Perspectives from the Ground
Why NATO's efforts to create an Afghan nation-state failed.
On the Newsstand:Taliban
Fighting for Malala
The shooting attack of 14-year-old Malala Yusufzai is a wake-up call for Pakistanis to combat religious violence.
Women in Jeopardy: Reconciliation in Afghanistan
Reconciliation between the Taliban and the Karzai government threatens to reverse much of the progress made by women in Afghanistan.
Graveyard of Empires
With a timetable set for withdrawal of U.S. troops by 2015, 'victory' isn't close to being a reality.
Talks Bring Optimism
Last week I wrote about Bob Woodward’s new book which shed light on the uncertainty of the US situation in Afghanistan. This week, there seems to be signs of hope in the form of Afghanistan-Taliban peace negotiations. It was announced on Monday that Taliban representatives are authorized to negotiate with the Afghanistan government on behalf of the Quetta Shura, the ... Read More
Silly Things Published in the NYT
I’m hardly an expert on modern warfare, but this New York Times op-ed is pretty clearly silly and deserving of refutation. Defense consultant Lara Dadkhah is discussing the way that NATO air forces have voluntarily drawn down their airstrikes and are thus tying one hand behind their back. She argues that this is incredibly harmful since “America does not have ... Read More
Fall 2009
Fog of War Volume 36, Number 3, Fall 2009 Letter from the Editor Front Section Bursting at the Seams IAN MERRIFIELD Drug incarcerations, prison overcrowding, and community corrections Escaping the Poppy Field IVANA DJAK, NEIL PATEL American anti-opium efforts in Afghanistan The Source of the Problem ANGELA PRIMBAS Confronting prescription drug abuse Decriminalization in Massachusetts MATTHEW S. MILLER, KATHERINE LEE ... Read More
Escaping the Poppy Field
American anti-opium efforts in Afghanistan Afghanistan’s war-devastated economy has one booming sector - the country produces 90 percent of the world’s opium. Money from this trade funds insurgents and terrorists, and encourages corrupt government officials to undermine security and the rule of law. Nevertheless, for decades U.S. policy towards Afghanistan failed to acknowledge the impact of opium. But in a ... Read More
How the Taliban Came Back
And what it may mean for the U.S. strategic dilemma With fraud-ridden elections, a growing insurgency, and expanding Taliban influence, Afghanistan is at its most critical crossroads since the overthrow of the fundamentalist regime eight years ago. A report leaked last month revealed that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, has requested 40,000 ... Read More
Avoiding the Politics of Aid
Nicolas De Torrente on how humanitarian aid organizations can be more effective and helpful in a world of global politics. Dr. De Torrente is the former Executive Director of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. He is currently a board member for the Drugs for Neglected Disease Initiative. Harvard Political Review: You have written in the Harvard International Review about the ... Read More
