Paper
Gilles Dorronsoro
Source: Getty
Article
Realities and Priorities: What to Do in Afghanistan
The Taliban’s recent advances in Kandahar are genuine and troubling. Coalition forces can avoid the mistakes of the past by not investing resources in rural districts and shifting focus to securing the cities and the north.
Published on Aug 11, 2009
The Taliban’s recent advances in Kandahar are genuine and troubling. Coalition forces can avoid the mistakes fo the past by investing resources in rural districts and shifting focus to securing the cities and the north.
Dorronsoro Explains:
- The Taliban have won control of the Pashtun belt and Helmand Province. The high level of xenophobia in these areas, coupled with the Taliban’s ability to address local grievances, will make it impossible for the coalition to control the countryside.
- As a first priority, the coalition forces should stem the Taliban’s growing influence in the north, specifically in Baghlan, Kunduz, Takhar, Badghis, Herat, and Ghor.
- Because of their countryside dominance, the Taliban are now attacking cities, including Gardez, Khost, and Pul-i Alam. The coalition forces should prioritize securing the cities, where there is a higher likelihood for success compared to the rural areas.
To read the full debate on ForeignPolicy.com, click here.
About the Author
Gilles Dorronsoro
Former Nonresident Scholar, South Asia Program
Dorronsoro’s research focuses on security and political development in Afghanistan. He was a professor of political science at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Institute of Political Studies of Rennes.
- Waiting for the Taliban in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan: The Impossible TransitionPaper
Gilles Dorronsoro
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Book Review of Enduring Hostility: The Making of America’s Iran PolicyResearch
A review of a detailed account of how antipathy toward Tehran has assumed a life and logic of its own in Washington, DC.
Jane Darby Menton
- The Dual Imperative in Turkish Foreign Policy: Right-Wing Populists and Their OppositionPaper
Turkish right-wing populists have been trying to advance the country’s middle-power goals based on perceptions of what the public wants, but they have been doing so in ways that reinforce their project of autocratic political consolidation.
Murat Somer
- Trump Can Play Kingmaker in Latin America. He Can’t Build Lasting Influence.Commentary
In Colombia and elsewhere in the region, the United States is trying to shape election outcomes—but at what cost?
Oliver Stuenkel, Adrian Feinberg
- Iran War Fallout Gifts Putin Diplomatic Victory at ASEAN SummitCommentary
Russia looks set to reap economic benefits from closer ties with Southeast Asian countries that are keen to find reliable energy suppliers and diversify trade ties.
Alexander Gabuev
- The Trump-Shaped Hole in the European Security StrategyCommentary
There is an elephant in the room when it comes to the EU’s upcoming security strategy: Donald Trump. Unless European leaders acknowledge the depth of the transatlantic crisis, true autonomy will remain out of reach.
Stefan Lehne
