March 16, 2009
Abu Muqawama Founder and Fellow Andrew Exum Discusses New CNAS Policy Paper on Afghanistan
In providing additional military forces for the Afghanistan war, the Obama administration has demonstrated that Afghanistan is no longer an economy-of-force campaign. But a troop surge alone is not enough to win the war. In orthodox counterinsurgency theory, providing essential services and strengthening governance are as important as fighting the enemy with guns and bullets. A precondition for allied success is an Afghan state that is legitimate in the eyes of its citizens and able to provide them with essential services. A renewed U.S. commitment to funding grassroots development and governance in Afghanistan must therefore accompany the influx of troops.
More from CNAS
-
Against All Odds
Reports
Executive Summary Eighteen months after taking power, the Taliban is intensifying its repression of Afghan civil society and cracking down on the rights and freedoms of all Af...
By Lisa Curtis, Annie Pforzheimer & Jan Mohammad Jahid
-
To Help Afghanistan, Engage Its Political Opposition
Commentary
The effort to help Afghans shape a better alternative should begin now....
By Richard Fontaine & Lisa Curtis
-
International Community Must Do More to Protect Human Rights in Afghanistan
Commentary
Human rights in Afghanistan, especially those of women and girls, have deteriorated sharply during the first year of Taliban rule. The very real prospect of losing a generatio...
By Lisa Curtis, Annie Pforzheimer & Jan Mohammad Jahid
-
Time to Get Tough on the Taliban
Commentary
As Washington reduces its diplomatic engagement with the Taliban, it should also focus on finding creative ways to support Afghan civil society...
By Lisa Curtis & Nader Nadery
