BOOK
Vanda Felbab-Brown, November 15, 2009
Felbab-Brown draws on interviews and fieldwork in some of the world's most dangerous regions to explain how belligerent groups have become involved in drug trafficking and other illicit activities, including kidnapping, extortion, and smuggling. Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, October 29, 2009
3:00 PM to 5:15 PM
Washington, DC
On October 29, the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings, the Institute for Environmental Security, CNA, E3G and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a discussion on the real dangers for conflicts and disputes resulting from resource shortages, water rights and natural disasters. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, October 12, 2009, The Daily Beast
Bruce Riedel says this weekend’s attack on the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, the military center of Pakistan, underscores the volatility and fragility in the world’s second largest Muslim country. Riedel argues that the United States must encourage Pakistan too keep moving against extremists while assuring them we will not abandon the fight in the region. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, October 08, 2009, Council on Foreign Relations
While President Barack Obama and his advisers complete a study on U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Bruce Riedel warns of the consequences of delaying new action. Riedel says it is vital for the administration to avoid lengthy delays in deciding on a course of action in its planning for the Af-Pak war theater. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Campbell, Michael E. O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro, October 07, 2009, The New York Times
Iraq remains between peace and war while the situation in Afghanistan still appears to be deteriorating, and Pakistan is doing better than Afghanistan but more progress is needed. Jason Campbell, Michael O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro examine leading metrics from all three countries to assess how well the counterinsurgency and stabilization operations are faring. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, October 05, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
Afghanistan and Pakistan have challenged President Obama since he took office, as questions persist about the success of U.S. policies in the region. On October 5, Brookings hosted the launch of a new Pakistan Index with a discussion on the state of the Afghanistan mission and the effort to address extremist activities in Pakistan. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown, October 01, 2009, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs
In testimony before the House Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Vanda-Felbab Brown discussed illicit economies, organized crime, and their impact on U.S. and global security. Felbab-Brown concluded by offering recommendations for counternarcotics strategies as well as other measures local and foreign governments can take to address the issues. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, September 29, 2009, The Washington Examiner
The spring 2009 operation to rescue the captain of the Mersk Alabama did not end the problem of piracy and it was not a model for the future, writes Michael O’Hanlon. Instead, he believes a U.S. House idea to insert U.S. military personnel onto cargo ships for dangerous parts of the journey is a good one because they are well trained and can use force carefully. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown, September 24, 2009, The Brookings Institution
As President Barack Obama considers alternatives to increasing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Vanda Felbab-Brown argues his administration's new counternarcotics policy represents a courageous break with previous misguided efforts there and thirty years of U.S. counternarcotics policies around the world. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, August 28, 2009, The Daily Beast
Bruce Riedel says the attempted assassination of Saudi Arabia's counterterrorism chief raises questions about whether al-Qaeda's Saudi branch has recovered from recent crackdowns against the group. Riedel examines al-Qaeda's regrouping in next-door Yemen and analyzes what this first major terror opreation in the country since 2006 means. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Saleem H. Ali, August 19, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The rise of Islamic militancy in Pakistan during 2008 and 2009 and the resulting military operation in the Swat valley can be traced back to the inculcation of radical ideologies among the youth in the Frontier region, many of whom attended madrassas. Saleem Ali provides recommendations to the Pakistani government as well as to U.S. policy makers and the international donor community regarding madrassas in Pakistan. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown, August 13, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Vanda Felbab-Brown believes the August 20 Afghanistan elections represent a test for at least three critical issues in that country – accountability, military strength and governance. Felbab-Brown argues that ushering in more effective and responsible governance is critical, and she concludes it must be built by Afghan hands rather than forced by international actors. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, August 12, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Bruce Riedel writes that elections in Afghanistan on August 20 are both an opportunity and a challenge for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Though statistics have recently been on the Taliban's side, the ability for NATO and the Afghan government to pull off a credible election could be an important initial milestone in turning things around. Read More
VIDEO
Bruce Riedel, August 10, 2009
Afghans voted on August 20 in the second presidential election since the Taliban were ousted by U.S.-led forces in late 2001. Despite a resurgent Taliban, Bruce Riedel says that victory in Afghanistan is attainable and that a clean election is absolutely critical to the legitimacy of the government.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael Fullilove and Anthony Bubalo, July 28, 2009, The Australian Financial Review
Though there have been increased attacks, growing casualties and falling popular support, Michael Fullilove and Anthony Bubalo write that Afghanistan is still winnable. They believe the Obama administration has done well by increasing resources and refocusing on what can be achieved, and say there is too much at stake for the West to conclude Afghanistan is the graveyard of foreign armies and depart. Read More