After Merkel, with Sigmar Gabriel, Joschka Fischer, Constanze Stelzenmüller, and more

Also featuring Elizabeth Drew, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Angela Huyue Zhang, Joseph S. Nye, and more [View this message in a web browser]( [PS Behind the Headlines]( SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 Welcome to Behind the Headlines. Each week, we highlight the latest commentaries linked to the most important news stories, and share a brand new Big Picture topical collection, which takes readers on a deep dive into a critical issue or event. The Taliban Re-Takes Control of Afghanistan [America's Return to Realism]( [America's Return to Realism]( [Eric Posner]( says that President Joe Biden has made it plain that human rights will no longer drive US foreign policy. [Joe Biden's Afghan Nightmare]( [Joe Biden's Afghan Nightmare]( [Elizabeth Drew]( offers a post mortem of the withdrawal from Kabul and the resulting media and political fireworks. [The West's Unspoken Failure in Afghanistan]( [The West's Unspoken Failure in Afghanistan]( [Nancy Qian]( highlights the US-led coalition’s lack of commitment to nurturing a common Afghan national identity. The Big Picture [After Merkel]( [After Merkel]( As Germany’s chancellor since 2005, Angela Merkel has been a pillar of the European and global order. But whoever succeeds her following the country’s September 26 federal election must also address massive structural challenges and widespread popular anxieties at home. Featuring: [SIGMAR GABRIEL]( [JOSCHKA FISCHER]( [ANA PALACIO]( [MARK LEONARD]( [HELMUT K. ANHEIER]( [CONSTANZE STELZENMÜLLER]( [ELMIRA BAYRASLI]( The US Approaches the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 [What Difference Did 9/11 Make?]( [Joseph S. Nye]( argues that the damage done by al-Qaeda pales in comparison to the damage America did to itself. China Introduces the Personal Information Protection Law [Data Privacy Chinese-Style]( [Angela Huyue Zhang]( thinks that the country’s comprehensive new legislation could be a blessing in disguise for tech giants. Say More [Climate Week Special Edition]( with Ann Pettifor, Maphele Ramphele, and Kenneth Rogoff Three leading experts – Director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics [Ann Pettifor]( former World Bank Managing Director [Mamphela Ramphele]( and Harvard professor [Kenneth Rogoff]( – examine the new green economics the world needs, and how public finance fits into it. The US Confronts Another COVID Surge [COVID-19 and Human Freedom]( [Joseph E. Stiglitz]( attributes the ongoing spike in US cases to a perverse misinterpretation of individual liberty. Hungary and Poland Refuse to Participate in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office [The EU Must Terminate Hungary's Membership]( [Daron Acemoglu]( thinks the European Union must expel its illiberal spoilers or risk standing for nothing. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( Project Syndicate publishes and provides, on a not-for-profit basis, original commentary by the world's leading thinkers to more than 500 media outlets in over 150 countries. This newsletter is a service of [Project Syndicate](. [Change your newsletter preferences](. Follow us on [Facebook]( [Twitter]( and [YouTube](. © Project Syndicate, all rights reserved. [Unsubscribe from all newsletters](.