POMED Notes: “Does Nation-Building Have a Future?”
August 21st, 2008 by Adam
Today, the New American Foundation held a discussion regarding nation-building efforts in Afghanistan and the future of U.S. nation building in light of the experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. The featured speaker was Ambassador James Dobbins, former Special Envoy for Afghanistan. Steve Clemons, Director of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation, moderated the discussion.
To read POMED’s complete notes on the discussion, click here.
Posted in Afghanistan, DC Event Notes, Iraq, Military, US foreign policy | Comment »
Concern in Afghanistan
August 21st, 2008 by Adam
In the wake of an insurgent attack that killed ten French soldiers, an editorial in the New York Times worries that success in Afghanistan is slipping away. The editorial suggests an increase in U.S. troops as over-reliance on air power has resulted in numerous civilian deaths, alienating Afghan citizens. The editorial also suggests greater cooperation with Afghanistan’s neighbors, increased assistance to improve development and governance, and urging Hamid Karzai’s government to crack down on corruption.
Offering a different strategy is Seumas Milne, who writes in the Guardian (UK) that a military victory is not possible in Afghanistan even with a long-term Western military presence. Milne concludes that, “The only way to end the war is the withdrawal of foreign troops as part of a political settlement negotiated with all the significant players in the country, including the Taliban, and guaranteed by the regional powers and neighbouring states.”
Posted in Afghanistan, Military, US foreign policy | Comment »
Pakistan Without Musharraf
August 20th, 2008 by Sarah
An editorial in the L.A. Times lauds Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to resign earlier this week, but questions whether Asif Ali Zardari or Nawaz Sharif have “the expertise to cope with the country’s most daunting challenges — runaway inflation, religious extremism and ongoing conflict with India.” Despite this, the editorial remains hopeful. “Democracy can and will work even in parts of the world where so far it has seemed a dismal failure. All it takes is a little patience; Pakistan’s people and army just need to provide it.”
On the other hand, Syed Saleem Shahzad at Asia Times Online reports on yesterday’s Taliban attacks in Afghanistan, claiming that the Taliban seized upon Musharraf’s resignation and the power vacuum it created in the country. Pakistan “is clearly a government of disunity, destined to endless feuding and paralysis - a situation militants will exploit to the full, as they have since Musharraf shed his uniform last November.”
Likewise, William B. Milam in the Daily Times (Pakistan) compares Musharraf’s resignation to the ending of Casalanca, where the key players made sacrifices to a “greater good.” Miliam, however, “doubts it will be sufficient for Pakistan to overcome its existential crisis.”
Meanwhile, Peter Wonacott and Zahid Hussain in the Wall Street Journal reports that Pakistan’s civilian government hit a snag after the PPP asked to review the issue of restoring the judges dismissed by Musharraf. Xenia Dormandy, a South Asia scholar at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government predicts that the infighting will worsen. “I’d be stunned if the current coalition lasted to next fall.”
Posted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Reform, Terrorism | Comment »
The Terrorism Index
August 19th, 2008 by Sarah
The Center for American Progress has released “The Terrorism Index,” surveying the foreign policy experts for their assessment of how the U.S. is fighting the War on Terror. Over 100 experts give their insight into U.S. policy toward Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, as well as the 2008 Presidential candidates.
To read the full report, click here.
Posted in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Military, Pakistan, Terrorism, US foreign policy, al-Qaeda | Comment »
Afghan Mission Creep
August 14th, 2008 by Adam
Bartle Breese Bull in the New York Times writes that the U.S. is suffering from mission creep in Afghanistan and that a military surge just increases the costs necessary to fulfill broad interests. Bull argues that any nation-building gambit in Afghanistan will be extremely difficult and that counterterrorism efforts will not be complimented by increasing troop levels. Bull concludes by saying, “If Americans really believe…that Afghanistan is the right war and a place appropriate for Iraq-style nation-building, then they must understand both the cost involved and the remote likelihood of success.”
