FPI Resources on Afghanistan and the Strategic Partnership Agreement

During a surprise visit to Afghanistan this week, President Obama unveiled a new bilateral Strategic Partnership Agreement.  Under the pact, Washington will help Afghanistan to develop its economy, and protect its internal and external security through 2024.  Kabul correspondingly promises to improve government accountability and transparency, and protect the human rights of all its citizens.  Although the agreement permits the United States to keep military forces for training and counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan beyond 2014, it remains unclear how large of a troop presence will remain—or how many more of the 68,000 troops currently in the country will be withdrawn in the next year.

The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) is continuing to monitor the situation in Afghanistan, and believes policymakers and lawmakers will find the following resources informative as they debate future U.S. involvement in the country.

• A War that’s Bigger than Afghanistan – FPI Director William Kristol – Washington Post – May 2, 2012

• [Video] – Bickering Over Bin Laden – FPI Director Dan Senor – MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown with Chuck Todd – May 1, 2012

• Reclaiming the Moral Case for Afghanistan – FPI Executive Director Jamie Fly – Commentary – April 2012

• Remembering Why we are Fighting in Afghanistan – FPI Executive Director Jamie Fly – Foreign Policy’s Shadow Government – April 19, 2012

• The Dangers of an Accelerated Drawdown in Afghanistan: What America’s Civilian and Military Leaders are Saying – Foreign Policy Initiative – March 23, 2012

• [Event] – Assessing Progress in Afghanistan – Foreign Policy Initiative – February 22, 2012

• Retreat – But Whose? – FPI Executive Director Jamie Fly – National Review – December 7, 2011

• Losing Afghanistan? – FPI Executive Director Jamie Fly and Gary Schmitt – The Weekly Standard – December 3, 2011

• Don’t Come Home, America – FPI Director Robert Kagan – The Weekly Standard – June 25, 2011

• FPI Fact Sheet: Success in Afghanistan is Critical to Prevailing in the War on Terror – Foreign Policy Initiative – June 23, 2011

• Remarks by President Obama in Address to the Nation from Afghanistan – President Barack Obama – The White House, Office of the Press Secretary – May 1, 2012

• Statement by Sen. McCain on the President’s Visit to Afghanistan – Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) – Sen. McCain’s Office – May 1, 2012

• Graham on the Strategic Partnership Agreement – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) – Sen. Graham’s Office – May 1, 2012

• Senator Ayotte Statement On US-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement – Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) – Sen. Ayotte’s Office – May 1, 2012

• Obama Trip to Afghanistan Campaign Related – Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) – Sen. Inhofe’s Office – May 1, 2012

• McKeon Statement on the President's Visit to Afghanistan – Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) – House Armed Services Committee – May 1, 2012

• Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan – U.S. Department of Defense – April 27, 2012

• Obama’s Two-Sided Vision of Peace – Editorial – Washington Post – May 2, 2012

• Obama’s Afghan Policy Speech: Two Halves That Don’t Add Up – Max Boot – Commentary’s Contentions – May 2, 2012

• Obama in Kabul – Editorial – Wall Street Journal (subscription required) – May 1, 2012

• What a Difference 11 Years Makes – Shaida Abdali – Foreign Policy – May 1, 2012

• Fact Sheet: The Upcoming U.S.-Afghan Strategic Agreement – Paraag Shukla – The Institute for the Study of War – May 1, 2012

• Committing to Afghanistan – Editorial – Washington Post – April 23, 2012

• Some Good News from Afghanistan – Zalmay Khalilzad – Foreign Policy – April 23, 2012

• The Taliban Are Too Weak for a Tet Offensive – Max Boot – Wall Street Journal (subscription required) – April 18, 2012

• A Stable Afghanistan is Still Possible – Michael O’Hanlon and Bruce Riedel – Wall Street Journal (subscription required) – April 11, 2012