CIAO DATE: 12/2012
April 2009
A new Asia Society Task Force report outlines a comprehensive reformulation of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the context of the rapidly deteriorating situation in both countries. The report, Back from the Brink? A Strategy for Stabilizing Afghanistan/Pakistan, argues that much of the effort in Afghanistan over recent years has been strategically unfocused and often counter-productive. Incremental changes alone, such as more troops or more aid, cannot address the monumental challenge that the U.S. faces in the region. The United States must now focus on isolating and defeating Al Qaeda and eliminating their sanctuaries in the region by providing security for the Afghan population, providing for the long-term stabilization of Afghanistan and Pakistan and encouraging regional cooperation in support of the above goals.
Resource link: Back from the Brink? A Strategy for Stabilizing Afghanistan-Pakistan [PDF] - 768K