Posted in Afghanistan, US foreign policy | Comment »
Pakistan - Pervez and Other Problems
August 8th, 2008 by Amanda
As Pakistan’s PML-N and PPP parties have finally agreed on what to do with President Pervez Musharraf, the country is simultaneously being thrust into deeper instability and insecurity on multiple levels.
Seen as a widely popular measure due to overwhelming public distaste for Musharraf’s policies, the parties moved to impeach the President on Wednesday, and as Blake Hounshell at FP Passport points out, the US government “isn’t sticking its neck out” to help its former friend.
But Musharraf isn’t going down without throwing a few punches according to Juan Cole at Informed Comment, who reports that the President has declared that he is fighting the articles of his impeachment. Cole wagers that now “the stage is set for a major political crisis in the second most populous Muslim country in the world, the sixth largest country in the world, and the only Muslim nuclear power.”
Pakistan’s problems certainly don’t end with Pervez. Amid a “hell-bound” economy, “paralyzed” government, and escalating violence in the north-west, The Economist delicately posits that Pakistan”has more to worry about than Musharraf”. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Bill Roggio at The Weekly Standard might agree.
They argue that as Pakistan continues to destablize, Taliban and Al-Quaeda groups are gaining strength in neighboring Afghanistan, noting that “insurgents in Afghanistan will continue to use the situation in Pakistan to their advantage.” Fighting in the northwestern region continues unabated.
Posted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, al-Qaeda | Comment »
POMED Notes: Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan: Challenges in the Fall and Beyond
August 6th, 2008 by Sarah
Today, the Brookings Institution hosted foreign policy experts 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. Kenneth Pollack is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, Bruce Riedel is Director of Research at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, and Jeremy Shapiro is a Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy and Director of Research at the Center on the United States and Europe. Michael O’Hanlon of the Brookings Institution moderated the event.
Riedel called for the U.S. to “clearly stand behind the new democratically-elected government” in Pakistan, while Pollack recommended that the U.S. aggressively engage Iran in order to best serve our interests in the region.
For POMED’s full notes, click here.
Posted in Afghanistan, Elections, Event Notes, Foreign Aid, Iran, Iraq, Legislation, Pakistan, Terrorism, US foreign policy, al-Qaeda | Comment »
Pakistan Intelligence Linked to Indian Embassy Bombing
August 1st, 2008 by Sarah
U.S. intelligence officials have accused Pakistan’s military intelligence of providing “logistical support” to militants who bombed the Indian embassy in Afghanistan last month. Joby Warrick in the Washington Post argues that the finding “has dramatically heightened U.S. concerns about long-standing ties between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency and Taliban-allied groups that are battling U.S. forces in Afghanistan.”
Posted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Terrorism, US foreign policy | Comment »
Less Support for Nationbuilding in Afghanistan
July 31st, 2008 by Sarah
The International Crisis Group notes that the Taliban’s successful media campaign has resulted in a ”weakening of public support for nation-building, even though few actively support the Taliban.” To best compete in the War of Ideas, the ICG recommends that the Afghan government increase dialogue and transparency by “responding quickly to civilian casualties and other alleged abuses that are likely to feed into insurgent propaganda,” and “speaking out strongly and consistently about Taliban killings and attacks, while holding the international community and Afghan national security agencies proportionately accountable for their actions.”
Posted in Afghanistan, US foreign policy | Comment »
Reasonable Expectations in Afghanistan
July 23rd, 2008 by Adam
Ralph Peters writes in USA Today that the U.S. needs to have realistic goals in Afghanistan because the complexity of the reality on the ground makes it difficult to fulfill America’s lofty objectives. The porous Afghan-Pakistan border and Afghanistan’s tribal, multi-ethnic nature make it unlikely that it will become truly peaceful, even with a long-term presence of foreign troops. Peters suggests that the U.S. should aim for a situation in Afghanistan that is relatively peaceful and only plagued by manageable problems that do not threaten global security.
