Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan

When Congress reconvenes in the fall and the presidential election shifts into high gear, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan will dominate the U.S. foreign policy agenda. Congress and the presidential candidates will debate next steps for Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as new policy approaches to Pakistan and the struggle against Al Qaeda in that country’s border regions.

On August 6, Brookings hosted foreign policy experts Michael O’Hanlon, Kenneth Pollack, Bruce Riedel and Jeremy Shapiro for a discussion on the state of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as U.S. efforts to partner with Pakistan in confronting al Qaeda. Senior Fellow Kenneth Pollack recently authored A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East (Random House, 2008). Senior Fellow Bruce Riedel recently completed a new book, The Search for al Qaeda: Its Leadership, Ideology and Future (Brookings Press, 2008), which will be released this fall. Fellow Jeremy Shapiro is the primary researcher on the Afghanistan Index, a detailed examination of the NATO mission in that country. Senior Fellow Michael O’Hanlon is the primary researcher on the frequently cited Iraq Index.