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Afghanistan

Nation Building
commentary
President Trump's Recommitment to Nation-Building in Afghanistan
Laurel E. Miller
Aug 30, 2017
Newsweek
In his speech on Afghanistan, President Trump maintained his stance against nation-building. But like President Obama's policy, the refreshed approach hinges on the U.S. developing Afghan government capabilities to fight the Taliban, provide for the country's long-term security, and serve as a counterterrorism partner.
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Politics and Government
commentary
What Afghanistan Needs to Move Forward: A Political Solution
S. Rebecca Zimmerman @_rebeccaz
Aug 24, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Although the U.S. military's role in maintaining stability has been crucial, a real solution needs to consider Afghan politics first. The United States and the international community should push for parliamentary elections to build confidence between the government and the people.
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Afghanistan
commentary
Trump's New Afghanistan Strategy: Governing from the Center?
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Aug 22, 2017
The Hill
The president has embraced a national security establishment strategy for Afghanistan with a veneer that does not alter its essence. The result is likely to disappoint some of his supporters and to be criticized by his opponents, but it will also secure a measure of bipartisan support.
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Military Acquisition and Procurement
commentary
Privatizing the Military Unlikely to Be a Viable Solution in Afghanistan
Molly Dunigan @MollyDunigan
Aug 14, 2017
The National Interest
Operational contractors are now an entrenched part of the Department of Defense’s total force and are here to stay. But replacing U.S. military personnel with contractors is not likely to be a militarily effective solution for the Afghanistan problem.
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Military Acquisition and Procurement
commentary
Is It a Good Idea to Privatize the War in Afghanistan?
S. Rebecca Zimmerman @_rebeccaz
Aug 4, 2017
Newsweek
The CEO of the Blackwater Corporation has suggested that the U.S. should privatize the war in Afghanistan, and the administration is reportedly giving it some thought. It is important not to dismiss this plan categorically, but to consider it on the merits. Doing so highlights the risks of such a plan.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
While Americans Fight the Taliban, Putin Is Making Headway in Afghanistan
Arturo Munoz
Jul 31, 2017
Newsweek
The Russians are ramping up political, economic, and propaganda activities to improve their image and reestablish their influence amid pervasive corruption that is impeding progress in Afghanistan.
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Afghanistan
commentary
A Peace 'Surge' to End War in Afghanistan
Laurel E. Miller
Jul 24, 2017
New York Times
President Trump has no easy options in Afghanistan. A surge of U.S. commitment to negotiating a political settlement would not remove all the obstacles, but it is a prerequisite.
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Afghanistan
commentary
Trump's Options for Afghanistan: Losing or Not Losing
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Jun 23, 2017
The Cipher Brief
The Trump administration faces the choice of losing quickly by withdrawing from Afghanistan; losing slowly by maintaining America's current, inadequate commitment; or not losing by increasing that commitment enough to maintain a stalemate on the battlefield.
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Special Operations Forces
commentary
SOF's Evolving Role: Warfare 'By, With, and Through' Local Forces
Linda Robinson @RobinsonL100
May 9, 2017
The Cipher Brief
U.S. special operations forces are not providing the muscle of the frontline combat troops fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Instead, they are providing meaningful support to the various indigenous forces. If they succeed, this model could become a standard option in the U.S. military playbook.
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Afghanistan
commentary
How Trump Should Manage Afghanistan
Seth G. Jones @SethGJones
Mar 21, 2017
Foreign Affairs
While media coverage has focused on Syria and Iraq, Afghanistan remains an important frontline state in the fight against terrorism. The Trump administration should aim to prevent the Taliban from overthrowing the Afghan government, encourage political reconciliation, and pursue terrorists that threaten the United States.
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Terrorist Organizations
commentary
Beware the New Mujahideen: The Threat from Future Jihadist Networks
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke, Chad C. Serena, Amarnath Amarasingam
Mar 14, 2017
The National Interest
Today's terrorist networks will multiply far beyond the wars in Iraq and Syria. When one conflict ends, these fighters often join another. It is critical they be denied safe haven and the ability to train and network in ungoverned territories.
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Afghanistan
commentary
The Islamic State-Taliban Rivalry in Afghanistan
Seth G. Jones @SethGJones
Nov 28, 2016
Lawfare
The weakening of the Islamic State is a positive step. But Taliban successes against the group have strengthened the Taliban's power, bolstered its reputation, and complicated U.S. and Afghan government efforts to wind down the Afghan war.
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Afghanistan
commentary
Book Review: 'A Kingdom of Their Own: The Family Karzai and the Afghan Disaster'
Jonah Blank
Oct 15, 2016
Foreign Affairs
Foreign observers of Afghanistan tend to think of former President Hamid Karzai's government as a clan of corrupt thugs, led by a feckless, petulant whiner. Joshua Partlow's book tells the story and explores the question of how much the Karzais were responsible for the deterioration of U.S.-Afghan ties.
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Security Cooperation
blog
Strategic Reversal in Afghanistan
Jun 24, 2016
A new contingency plan considers what an unraveling of Afghanistan's political and security situation over the next 18 months would mean — and what can be done to prevent it.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
Afghanistan After Mansour
Seth G. Jones @SethGJones
Jun 17, 2016
Foreign Affairs
The death of Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour is unlikely to transform the conflict in Afghanistan or improve the prospects for a deal between Kabul and the Taliban. In the coming months, the U.S. presence in the country will be as important as ever.
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Special Operations Forces
blog
Special Ops Women: A Conversation with Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Apr 26, 2016
Best-selling author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses how recent conflicts changed the role of U.S. military women, the missing story about women in uniform, and more.
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Afghanistan

President Trump's Recommitment to Nation-Building in Afghanistan

What Afghanistan Needs to Move Forward: A Political Solution

Trump's New Afghanistan Strategy: Governing from the Center?

Privatizing the Military Unlikely to Be a Viable Solution in Afghanistan

Is It a Good Idea to Privatize the War in Afghanistan?

While Americans Fight the Taliban, Putin Is Making Headway in Afghanistan

A Peace 'Surge' to End War in Afghanistan

Trump's Options for Afghanistan: Losing or Not Losing

SOF's Evolving Role: Warfare 'By, With, and Through' Local Forces

How Trump Should Manage Afghanistan

Beware the New Mujahideen: The Threat from Future Jihadist Networks

The Islamic State-Taliban Rivalry in Afghanistan

Book Review: 'A Kingdom of Their Own: The Family Karzai and the Afghan Disaster'

Strategic Reversal in Afghanistan

Afghanistan After Mansour

Special Ops Women: A Conversation with Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

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