Strategic adversaries of the U.S. likely view the country as \u201cweak,\u201d according to former White House National Security Adviser and retired Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think they view us as weak at the moment, right? Because they see us in the midst of now, today especially, a triple-crisis,\u201d McMaster said during a Washington Post virtual event on Tuesday. \u201cA crisis of the pandemic, a recession associated with the pandemic, and the social divisions laid bare by the murder of George Floyd…and then this vitriolitc partisan discourse where we\u2019re at each other\u2019s throats.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In particular, McMaster said China is inclined to view the U.S. through such a lens, noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely surrounded by those feeding him information he wants to hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think what he\u2019s hearing is \u2018Hey, you\u2019re on top, you\u2019re winning. Look how weak they are. We\u2019re emerging, we\u2019re first out of this pandemic economically. Now is the time to act.\u2019 And you see that with this very aggressive action on the part of the Chinese Communist Party,\u201d McMaster said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Specifically, he pointed to increased aggression from China in the South China Sea, and actions China has taken aimed at Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
McMaster\u2019s comments come as he is promoting his new book, \u201cBattlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World\u201d<\/a> that was released this month. The book examines U.S. foreign policy and ways the U.S. can better safeguard itself against threats, according to HarperCollins. Likewise, it chronicles his time serving in the Army and the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, McMaster addressed a series of national security and foreign policy issues facing the U.S. at the moment during his interview with the Washington Post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, he argued that the U.S. has \u201cset up the Afghan government for more difficulty\u201d by trying to work with the Taliban and cautioned against pulling U.S. troops from the region. That\u2019s why he\u2019s not optimistic about ongoing peace negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan government in Doha, Qatar that launched this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s unwise. I think it\u2019s a pipedream,\u201d McMaster said. \u201cI think it\u2019s doomed to failure and I think what\u2019s paradoxical about this is the Trump administration has replicated almost precisely the flaws in the Obama administration approach to Afghanistan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is I think a classic case of strategic narcissism, wishful thinking, and ultimately, self-delusion,\u201d McMaster said. \u201cAnd you see that with the continuing of these Taliban attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n McMaster previously told CBS\u2019s \u201c60 Minutes\u201d this month that pulling troops from Afghanistan is an error, and claimed the threat of terrorist organizations has only grown since the 9\/11 attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, the U.S. is on track to withdraw thousands of troops in Afghanistan by November \u2014 keeping roughly 4,600 troops there, according to Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie<\/a>, the commander of U.S. Central Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n