U.S. Family Rescued from Afghanistan After Years of Captivity
An American woman along with her husband and three children held captive in Afghanistan since October 2012 were recovered yesterday by Pakistani forces, officials said […] More
Taliban
Pakistan, U.S. Continue Blame Game over Terror
Pakistan’s foreign minister says the Trump administration is blaming Islamabad for America’s own failure to rout out terrorism in the region. “We are not saying […] More
What’s Next for Afghanistan and Iran? Water Wars
Multiple challenges face Iran-Afghanistan relations, chief among them are security and resource issues. Tehran seeks a stable government in Kabul, but one that does not […] More
Afghan Opium Trade Sticks a Thorn in Iran’s Side
As Afghanistan’s neighbor to the west, Iran has significant security and economic interests vis-à-vis Afghanistan. Relations between the two countries have been complicated for centuries, […] More
How the U.S. and Iran Play the Afghan ‘Great Game’
As Afghanistan’s western neighbor, Iran maintains a vested interest in prodding war-torn Afghanistan towards achieving political and economic stability. Burdened by Afghan refugees and a […] More
U.S. and Taliban Locked in Chess Match to Decide Afghanistan’s Fate
During a primetime address to the nation last Monday, President Donald Trump laid out his vision for the United States in Afghanistan: “our troops will […] More
In Afghanistan, Keep Your Eye on the Exit
The President’s announcement of his strategy for Afghanistan opens a new era for the 16-year war, yet most of the rhetoric and strategy matches that […] More
U.S. Calls Pakistan on its Double-Game
U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to take a stronger stance vis-à-vis Pakistan as part of his new U.S. strategy for South Asia. “We can […] More
Trump Over-Emphasizes the Military in Afghanistan
Six months into his presidency, Donald Trump and his national security team are struggling to develop an Afghanistan strategy. His defense secretary, Jim Mattis, presented […] More
Pakistan’s Proxy Strategy Principal Cause of Mistrust for U.S.
Despite Pakistani claims to have taken action against all terrorist groups on its soil, U.S. government officials have continued to signal that neither anti-Afghan Taliban […] More
Great Potential to Deepen U.S.-Pakistani Relations
As the Trump Administration debates sets its policy for the way forward in Afghanistan, it will also need to consider the role of Pakistan in […] More
U.S. Running Out of Options in Afghanistan
The U.S. war in Afghanistan has entered into its 16th year with no end in sight. With the battle against the Taliban essentially mired in […] More
One-Size-Fits-All Approach Fails in Afghanistan
The U.S. continues to face a daunting challenge in Afghanistan, as it aims to bring stability to a country that has been plagued by conflict […] More
Trump’s Options for Afghanistan: Losing or Not Losing
The American war in Afghanistan is in its 16th year. It was preceded by 12 years of civil war, and before that by the Soviet […] More
Committed to the Afghan Mission
The Cipher Brief spoke with Representative Will Hurd, R-Tex., about what more the U.S. can do to improve security and the economy in Afghanistan. Hurd […] More
The Long-Goodbye to Afghanistan – Should It Get Longer?
Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that ISIS’ leader in Afghanistan, Sheikh Abdul Hasib, was killed in an April 27 joint-operation carried out by Afghan […] More
“We Must Win in Afghanistan:” Terror Groups Exploiting Stalemate
In an exclusive interview with The Cipher Brief, Hamdullah Mohib, the Afghan Ambassador to the U.S., emphasized the progress that the Afghan government, led by […] More
The Never Ending Story: The Morass of Afghanistan and Pakistan
The new administration must surely be thinking about the challenges of Afghanistan and Pakistan and what to do. The region has bedeviled outsiders for generations. […] More