RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Federiga Bindi, July 03, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Federiga Binda believes the recent G8 foreign ministers meeting in Trieste has set the stage for pragmatic and operative discussions at the upcoming G8 summit. Bindi examines key issues of the debate including Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation and the future role of the European Union in global governance. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, July 01, 2009, The Washington Times
While many of the military objectives have been determined in Afghanistan, Michael O'Hanlon believes there are many crucial decisions ahead regarding economic matters. O'Hanlon explores options ranging from increased foreign aid to developing free-trade agreements, and he offers suggestions for the challenges ahead. Read More
VIDEO
Steven Pifer, July 01, 2009
As President Obama prepares for talks with Russian President Medvedev in Moscow, Steven Pifer says the administration is looking for three key outcomes from the meeting: a new treaty to replace START, a cooperative approach for dealing with Iran and Afghanistan, and a structured mechanism to keep their mutual interests on track.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, June 24, 2009, The Brookings Institution
As G8 foreign ministers meet in Italy prior to the G8 summit in July, Bruce Riedel comments on an interview in which an al Qaeda operative predicts the group will take over Afghanistan and Pakistan then use Pakistan's nuclear weapons against the United States. Riedel says the foreign ministers need to be clear and unequivocal that they will provide the resources needed to defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban to lessen the chance of a nuclear Armageddon. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Alex Mundt and Susanne Schmeidl, June 22, 2009, The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
Civilians have long borne the brunt of the conflict in Afghanistan. According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, civilian casualties in 2008 were 40% higher than the previous year. However, although civilian casualties are widely covered and are being addressed, Alex Mundt and Susanne Schmeidl point out that the broader protection concerns, particularly the plight of battle-affected IDPs, remain invisible and largely unacknowledged. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Campbell, Michael E. O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro, June 18, 2009, The New York Times
The American troop buildup is proceeding in Afghanistan while Iraq—despite several recent attacks—continues to slowly progress on many fronts. Jason Campbell, Michael O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro examine leading metrics from both conflicts to assess how well the counterinsurgency operations are going. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, June 08, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
On June 8, the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion of the war-torn regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and offered status reports on both conflicts. Brookings senior fellow Michael O’Hanlon offered introductory remarks and moderated the discussion. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Alex Mundt, Susanne Schmeidl, The Liaison Office & Australian National University and Shafiqullah Ziai, The Liaison Office, June 01, 2009, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
At first glance, the return of hundreds of displaced Pashtun families from war-torn Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan to their villages of origin in the comparatively peaceful north would seem an obvious and attractive option. It is a solution welcomed by a beleagured Afghan government and supported by the United Nations agencies. But, as with many things in Afghanistan, as Mundt, Schmeidl, and Ziai argue, apperances often deceive. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown, May 25, 2009, Bloggingheads.tv
Vanda Felbab-Brown discussed the threats posed by strengthening drug cartels in Mexico, weakening central governments in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as transnational security threats to the U.S. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, May 2009, CTC Sentinel
A country rarely fights the same war twice in one generation, especially from opposite sides. Yet Bruce Riedel writes that in many ways describes the U.S. role in Afghanistan today. Pakistan’s role as a safe haven is remarkably consistent in both conflicts, but that similarity misses the fundamental differences between the two wars. Riedel addresses the differences, and assesses how Pakistan’s role is impacting the possibilities for success today. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, May 13, 2009, MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports"
Bruce Riedel joined MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan. Riedel argued that Pakistan is the most dangerous country in the world and that the United States must attempt to support the civilian government, because other options could be disastrous for the region and world. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, May 12, 2009, International Peace Institute
In a speech to the International Peace Institute, Bruce Riedel said the situation in Pakistan is “dire and deteriorating,” while al Qaeda's core leadership is alive and remains a deadly threat. He also offered policy suggestions for U.S. policy toward Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as dealing with the issue of terrorism emanating from South Asia. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, May 11, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Michael O'Hanlon reacts to the announcement by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that General David McKiernan is being relieved of command in Afghanistan. O'Hanlon believes McKiernan can leave Kabul knowing he improved the dynamics on the ground during his tenure and that the region is far better off now than when he took over. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
12:30 PM to 01:30 PM
Washington, DC
This Wednesday, President Obama met with the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Brookings expert Vanda Felbab-Brown and Politico Senior Editor John Ward Anderson took questions about the deepening crisis in those nations in the May 6 edition of the Scouting Report. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, May 06, 2009, The New York Times' "Room For Debate"
As the Pakistani military launched a new offensive against the Taliban in the country’s North-West Frontier Province, officials and former officials in Washington continued to discuss what the American response should be to the heightened conflict. Michael O'Hanlon offers his views on the situation. Read More