The Death of Ahmed Wali Karzai – Filling the Void

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

The Death of Ahmed Wali Karzai – Filling the Void

New Atlanticist
Mar 25, 2025

Starlink’s India launch is a crash course on New Delhi’s approach to tech sovereignty

By
Trisha Ray

A recently announced partnership to deploy the Elon Musk-led company’s satellite internet in India offers a window into New Delhi’s “hybrid” approach.

Economy & Business
India

The Death of Ahmed Wali Karzai – Filling the Void

New Atlanticist
Feb 19, 2025

Why India and Armenia are now taking their relationship to new heights

By
Tatevik Khachatryan, Srujan Palkar

The growing military and diplomatic cooperation between New Delhi and Yerevan benefits both beyond immediate defense concerns.

Economy & Business
India

Programs

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.

Learn more

Content

New Atlanticist

Jul 14, 2011

The Death of Ahmed Wali Karzai – Filling the Void

By James Cook

When Sardar Mohammad murdered Ahmed Wali Karzai, the half-brother of President Hamid Karzai, on Tuesday, he created a security and political power void in the volatile southern region of Afghanistan. The reason why Mohammad, a close associate and police commander, killed Karzai remains unclear. While the Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, others have suggested that […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 13, 2011

Pakistan and America: Friends, foes or in free fall?

By Harlan Ullman

When it seems U.S.-Pakistan relations cannot get worse, they do. This past week, The New York Times, perhaps coaxed by the White House or CIA, held Pakistan’s army and Inter-Services Intelligence responsible for the killing of a journalist and called for the resignation of the ISI director general. Over the weekend, it followed with a […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2011

Talking with Benazir

By Julian Lindley-French

The American decision to ‘punish’ Pakistan by withdrawing some $800m of a $3 billion military aid package demonstrates Washington’s nuanced approach to dealing with Islamabad that is to be commended. Clearly, the Pakistani Government knew exactly the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden at the time of his death in May at the hands of American […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 8, 2011

Topsy-Turvy Alliance

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

The ingredients for a pluperfect national storm coupled with a pluperfect action completed at or before the time of another past action are the best way to try to understand the crazy mixed-up — but still critically important — alliance between Pakistan and the United States. Fickle friends and strong enemies at the same time […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 5, 2011

How to get Pakistan to break with Islamic militants

By Zalmay Khalilzad

In his Afghanistan speech last week, President Obama said we must “address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan.” He vowed to “press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future,” “work with the Pakistani government to root out the cancer of violent extremism” and “insist that it keep its commitments.”

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jun 30, 2011

Vietnam Redux

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

U.S. President Barack Obama has just finished explaining to the world that he is ordering 10,000 soldiers home from Afghanistan this year and another 23,000 by September 2012, which will still leave some 70,000 till 2014, when his secretary walks in, notepad at the ready, and says, “The Taliban called. They said, ‘Take your time.'” […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2011

Tough Choices: U.S. Troop Reductions and the Afghan Local Police Program

By James Cook

President Obama’s decision to remove 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, followed by the withdrawal of the remaining 23,000 “surge” forces by next summer and a further “steady pace” reduction of troops until the 2014 transition to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) remains a source of controversy.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2011

Osama Bin Laden’s Perverted Legacy

By Harlan Ullman

A bullet to the brain ended Osama bin Laden’s life on Earth. But, in a perverse twist of fate, his death ironically and iconically strengthened a bloody legacy to the detriment of much of the civilized world in at least three powerful ways. First, bin Laden abetted the economic and financial misfortunes of the United […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jun 28, 2011

Afghanistan Handoff: NATO to SCO?

By Nikolas Gvosdev

While the United States and its North Atlantic partners have reaffirmed their commitment to Afghanistan through to 2014, the Western alliance has also clearly signaled it is not willing to offer an unlimited “blank check” to Kabul. The president’s approach to Afghanistan is guided by what I’ve described as the “just enough” doctrine designed to “keep al-Qaida […]

Afghanistan

Event Recap

Feb 1, 2011

Learning by Doing: The Pakistan Army’s Experience with Counterinsurgency

On February 1st, the South Asia Center launched its new report, Learning by Doing: The Pakistan Army’s Experience with Counterinsurgency, by Director Shuja Nawaz.

Pakistan
Load More

Experts

Fellow

Stanislava Mladenova

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Afghanistan Conflict

Fellow

Sudeep Kanungo

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Africa Energy & Environment

Staff

Kate Springs

Program Assistant, Strategic Litigation Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Human Rights International Norms

Fellow

Jongsun Kim

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

David H. Young

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Afghanistan Conflict

Fellow

Laura Updegrove

Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoStrategy Initiative

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense
Load More