Overview of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Annual Review (Updated 17 Dec)
Via the Washington Post and Council on Foreign Relations, here is a copy of the White House Overview of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Annual Review.
From the opening:
“Specific components of our strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan are working well and there are notable operational gains. Most important, al-Qa’ida’s senior leadership in Pakistan is weaker and under more sustained pressure than at any other point since it fled Afghanistan in 2001. In Pakistan, we are laying the foundation for a strategic partnership based on mutual respect and trust, through increased dialogue, improved cooperation, and enhanced exchange and assistance programs. And in Afghanistan, the momentum achieved by the Taliban in recent years has been arrested in much of the country and reversed in some key areas, although these gains remain fragile and reversible.”
“While the strategy is showing progress across all three assessed areas of al-Qa’ida, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the challenge remains to make our gains durable and sustainable. With regard to al-Qa’ida’s Pakistan-based leadership and cadre, we must remain focused on making further progress toward our ultimate end state, the eventual strategic defeat of al-Qa’ida in the region, which will require the sustained denial of the group’s safe haven in the tribal areas of western Pakistan, among other factors. And in Afghanistan, we are confronting the inherent challenges of a war-torn nation working to restore basic stability and security in the face of a resilient insurgency that finds shelter in a neighboring sanctuary. More broadly, we must continue to place the Afghanistan and Pakistan challenges in larger and better integrated political and regional contexts.”
Read the entire overview here.
Update
Obama: Significant Progress In Fighting al-Qaida, Taliban – Voice of America
Obama Says U.S. ‘On Track’ to Achieve Goals in Afghanistan – Washington Post
Obama Cites Afghan Gains as Report Says Exit Is on Track – New York Times
Uncertainty Marks Review on Afghanistan, Pakistan – Los Angeles Times
Obama Vows to be More Relentless than Taliban, al Qaeda – Washington Times
Pacifying Afghanistan ‘a Very Difficult Endeavour,’ Obama Says – Globe and Mail
Afghan War: Obama Says Mission Difficult But On Track – BBC News
Afghanistan Review: Obama Announces ‘Significant Progress’ – Daily Telegraph
Obama: U.S. on Track in Afghanistan, Issues Remain – Associated Press
U.S. War ‘Review’ Leaves Decisions for Later – Agence France-Presse
Afghan Report Exposes a Split Over Pullout Timelines – New York Times
U.S. Struggles to Root Out Militants in Pakistani Madrassa – Washington Post
‘Ratlines’ Threaten White House Afghan War Plans – Associated Press
Mullen: Taliban Hideouts Can Be Shut Down – Associated Press
U.S. Wants Pakistan Tribal Invasion, But Will Wait – Reuters
Taliban Reject Obama War Strategy Review – Associated Press
Germany Will Begin Afghan Exit Next Year – New York Times
Netherlands: Gov. to Seek Approval for New Afghan Mission – Associated Press
Afghanistan in Progress – Wall Street Journal
Review Analysis: Fighting is the Easiest Part of the War – Daily Telegraph
Analysis: White House Struggles for Silver Lining in Afghanistan – Toronto Star
5 Things The Afghan War Review Didn’t Say – NPR
Chairman Says Afghanistan Strategy, Resources Now Match – AFPS
Pentagon Spokesman Addresses Strategy Review, Budget – AFPS
Petraeus: All Strategy Aspects Contribute to Progress – AFPS
U.S. Official Expresses Confidence in Pakistan – New York Times
Flournoy: U.S.-Pakistan Relations ‘Central’ to Fight – AFPS
Pakistani Role Is Suspected in Revealing U.S. Spy’s Name – New York Times
Top U.S. Spy in Pakistan is Removed after Threats – Washington Post
Obama’s Remarks on the Strategy in Afghanistan – New York Times
The Afghanistan Review – New York Times editorial
Reality in Afghanistan – Washington Times editorial
On Borrowed Time – New York Times editorial
5 Ways to Win the War in Afghanistan – Foreign Policy opinion
Wishful Thinking? – Washington Post opinion
2011 to 2014: What a Difference Momentum Makes – National Review opinion
Winning in Afghanistan – Los Angeles Times opinion
Why We Must Stick with Obama’s Afghan Strategy – Washington Post opinion
Another Tet? – Washington Post opinion
Mission Impossible in Afghanistan – Los Angeles Times opinion
All’s Not Well in Afghanistan – Washington Times opinion
The Afghan Money Pit – Los Angeles Times opinion
Obstacles to Leaving Afghanistan – New York Times opinion series
Pakistan: Tug of War on Insurgents – Washington Post opinion
Bonus
Andrew Exum’s Afghanistan trip reports can be found here, here, and here.
