Publication

This report offers an implementation framework for translating the goals of President Barack Obama's administration into feasible processes and actions in Afghanistan. It identifies four major threats that need to be tackled: Al-Qaida, insurgency, narcotics and poor governance and corruption. The author argues that the situation is difficult, but by no means impossible, and if the focus is on sustainable institution-building, the Taliban's gains can be reversed, governance can be improved and economic opportunity can be created. For this to happen the government must articulate, own and implement an agenda for state-building, and the international community must be a catalyst for state and market functionality.