AfPak Options
Wednesday 2 December 2009 16:00 GMT / 11:00 EST
In the coming days President Barack Obama is expected to announce a decision on whether, and by how much, to increase US troops deployed in Afghanistan. The announcement will come amid widespread questions over the success of operations in the so-called ‘AfPak theatre’ of Afghanistan and Pakistan, given the increasing spate of bombings in Pakistan, the obstacles posed by internal political fragility in both countries, and the difficulty of fomenting counter-terrorism cooperation among Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.
- How great is the threat posed by al-Qaida in the ‘AfPak theatre’?
- How will civil-military relations in Pakistan affect prospects for success?
- What are the prospects that Karzai, re-elected under questionable circumstances, can bolster the control of the Afghan security forces and curb crime and corruption?
