Afghanistan: Background and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS), September 17, 2018. The CRS 18-page report has been updated. This report provides an overview of current political and military dynamics including:
- South Asia strategy
- military operations
- recent political developments
- prospects for peace talks
- upcoming elections
In the executive summary:
“While military officials profess greater optimism about the course of the war in 2018, other policymakers and analysts have described the war against the insurgency (which controls or contests nearly half of the country’s territory, by Pentagon estimates) as a stalemate. Furthermore, the Afghan government faces broad public criticism for its ongoing inability to combat corruption, deliver security, alleviate rising ethnic tensions, and develop the economy. Contentious parliamentary and presidential elections, scheduled for October 2018 and April 2019, respectively, may further inflame political tensions. Meanwhile, a series of developments in 2018 may signal greater U.S. urgency to begin peace talks to bring about a negotiated political settlement, the stated goal of U.S. policy.”
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45122
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Photo: Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF) Vehicle, by Resolute Support, June 29, 2017.
