Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy
Abstract
Stated U.S. policy is to ensure that Afghanistan will not again become a base for terrorist attacks against the United States. Following three policy reviews on Afghanistan, the latest in December 2010, the Obama Administration asserts that it is pursuing a well-resourced and integrated military-civilian strategy intended to pave the way for a gradual transition to Afghan leadership that will begin in July 2011 and be completed by the end of 2014. To carry out U.S. policy, a total of 51,000 additional U.S. forces were authorized by the two 2009 reviews, bringing U.S. troop numbers to their current level of about 100,000, with partner forces adding about 41,000. Amid widespread doubts that Afghan governance and security institutions will be strong enough to protect themselves by that time, U.S. officials say that the U.S. intent is for a long term relationship with Afghanistan that might include U.S. military involvement long after 2014. In March 2011 testimony, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, stated that insurgent momentum has been blunted and even reversed in some key areas but he reiterated Administration comments that gains remain "fragile and reversible." That view was echoed by a White House assessment, released April 5, 2011. On the basis of those assessments, the transition is set to proceed in late June 2011 beginning with seven areas announced by President Hamid Karzai on March 22, and accompanied by a drawdown of U.S. forces that is expected to be small initially and progress gradually. U.N. assessments and some outside experts are more pessimistic than U.S. official views, asserting that insurgents will reassert themselves as international forces draw down.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA543581
Entities
People
- Kenneth Katzman
Organizations
- Library of Congress