The Afghanistan Question and the Reset in U.S.-Russian Relations
Abstract
In this monograph, Dr. Richard Krickus provides the historical background to the Afghanistan Question and assesses current events in the Afghan war with three objectives in mind. The first objective is to determine whether Russian-American cooperation in Afghanistan has been successful. Toward this end, he revisits the rationale behind the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 30 years ago; shows how it and the civil war that followed it helped give rise to al-Qaeda and the Taliban; and assesses the failure of authorities in Washington and Moscow to prevent an evil partnership that led to September 11, 2001. he second objective is to identify and evaluate the successes and failures of the counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy as the transition from U.S. to Afghanistan authority gains traction in the 2011-2014 time frame. Among other things, he considers three scenarios that characterize current operations in Afghanistan and assesses two plausible alternative outcomes. He claims that while the goals of COIN have not been fully realized, the capacity of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan has been dismantled for all intents and purposes, and, through our counterterrorist operations, the Taliban have experienced serious reversals. Successes against the Taliban, however, remain fragile, and the road ahead is a difficult one. The third objective is to provide conclusions and recommendations bearing on developments in Afghanistan. Dr. Krickus submits a number of provocative observations and policy preferences in anticipating the difficult withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. He proposes that the road to a successful resolution of the Afghanistan conflict must include political reconciliation with the Taliban through a diplomatic initiative that enlists the support of all major stakeholders in the region. At the same time, Pakistan must be put on notice that it cannot continue to provide sanctuaries to jihadists that are killing Americans without consequences.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA552784
Entities
People
- Richard J. Krickus
Organizations
- United States Army War College