Research & Publications: Afghanistan

In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts provide analysis on Secretary Pompeo's speech on Iran, Erdogan's decision to lift Turkey's state of emergency, the cease-fire in Gaza, Iran's continued threat in Syria, Trump's tweets on Iran, and Vice President Dostum's return to Afghanistan.

In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts Gerald Feierstein, Randa Slim, Marvin G. Weinbaum, and Jean-Francois Seznec provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including the seizure of Hodeida by an Emirati-led coalition, Iraq's ongoing political negotiations, the killing of TTP leader Mullah Fazlullah, and Friday's OPEC meeting in Vienna.

In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts Randa Slim, Charles Lister, Jean-François Seznec, Alex Vatanka, Marvin G. Weinbaum, and Bilal Y. Saab provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including a mysterious fire that has disrupted Iraq's election recount, de-escalation efforts in northwestern Syria, the Saudi crown prince's upcoming visit to Russia, Iran's turn eastward following the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal, a cease-fire agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and questions about U.S. use of the Al Udeid airbase in a potential war with Iran.

In her March 15 op-ed in The New York Times, “Tell the Truth About Afghanistan”, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice offers three "bad options" for the United States as a solution to the Afghan conflict: a limited engagement focusing on providing training, equipment, and advice for Afghan security forces which she argues would only slow down the Taliban; a complete withdrawal of troops, which would then leave the Afghan government prone to increased insurgency and interference from other international and regional players; or a strategy of permanent presence in the country. The Trump administration, she argues, has chosen the third option, but without explaining it to the American people.