U.S. Strategy For Afghanistan: Achieving Peace and Stability in the Graveyard of Empires

Flikr photo by Afghan Lord used under a Creative Commons license. On April 2, Karin Von Hippel testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia: 

Chairman Ackerman, Ranking Member Burton, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify on U.S. strategy for Afghanistan. It is a subject of great importance, and I am honored to have the opportunity to share my views with you at this juncture, just one day before President Obama presents his new comprehensive strategy at the NATO Summit in Strasbourg and Kehl. At the Summit, he will aim to secure greater commitments from our allies and promote deeper partnerships.

Partnerships are indeed critical, and today I would like to focus my remarks on reinvigorating our most important partnership: with the Afghan people and their government. While improved coherence with our allies and regional powers will be fundamental to overall success, my statement will instead concentrate on how to ensure that Afghans are in the lead...

Dr. von Hippel’s complete testimony is available online.