Testing Obama’s Predicament in AfPak

Issue Brief
Apr 1, 2025

Rescuing Pakistan’s economy

By
Aasim M. Husain

For decades, Pakistan has struggled with a declining standard of living, skyrocketing public debt, and economic policies that have failed to address the root causes of its stagnation.

Economy & Business
Middle East

Testing Obama’s Predicament in AfPak

Issue Brief
Nov 14, 2024

Mapping South Asia’s digital landscape

By
Mark Linscott, Gopal Nadadur

Data protection regulations are becoming critical for South Asia, where some countries are increasingly driven by digital economies.

Bangladesh
Digital Policy

Testing Obama’s Predicament in AfPak

Memo to…
May 16, 2024

Memo to the UN secretary-general: Establish a UN conflict prevention mechanism for the Afghanistan region

By
Laurie Nathan and Nilofar Sakhi

The risk of conflict between Afghanistan and its neighbors has been rising since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and is now at a critical point. The UN has tools that have lowered the risk of major conflict in other tense neighborhoods. It’s time to deploy them for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan
Central Asia

Events

Online Event
Mon, February 12, 2024 • 10:00 am ET

Pakistan’s political economy after elections

Elections
Pakistan
South Asia

The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. ​At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.

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Content

New Atlanticist

Nov 18, 2009

Testing Obama’s Predicament in AfPak

By Harlan Ullman

After eight years of war and huge expenditures of national treasure, is the United States really serious about succeeding in Afghanistan and Pakistan?

Afghanistan Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 27, 2009

While Obama Dithers

By James Joyner

An incredibly junior contractor-for-hire has resigned over disagreement with our AfPak policy, prompting a high level scramble within the administration and a long feature in the Washington Post.

Afghanistan Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2009

Give Pakistan Modern Military Tools

By Shuja Nawaz

The battle for Pakistan has finally started in earnest along the northwest frontier. After months of warning of an impending attack, the Pakistani military moved into South Waziristan this weekend to stamp out the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which is allied with al Qaeda and allows the terrorist group to operate from the region. The Army […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 20, 2009

Pakistan’s Government, Not Military, Must Fight Taliban

By Shuja Nawaz

Rising violence, targeted and random, has become a fact of life in Pakistan today. It threatens the country’s political and economic future—and there still does not appear to be a strategy to stop it.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 15, 2009

Strategic Balance in AfPak

By James Joyner

Joe Biden is reportedly the Obama administration’s biggest opponent to escalation in Afghanistan, arguing internally that our current strategic priorities are seriously out of kilter.

Afghanistan Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 14, 2009

Pakistan Needs More than Aid

By Harlan Ullman

That no good deed goes unpunished is both cliche and irony. No better illustration can be found than in the uproar that accompanied the House of Representative’s passage last week of the Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill that “authorizes” an additional $1.5 billion a year for five years in non-military aid to Pakistan. “Authorize” is a key word.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Pakistan’s Trust Deficit

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Before we throw caution to the wind and build a new embassy in Islamabad, a la Baghdad, fit for 1,000 employees, let’s first acquire a proper understanding of the nature of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship.

Pakistan

Event Recap

Sep 29, 2009

First Annual Members’ Conference – Afghanistan-Pakistan: Is the Obama Plan Working?

By James Joyner

Summary of the breakout conversation “Afghanistan-Pakistan: Is the Obama Plan Working?” at the 2009 Annual Members’ Conference. PARTICIPANTS: Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, USN (Ret.), Former Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Mr. David Sedney, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Dr. Harlan Ullman, Founder, The Killowen Group; Senior Advisor, Atlantic Council Moderated by […]

Afghanistan Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Sep 1, 2009

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nuclear War

By Bernard Finel

As the foreign policy community has started to seriously question whether the war in Afghanistan serves America’s strategic interests, regional experts Jari Lindholm and Joshua Foust have offered up a new rationale: preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan.

Afghanistan India

New Atlanticist

Sep 1, 2009

Afghanistan War All Over But The Shooting

By Judah Grunstein

Does the U.S. have a vital strategic interest in Afghanistan-Pakistan that justifies our continued military presence there? Sadly, the answer is No.

Afghanistan Pakistan
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Experts

Staff

Manal Fatima

Assistant Director, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Disinformation Middle East

Fellow

Erum Haider

Assistant Professor, Political Science and Environmental Studies, The College of Wooster

South Asia Center

Civil Society Economy & Business

Fellow

Hameed Hakimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Migration Security & Defense

Fellow

Carrie Lee

Senior Advisor

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Central Asia

Fellow

Paul D. Miller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Pakistan

Fellow

Cameron Munter

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center South Asia Center

National Security Conflict
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