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Securing Afghanistan: Challenge for the Next Administration
Public event sponsored by the Future of Afghanistan Project of the United States Institute of Peace

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The next President of the United States will have to confront enormous security challenges in Afghanistan. Violence in Afghanistan has dramatically increased this year, reaching its worst level since 2001. Spectacular attacks such as the Indian Embassy Bombing, the Kandahar Prison break, and the assault on President Karzai and his government during national holiday celebrations combine with daily suicide bombings, IED attacks, and fire fights throughout the country and increasingly close to Kabul. This escalating violence has hampered the expansion of governance and reconstruction, increased civilian casualties, and further undermined the rule of law. Confidence in the Afghan government and international community is waning in both Afghanistan and abroad. In response, international military forces have increased air strikes by 40 percent, there is a call for a "surge" of troops into Afghanistan, and the US has increased unilateral strikes against targets in Pakistan as well.

Increasing boots on the ground, creating competent Afghan security forces, protecting the civilian population, and dealing with insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan are all likely to be at the top of the next Administration's agenda. The panelists will discuss how the new administration should approach these difficult challenges.

Speakers

• Ali Jalali
  Former Interior Minister of Afghanistan and author of "Future of Afghan Security Forces," part of The Future of Afghanistan Project essay series, available online soon and forthcoming in print from USIP Press in January 2009.
• Major General Peter Gilchrist CB
  Defence Attaché and Head of the British Defence Staff, Washington D.C., former Deputy Commander of Combined Forces Command Afghanistan
• Ahmad Fahim Hakim
  Deputy Chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and USIP Senior Fellow
• Mark Sedra
  Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation and co-editor of Afghanistan: Transition Under Threat
• J Alexander Thier, Moderator
  Rule of Law Program, United States Institute of Peace

Media Inquiries

Please contact Ian Larsen (+1.202.429.3870) or Lauren Sucher (+1.202.429.3822) in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications.

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