Strategic Assessment

President Obama chose to implement a different policy in Afghanistan than what was designed under the Bush administration. Under Obama’s leadership, a decision was made to substantially beef up US forces in Afghanistan, and significant resources were invested in building the Afghan state and its security forces. Obama’s main goals were to defeat al-Qaeda; strike a hard blow against the Taliban, which had become much stronger and was threatening Afghanistan’s stability; and help the Afghani government consolidate a governmental and security infrastructure in the country. This article offers an interim assessment of the Obama administration’s policy in Afghanistan, and assesses the prospects for achievement of the US goals before the withdrawal of the American troops, scheduled for the middle of 2013.