Posted in Afghanistan, US foreign policy | Comment »
Surge: The Sequel
July 22nd, 2008 by Adam
Ann Marlowe writes in the Wall Street Journal that calls for a surge in Afghanistan are misguided and attempts to place a one-size-fits-all counterinsurgency strategy on the nation will exacerbate the current situation. Marlowe asserts, “Afghanistan’s problems are not the same as Iraq’s. Its people aren’t recovering from a brutal, all-controlling tyranny, but from decades of chaos and centuries of bad government. Afghanistan, unlike Iraq, is largely illiterate and has a relatively undeveloped civil society.” She suggests that greater developmental assistance and resolving the situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border is more relevant to stabilizing Afghanistan than more U.S. troops.
Posted in Afghanistan, Military | Comment »
On Saving Afghanistan
July 18th, 2008 by Amanda
Time Magazine discusses the stagnation and deterioration of development in Afghanistan and what the US should do to get the nation back on its feet. The article suggests that troop build-up is not the panacea; “A smarter strategy would focus on two elements: more effective aid and a more limited military objective.” It continues that the US ought to strengthen foreign policy through “smaller and more creative” means of “nation-building [and] governance”.
Foreign Policy examines President Hamid Karzai’s position as the Afghani government slips into a deepening pattern of corruption. FP thinks that with the 2009 Presidential elections around the corner, Karzai should embark on a bureaucratic “house cleaning” with help from the United States, declaring that eliminating corruption is a matter where “active American support is critical”.
Posted in Afghanistan, US foreign policy | Comment »
Calling for Consistent Foreign Aid
July 16th, 2008 by Sarah
Andrew Sweet and Natalie Ondiak at The Center for American Progress have released a report examining how inconsistent U.S. foreign aid has undercut long-term security needs in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Liberia, Sudan and Ethiopia. While aid spikes during crisis, the U.S. fails to invest in “preventing crisis before they occur or to consolidate progress when crisis subside.”
For the full report, click here.
Posted in Afghanistan, Foreign Aid, US foreign policy | Comment »
Afghanistan Suspends Meetings With Pakistan
July 16th, 2008 by Sarah
Barnett R. Rubin at Informed Comment posts a statement by the Afghanistan Cabinet Meeting castigating Pakistan Intelligence for becoming “the largest center for breeding and exporting terrorism and extremism to the world and particularly to Afghanistan.” Although it distinguished Pakistan Intelligence and from the country’s elected government, the statement held that Afghanistan will “suspend its bilateral and multilateral meetings and sessions [with Pakistan] until a positive spirit of dialogue and understanding for mutual trust is restored.”
In response, an editorial in The International News (Pakistan) criticizes the Afghanistan Cabinet Meeting for amplifying tension between the two countries, as it “will only make the effort to combat terrorism more arduous” and add to speculation that the U.S. is considering raids into Pakistan.
Posted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Terrorism | Comment »
2008: McCain on Afghanistan
July 16th, 2008 by Matt
Shortly after Barack Obama’s speech yesterday, John McCain spoke on Iraq and Afghanistan as well, focusing mainly on the latter. McCain’s speech, being smaller in scope, offered more detail on the military and counterinsurgency tactics necessary to win the war, but also found some common ground with Obama on encouraging democratic development through strengthening institutions, the rule of law, the economy, and cutting down on the drug trade. McCain would employ “specific governance and development benchmarks”, agreed upon with the Afghan government, to track success. McCain also linked Afghanistan’s success with Pakistan, promising to help “empower the new civilian government of Pakistan to defeat radicalism with greater support for development, health, and education.”
Matt Yglesias wonders about McCain’s ability to engender the international cooperation he is hoping for in Afghanistan. Ed Morrissey trusts McCain’s ability to win a counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan over Obama’s.
Posted in Afghanistan, Election 08, US foreign policy, US politics | Comment »
Possible Attacks on Iran?
