Afghanistan | AEIdeas

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Photo Credit: The White House/Pete Souza

The top 10 ObamaLeaks John Brennan needs to explain

Marc Thiessen | February 6, 2013, 10:40 am

When John Brennan appears for his confirmation hearing as the next CIA director tomorrow, he needs to explain to the Senate these ten major leaks of classified national security information from the Obama administration — including the strange timing of … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Iran wields soft power in Afghanistan

Ahmad Majidyar | January 25, 2013, 8:56 am

Afghanistan’s former intelligence chief, Amrullah Saleh, has written an informative piece on the BBC Pashto website, explaining Iran’s soft power and hard power activities aimed at expanding the country’s influence in Afghanistan and undermining U.S. interests there. He notes that … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, AfPak

How many troops does the US need in Afghanistan?

Frederick W. Kagan and Christopher Harmer | January 17, 2013, 2:36 pm

Discussions about how many troops are needed in Afghanistan after 2014 have come to seem like a competition—I can name that war in 3,000 troops; well, I can name it in 2,500… The proliferation of numbers without any explanation of … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, AfPak

Afghan pundits question ‘hasty’ transition

Ahmad Majidyar | January 15, 2013, 9:10 am

Afghan lawmakers, politicians, and security analysts warn that a hasty transition risks undoing the last decade’s achievements and aids efforts by the Taliban and al Qaeda to reconstitute in parts of the country. read more >

Image Credit: DrSmith 7383 (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy, AfPak

Banter #82: Drone Strikes, Pakistan, and the Taliban

Stuart James | January 11, 2013, 2:30 pm

Drones have played a major role of the United States’ war on terrorism. Earlier this month Mullah Nazir, a top Taliban commander in Pakistan, was killed by a drone strike and AEI’s Reza Jan is here to discuss the importance … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, AfPak

The reality of retreat

Frederick W. Kagan | January 10, 2013, 10:51 am

Leaked White House plans to keep only a minimal American military footprint in Afghanistan after 2014 to conduct training and counter-terrorism operations do not reflect military realities. A force of 6,000 troops or so will be unable either to support … read more >

Image Credit: Sgt. David A. Bryant (US Army)

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

A woman of substance

Paul Wolfowitz | December 20, 2012, 12:35 am

I am not deeply familiar with Michele Flournoy’s record at the Defense Department or with her overall qualifications to be Secretary of Defense, but I know about one aspect of her work as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy that weighs … read more >

Taliban insurgents and their weapons confiscated by Afghan joint forces during an operation are presented to the media in Jalalabad province December 18, 2012. REUTERS/Parwiz

Foreign and Defense Policy, AfPak

Coming to Afghanistan: The next war of all against all

Gary Schmitt | December 18, 2012, 9:56 am

Three bits of recent news from and about Afghanistan tell you virtually all you need to know about how bad it’s about to get in that country as the US and allied forces prepare to end combat operations there. First, … read more >

Image Credit: Official U.S. Army Imagery (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy

Restricting joint operations with ANSF: Major setback to mission in Afghanistan

Ahmad Majidyar | September 19, 2012, 8:31 am

The U.S. and NATO’s decision to restrict joint operations with the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) presents a major setback to the military mission in Afghanistan. The new rules call into question the most critical pillar of the Obama administration’s … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy

Deadlines for everything but deterrence

Gary Schmitt | September 10, 2012, 4:36 pm

According to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Obama administration is dead set against “setting deadlines” for Iran to comply with international calls to end its obvious drive to acquire a nuclear weapons capability. The secretary’s statement comes on the … read more >

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