Ideas

Everyone Knew We Were Losing in Afghanistan

And everyone in charge insisted we were winning.

Threats

Amid Rising Tensions: A Conversation with Pakistan’s Ambassador

Asad Majeed Khan discusses the U.S. troop pullout in Afghanistan, the worsening situation in Kashmir, and efforts to fight extremism.

Threats

The Taliban Got Way Deadlier in 2019, Says Pentagon's Afghanistan IG

The group mounted 3,500 deadly or wounding attacks this summer, even as U.S. airstrikes rose.

Threats

Pakistan May Be Stumbling Toward a Two-Front War

Months after India instituted a lockdown on the disputed region of Kashmir, clashes have erupted on Pakistan’s borders with Kashmir and with Afghanistan.

Ideas

‘We Shouldn’t Be Buying the Taliban’s Excuse’

The Afghan national security adviser wants his government to take over after a failed year of U.S. negotiations. But now the country has an uncertain election to contend with.

Ideas

Ep. 56: 10 trips to Afghanistan, with Kevin Maurer

North Carolina-based author Kevin Maurer talks about his latest trip in January, and how some U.S. soldiers derive meaning from the longest conflict in the nation's history.

Ideas

It’s Really Hard to Buy Peace in Afghanistan

Western leaders looking to replace troops with targeted aid may find it counterproductive.

Ideas

The US Military is Not, and Can Never Be, Afghanistan’s Police

If we were 'almost a police force' in Afghanistan, we already would have won.

Ideas

A Terrific Deal—For the Taliban

The president should have to answer for the Afghanistan mess in the 2020 election.

Ideas

America’s Déjà-Vu Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Like Obama in Iraq, Trump wants to stop fighting before the war is done.

Threats

Once Again, Trump Lurches to End a War, But Troops Remain

The collapse of talks with the Taliban raises questions about the president’s willingness to bring troops home from costly engagements overseas.

Threats

The Writing Was on the Wall With Afghanistan

The latest bout of bloodshed may have played some role in the actions Trump just took, but it is also a convenient out for an administration that had gone all in on a floundering initiative.

Threats

Dunford: Peace Agreement With The Taliban Is ‘Worth Trying’

“I’m not using the ‘withdrawal’ word right now,” the Pentagon’s top uniformed leader said Wednesday.

Threats

US Army: No Afghanistan Withdrawal Plans Yet

“We have not received any direction to do anything at this point,” says Acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy.

Ideas

How Does This War End? Afghanistan Endgame, Part 2

If the Haqqani network collapses the Afghan government, Pakistan threatens to make winning the next war even more difficult.

Ideas

It Matters Whether Americans Call Afghanistan a Defeat

The public’s judgment about whether the United States won or lost the war will affect civilian-military relations for years to come.

Ideas

In Afghanistan, Is Sirajuddin Haqqani Ready for Peace?

In peace talks with the Afghan Taliban, the United States should not fail to address the evolution of the Haqqani-al-Qaeda nexus.

Policy

Can US-Taliban Peace Talks End the War in Afghanistan?

U.S. officials say that they are close to reaching a deal with the Taliban, but peace in the country would still not be guaranteed.

Ideas

Don’t Peg Troop Withdrawals to the Political Calendar

Reductions in the U.S. presence should be tied to conditions on the ground in Afghanistan.

Ideas

The Missing Debate about Afghanistan

The president’s talk about “wiping” the country “off the face of the earth” highlights the need for a serious talk about U.S. goals and strategy.