After months of harsh words, the White House’s conciliatory tone during the Afghan president’s visit was calibrated to encourage Karzai to behave more like a "wartime leader and less like an innocent…

The U.S.-led offensive against the Taliban stronghold of Marja is an important part of the "hold-and-build" strategy to extend Afghan government control into restive provinces, says CFR expert Max Bo…

Crucial to the success of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is dealing with the country’s "predatory misgovernance," says CFR’s Stephen Biddle. Targeting U.S. contracting practices is a good place to s…

NATO’s European members are more worried about a reassertive Russia than the threat posed by Afghanistan, says expert Robert E. Hunter. This has become the basis for an "unspoken bargain" on supporti…

The Afghan troop surge has ended and full U.S. military involvement is to sunset in 2014, leaving a fragile security situation and questions about the U.S. role, says CFR’s Max Boot.