... claims as compared to Balochistan. In the end, the Afghan issue is interconnected with that of Balochistan and Pakistan, which explains its importance in the eyes of the great powers, then the USSR, China and the United States.
Carter Boone:
What Does NATO Withdrawal from Afghanistan Mean for Regional Actors?
This also explains why India is concerned about Afghanistan. Apart from the desire to strengthen its regional presence as China does, a conflict on Pakistan’s doorstep destabilizes the region since it strengthens ...
... many states that have formally declared the Taliban a terrorist organization have been forced to accept the likely scenario that the Taliban will remain a consistent force in the country moving forward. The Indian government has
supported
the U.S. and NATO mission in Afghanistan and the government in Kabul through investment and diplomatic support. With the Kabul-based government losing control of large swathes of territory and widely seen as corrupt and unpopular, New Delhi has engaged with the Taliban in direct ...
... important issues, such as security in Afghanistan, especially in view of the worrying forecasts concerning the development of the situation in the country and in the region. Here Russia and NATO have an interest in each other, but the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan led to such an unstable situation that relations between Russia and NATO were destroyed, while the motivation to strengthen Afghanistan’s security has remained high.
Despite the crisis in relations between Russia and NATO, Russia still ...
... Stoltenberg,
the number of forces that will remain in Afghanistan as part of the
Resolute Support Mission in 2016 will be approximately
12 thousand troops
.
These figures differ insignificantly from the current level of foreign military presence in Afghanistan. According to NATO data, as of October 2015, troop numbers and contributions amounted to 13.1 thousand servicemen from 40 countries, of which 1.8 thousand (13%) are from countries that are not members of the Alliance.
Source
:
Afganistan Resolute Support. Troop Numbers ...
... opportunity for NATO bureaucrats to pretend the alliance still matters, whereby the renewed Russian military doctrine is not that bad. NATO is the number one threat. Anyone surprised?
2. Shall the Islamic State survive?
Undoubtedly, the Islamic State is not just ... ... back at best. At worst, one can fail as the U.S. did in Vietnam. You just cannot combat these guys from the sky!
3. Whither Afghanistan?
Well, it's pretty simple. A president of Kabul is not a president of Afghanistan. Almost entire south-east ...
... indeed be the winner. This result makes sense given the traditional domination of the Pashtuns in the central government of Afghanistan.
The fact that Rashid Dustum, an influential Uzbek from the north of the country, will be Ghani’s vice-president,... ... results will inevitably lead to dramatic exacerbation of interethnic strife. This might be mitigated by the presence of the NATO troops before most of them withdraw (by the end of 2014, followed by the final withdrawal at the end of 2016). After 2016,...
Interview with Farkhod Tolipov
Interview
Today pundits are talking at length about cooperation between NATO and the CSTO over Afghanistan in 2014. We met with
Farkhod Tolipov
, PhD in Political Science, Director of Caravan of Knowledge, an Uzbek think tank, to ask his opinion about the relevance of such discussions and the parties’ capabilities to successfully interact ...
... Russia and the United States as powers capable of influencing the situation inside Afghanistan. This negotiations format existed until 2001, when the Afghan and global scene changed dramatically in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. But in 2008, when the NATO operation in Afghanistan was established as a long-term commitment, Tashkent proposed reviving the contact group and including NATO. Unfortunately, this initiative was never implemented.
REUTERS/Michael Steen
A Turkmen drug control officer monitors seized
opium and ...
... capacity and capability," Kirby told reporters at a press briefing last Thursday.
But while US experts might indeed have a point by highlighting the dangers which Kabul will face should a financial and military vacuum form upon the departure of all NATO troops from Afghanistan, the country’ salvation might lie beyond western influences.
Karzais’ alternative
If President Karzai has so keenly avoided linking Afghanistan’s immediate future to the US by refusing all bilateral military or security ...
... Alliance’s willingness to cooperate in this field. One can still be told that this task goes beyond the scope of NATO activities. But these arguments don’t seem to hold water. After all, apart from being involved in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan, NATO adheres to a comprehensive approach to security. Drug trafficking from Afghanistan is a key security issue – both internally and externally. In addition, in recent years NATO has expanded its functional interests and responsibilities to such ...
