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Gilles Dorronsoro
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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.
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- Afghanistan: The Impossible TransitionPaper
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