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Our Dossier

This dossier documents the United States relationship with Afghanistan.

Please use the tabs to access the three sections of this dossier:

Tab 1 lists US priorities with regard to Africa, major USG statements, recent USG statements, USG fact sheets, and US. Govt. reports. 

Tab 2 lists non-US. Govt. reports, journal articles, and other documents.

Tab 3 provides a set of links to major web sites.

If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us through email.

    
 

Non US. Govt. Reports

Saving Afghanistan:
An Appeal and Plan for Urgent Action The purpose of this paper by the ACUS is to sound the alarm and to propose specific actions that must be taken now if Afghanistan is to succeed in becoming a secure, safe and functioning state.

 

THE AFGHAN-PAKISTAN WAR: A STATUS REPORT.  This CSIS report defines the war as an Afghan-Pakistan conflict and “addresses the fact that the war is not an Afghan conflict but one whose center of gravity is the Pashtun and tribal areas in southern and eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan.” 

Measuring Progress in Afghanistan This  Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project (CSIS) main findings are that Afghans are losing trust in their government because of an escalation in violence; Public expectations are neither being met nor managed and Conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated in all key areas targeted for
development, except for the economy and women’s rights.

Afghanistan and its Neighbors: an ever Dangerous Neighborhood. Marvin G. Weinbaum. United States Institute of Peace (USIP). June 2006.

The fate of Afghanistan and the success of U.S. and coalition efforts to stabilize Afghanistan will in large measure be affected by the current and future policies pursued by other countries in the region. The author evaluates the courses of action key neighbors may take that will affect Afghanistan's physical, political and economic security.

 

  
 

United States policy toward Afghanistan: a Dossier

NATO assumes command in Eastern Afghanistan Photo by WO2 Fiona Stapley
NATO assumes command in Eastern Afghanistan Photo by WO2 Fiona Stapley 

Journal Articles

Disclaimer: The materials in this section are from sources outside the U.S. Government and should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein or as official U.S. policy.

Richards, David. A firm foundation. NATO Review, Spring 2007, online article. Article Available from Publisher's website.

Constructive engagement with all elements of the Afghan government was and remains essential to advance the mission. The breadth of the campaign at the operational level has required the engagement of the Headquarters with senior military and political leaders. A Key Leader Engagement plan was devised to ensure that meetings were focused and that my intent was properly articulated. Similarly, despite a cool political environment between Pakistan and Afghanistan, our engagement with the Pakistani military through the Tripartite Commission was and remains essential for building confidence across the border. Campaign success will not be achieved without close cooperation with Pakistan. General David Richards is Commander, Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps

Carp, Mihai. Building stability in Afghanistan. NATO Review. Spring 2006, online article. Full text available from publisher website

Mihai Carp assesses the challenges of and prospects for NATO's Afghan operation as the Alliance expands its presence in Afghanistan. For ISAF and NATO, the next few years will be decisive as a more stable and secure Afghanistan will have far-reaching benefits. By applying a determined and consistent policy in Afghanistan and carrying out our UN-mandated mission, we will not only help defeat terrorism and contribute to regional stability but create a better life for millions of Afghans who continue to depend on the international community's support. Mihai Carp is deputy head of the crisis-management policy section in NATO's Operations Division.

Felbab-Brown, Vanda. AFGHANISTAN: WHEN COUNTERNARCOTICS UNDERMINES COUNTERTERRORISM. The Washington Quarterly, Autumn 2005, pp. 55-72. Full text available from publisher website

Paradoxically, counternarcotics efforts in Afghanistan frequently complicate counterterrorism and counterinsurgency objectives and can even undermine democratization. Counternarcotics strategy should concentrate instead on strengthening the Afghan state’s capacity. Vanda Felbab-Brown is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Riphenburg, Carol. AFGHANISTAN'S CONSTITUTION: SUCCESS OR SHAM? Middle East Policy, Spring 2005, pp. 31-44. Full text available from publisher website

Following three weeks of often-contentious debate, the Constitutional Loya Jirga approved Afghanistan's seventh constitution, by consensus rather than through a vote, on Jan 4, 2004. Riphenburg comments on whether the country's new constitution will be a success or will it fail just like the previous six attempts. Dr. Riphenburg is a professor of political science at the College of DuPage. 

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