April 18, 2012

The April 15 attacks by Taliban forces in Afghanistan raised new questions about NATO, U.S. exit strategies, and whether the Afghan government is ready to handle security responsibilities. CFR’s Daniel Markey says the attacks indicate “that there are gaps in the NATO and Afghan ability to defend most anywhere in the country, but not huge gaps.” Markey says the war will not be resolved without addressing the Pakistan-based Haqqani network, which was linked to the latest spate of attacks. He also says that rather than leaving as soon as possible, U.S. priorities should be focused on ensuring Afghanistan is not left “a mess,” which could have deeply troubling consequences for Pakistan.  Read Full Interview