Afghanistan in the Rearview Mirror
The departure of American military forces and civilian officials from Afghanistan raises urgent questions, touching on matters of diplomacy, security concerns, humanitarian assistance, and broader strategic considerations. To answer the questions "where do we go from here?" and "what obligations does the United States bear?", it is necessary to consider the strategic and policy goals that led to the withdrawal. In addition, how much damage has been done to allies' confidence in the U.S. and what can be done to reassure them? How has the withdrawal affected vital U.S. strategic interests elsewhere, including in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and what steps can be taken to discourage hostile states from seeking to capitalize on the withdrawal? How can the U.S. address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan without legitimizing or financially supporting the Taliban? What does America now owe the Special Immigrant Visa applicants and others who supported American and allied forces, as well as their families? Above all, what is the terrorist threat landscape in Afghanistan what can the U.S. do to address it?
Featuring:
- Gen. David Petraeus (Ret.), Partner, KKR; Chairman; Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency
- Amb. Nathan Sales, Founder and Principal, Fillmore Global Strategies LLC; Former Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism; Former Acting Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, US Department of State
- Moderator: Danielle Pletka, Distinguished Senior Fellow in Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enteprise Institute
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