The U.S. is still sending money for Afghanistan. What’s the Strategy?
OPINION — “Billions in U.S. assistance continue to flow to Afghanistan to address its ongoing humanitarian and economic emergencies. With the removal of U.S. personnel, […] More
Taliban
Terrorist Groups are Again Thriving in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan
OPINION — Last month, the U.S. Central Command said it conducted 20 joint operations in Iraq and 11 in Syria, killing five Islamic State operatives and capturing […] More
The British Betrayal of an Afghan Special Police Commando Force
OPINION/EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — Two years ago, on August 28, 2021, the final British evacuation flight took off from Kabul airport. So ended 20 years of […] More
We Know Afghanistan’s Past but Where is it Headed?
The United States’ policy errors which led to the chaotic exit from Afghanistan were only surpassed by Pakistan’s blunder in championing the Taliban and the […] More
The Latest
Justice by Hellfire: The Killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri
It’s possible that the terrorist leader, wanted for his role in plotting the 9/11 attacks and later becoming the head of al Qaeda after the […] More
What Stands Between the Taliban and Recognition
This piece was first published by RUSI in London. The views do not represent those of RUSI. EXPERT PERSPECTIVE –The international community is coming under increasing […] More
Wars are not Won by Evacuations
Mark Kelton, Former Deputy Director, CIA’s Counterintelligence, National Clandestine Service Cipher Brief Expert Mark Kelton is a retired senior Central Intelligence Agency executive with 34 […] More
The Risk of Terrorism at Home and Abroad
As information emerges about Islamic State of Khorasan, or ISIS-K – the terrorist group that claimed responsibility for last week’s suicide attack that killed 13 […] More
Why We’re Much Safer from Terrorism Now than We Were After 9/11
Cipher Brief Expert Mike Leiter served in several senior national security positions in the federal government, to include as the Director of the National Counterterrorism […] More
A Profile of the New Taliban Leader
Dr. Kenneth Dekleva served as a Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist (including 5 years at the U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russian Federation and 2 years at the US […] More
What We Need to Know About the Taliban and Its Sharia Rule
Cipher Brief Expert Emile Nakhleh is a retired CIA Senior Intelligence Service Officer and founding director of the CIA’s Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program Office. […] More
What Intelligence was there on Afghanistan?
When The Washington Post reported this week that CIA Director William Burns slipped into Afghanistan on Monday to meet with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar, […] More
Afghanistan’s Clear and Present Danger
Cipher Brief Expert Daniel Hoffman is a former Chief of Station with the Central Intelligence Agency. His combined 30 years of distinguished government service included […] More
What 20 Years of Reconstruction Taught Us in Afghanistan
Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Walter Pincus is a contributing senior national security columnist at The Cipher Brief. He spent forty years at The Washington Post, writing on […] More
‘This Doesn’t Need to be Defeat. But at the Moment, it Damn Well Feels Like It’
Cipher Brief Expert Nick Fishwick CMG retired in 2012 after nearly thirty years in the British Foreign Service. He did postings in Lagos, Istanbul and […] More
Written in Taliban: U.S. Veterans Voice Anger Over Afghanistan
President Joe Biden admitted during his address from the White House this week that, “The scenes we’re seeing in Afghanistan, they’re gut-wrenching, particularly for our […] More
The Painful Lessons of Afghanistan
General Joseph L. Votel (Ret.) joined BENS as CEO & President in January 2020 following a 39-year military career where he commanded special operations and […] More
How Does Kabul End?
CIPHER BRIEF EXPERT PERSPECTIVE Cipher Brief Expert Tim Willasey-Wilsey served for over 27 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He is now Visiting […] More
Anticipating the Fall of Kabul’s Government
Cipher Brief Expert Tim Willasey-Wilsey served for over 27 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He is now Visiting Professor of War Studies […] More