Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
Legal justification and transparency of drone strikes have become a concern for the U.S. In reality, are these targeted killings advancing the strategic goals of U.S. counter-terrorism policy?
Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
A decade ago, the U.S. immersed itself in the greater Middle East with its wars on Afghanistan and Iraq. Will the current economic scenario force it to turn away from this region?
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Overall, the U.S.-Pakistan alliance hasn't been pleasant. Despite their growing mutual distrust for each other, which has become evident in the past few years, the alliance still continues. Is it worth all the troubles it comes with?
Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
To leave behind a stable government in Afghanistan in 2014, the U.S. needs to work towards electoral reforms, negotiations with the Taliban, and a regional settlement involving Pakistan.
Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
In 2001, fearing ethnic strife, the international community pushed for a strong central government in Kabul. But such fears fostered a system of regional and ethnic patronage. To correct matters, the U.S. should de-emphasize Afghanistan’s ethnic fault lines and push for more devolved and inclusive governance.
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Pakistan is unlikely to collapse anytime soon, but the imbalance of power between its civilian and military branches needs to be addressed if it is to become an effective modern state. Washington must stop coddling Pakistan’s military and instead work patiently to support the country’s civilian authorities.
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There are no easy or cost-free ways to escape the current quagmire in Afghanistan. Although it has problems, a de facto partition of Afghanistan, in which Washington pursues nation building in the north and counter terrorism in the south, offers an acceptable fallback.