Publication

Against the backdrop of US and NATO plans to withdraw from Afghanistan, this policy brief offers a critical analysis of the intention to stabilize Afghan security through regional initiatives. The authors argue that, despite the optimistic rhetoric of Western actors, no clear vision of what a ‘regional solution’ would entail has been outlined and there is little evidence of engagement with the regional actors themselves. The strategy appears, therefore, to be less of an active policy-choice and more of a strategy by default that neglects complex regional dynamics.