July 15th, 2008 by Sarah
Today, Fars News Agency (Iran) reports that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is interested in having direct talks, without preconditions, with the U.S. “if they come to us on equal footing.”
In regard to a possible Israeli or U.S. attack on Iran, Gwynne Dyer at Arab News is skeptical and argues that Iran “clearly concluded that all the American and Israeli threats to attack them are mere bluff.” Dyer believes Iran’s recent missile testing is merely a cost-free strategy to strengthen Iran’s support domestically.
Meanwhile, an editorial in The Jordan Times recommends that “diplomacy must be given more time to work out a solution to the crisis, especially when there are signs that the Iranian authorities will blink first.”
However John Bolton argues in the Wall Street Journal that “instead of debating how much longer to continue five years of failed diplomacy, we should be intensively considering what cooperation the U.S. will extend to Israel before, during and after a strike on Iran. We will be blamed for the strike anyway, and certainly feel whatever negative consequences result, so there is compelling logic to make it as successful as possible. At a minimum, we should place no obstacles in Israel’s path, and facilitate its efforts where we can.”
In regard to using Afghanistan as a possible launching pad for such an attack, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in an interview with Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, states that “Afghanistan would never like its soil to be used against another country,” emphasizing his desire to remain on good terms with both Iran and the United States.
Posted in Afghanistan, Diplomacy, Iran, Israel, Military | Comment »
Recommitting to Afghanistan
July 9th, 2008 by Adam
In an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) criticizes the Bush administration for neglecting Afghanistan and damaging our initial successes. With the Bush administration refocusing on Afghanistan, Casey recommends three diplomatic and military steps that the U.S. must take to ensure Afghanistan does not slide into further instability. These include developing a strategy to deal with extremist groups operating on the Afghan-Pakistan border, renewed support for Afghan security forces, and increased development assistance to bolster the effectiveness of the state.
Posted in Afghanistan, US foreign policy | Comment »
Heartland and the Pakistan border
July 9th, 2008 by Sarah
The latest issue of the online journal, Heartland: Eurasian Review of Geopolitics, addresses “The Pakistani Boomerang,” outlining the situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and features articles by Barry Rubin, John C. Hulsman, and Ariel Cohen, among many others.
John C. Hulsman argues that the latest National Intelligence Estimate’s findings signals “the beginning of the end of one of the most contentious presidencies in American history.” But he warns that Iran’s nuclear ambitions will still be a major issue facing the next U.S. President.
Ariel Cohen outlines the winners and losers of the NIE report (Winners: China, Russia, Ahmedinejad. Losers: Bush, Cheney, U.S. credibility, Neo-Cons, Israel, and the Iranian people) and outlines the possible responses in U.S. foreign policy.
Meanwhile Barry Rubin examines how modern Arab regimes neutralize democratic forces through repression and cooption, by revitalizing Arab nationalist ideology and by painting reformers as the true enemy of the people.
Posted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Terrorism, US foreign policy | Comment »
Strategic Withdrawal of Troops
July 7th, 2008 by Sarah
The National Security Network at Democracy Arsenal links Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki’s announcement that a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops could be included in the Status of Forces Agreement with the National Intelligence Estimate’s report arguing that Afghanistan and Pakistan pose the greatest threat to the U.S. and a withdrawal from Iraq is essential to fighting al-Qaeda.
Posted in Afghanistan, Iraq, Military, Pakistan, US foreign policy, al-Qaeda | Comment »
Good Governance as a Counter-Terrorism Tactic?
June 30th, 2008 by Sarah
Xenia Dormandy in The Christian Science Monitor recommends that the best way for the U.S. to quell terrorist groups along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is to ease our military pressure and promote good governance in Pakistan. By improving democracy, “jobs, infrastructure, education, and healthcare (all types of things that imply good governance and which the Pakistani government has been inadequate in providing),” terrorist groups will be weakened.
Posted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, al-Qaeda | Comment »
