Strategic Assessment

President Obama recently announced the new US strategy regarding the fighting in Afghanistan. The administration perceives the potential of the Taliban retaking control of Afghanistan, encouraging similar action by the Pakistani Taliban, providing refuge for al-Qaeda and its affiliates, and acting as a launching pad for terrorism activity across the world as an immediate threat to US domestic security and to US allies. This article examines the challenge confronting the US in the Afghanistan-Pakistan (AfPak) arena, the main enemies of the US in the regional hostilities, and the alternatives debated before the policy was chosen. It evaluates whether the policy selected is capable of providing a solution for these complex challenges within the limited time frame and military scope allotted by the president.