Fellow, Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict
Henigson rights fellow for the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, she spent the last year in Afghanistan
PROFILE
Erica Gaston
Guest
FROM Erica Gaston
Which Way, L.A.?
More Troops for Afghanistan: What Are They Going to Do? During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama wanted to refocus the "war on terror" from Iraq to Afghanistan. Development of a coherent policy is a work in progress. Richard Holbrooke, Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, is in the area now, and the President has said he wants more troops in Afghanistan. At last week's news conference, he hinted at what their mission might be.
To the Point
Balancing Military and Diplomacy in Afghanistan and Pakistan During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama said it was not Iraq, but Afghanistan that should be the focus of America's war on terror. The Taliban now control much of that country, and last week's murderous attacks on Kabul showed how easily they can penetrate the capital city. Development of a coherent policy is a work in progress, and Richard Holbrooke, Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, is in the area now. President Obama has said he wants to double American forces, but the very presence of foreign troops increases support for the Taliban. Road construction and economic development would be more popular, but they'd require resources the Pentagon doesn't have. The deadline for a new policy is the NATO summit in April.
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