Afghanistan: A September 2016 assessment

Fifteen years after the United States overthrew the Taliban regime, Taliban insurgency remains entrenched and violence in Afghanistan has been escalating. Negotiations with the Taliban have not taken off. Pakistan remains a troublesome partner at best. While a shadow of its former self, al-Qaida has reestablished bases in Afghanistan and the Islamic State began flying its flag there. U.S. and NATO troop presence has been significantly reduced, but the precarious security situation in the country motivated President Obama to reverse the determination to further reduce U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. Two years after its formation, Afghanistan’s National Unity Government is in the midst of a serious political crisis with significant ramifications for stabilization efforts.

On September 6, Brookings’s Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence hosted a discussion on current security and political dynamics in Afghanistan. The conversation also evaluated U.S. interests in Afghanistan and the region, including counterterrorism objectives. Panelists included Brookings Senior Fellows John Allen, Vanda Felbab-Brown, and Bruce Riedel. Michael O’Hanlon, co-director of 21CSI, moderated the discussion.