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.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readDuring 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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- 7:47Balancing Military and Diplomacy in Afghanistan and PakistanYou’re reading this
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The full episode
2 of 3More Troops for Afghanistan, but What's the Mission- 1:43Obama Awaits Auto Restructuring Plans, Cools on 'Car Czar'
- 7:47Balancing Military and Diplomacy in Afghanistan and PakistanYou’re reading this
- 42:37Secretary Clinton Seeks to Strengthen Ties in Asia