrorism in the region, relations with North Korea may remain unresolved.
