In the context of 9/11 and the ongoing war against terror, the US role in Afghanistan has transitioned from Bush‘s engagement to Obama‘s end game for Afghanistan. This transition has been put forth in the form of the US-Afghan exit strategy and the US Af-Pak policy. Both these policies and strategies do not only affect the state of Afghanistan alone but also the other state regional stake holders in this region. One of the primary affected parties in this Afghan quagmire is Pakistan which has a major stake in the peace and stability of Afghanistan.
Pakistan is a neighboring state of Afghanistan, which played an active role in supporting the Afghan Jihad against the Soviet invasion inside Afghanistan. In the Post-Soviet era inside Afghanistan, Pakistan like the other regional powers tried to protect its national interests in the region through proxy involvement in Afghanistan. It was the support from Pakistan which played a crucial role in the ascendance of the Taliban movement inside Afghanistan.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 and the rise of militancy in the South Asia, Pakistan suffered a lot in terms of human and financial loss. Terrorism is not only a problem of US and the Afghanistan alone. Pakistan considers it as its biggest problem in the contemporary security environment. The enunciation of US Af-Pak policy and exit policy; safe havens of terrorists in the tribal regions of Pakistan; drone attacks inside FATA; the blame game against the Pakistani security agencies, the Indian role inside Afghanistan; Pakistan‘s bilateral and multilateral relations with its regional neighbors on the issue of militancy and extremism; breach of Pakistan‘s red lines by the US in the recent past and the dominance of anti-Americanism inside Pakistan are few of the key thematic issues which are going to define and describe diverse narratives on the US role in Afghanistan and its implications for Pakistan in particular.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
HYPOTHESIS
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
METHODOLOGY
LITERATURE REVIEW
ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
CHAPTER 2
AFGHANISTAN AND SECOND WORLD WAR
US POLICY AND THE COLD WAR
US RESPONSES OVER DURAND LINE
AFGHANISTAN MOVING TOWARDS USSR
ABOLISHING MONARCHY
INVASION OF RED ARMY
US COVERT ASSISTANCE DURING SOVIET INVASION
ROAD TO GENEVA ACCORDS
EMERGENCE OF HARDCORE TALIBAN
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3
INTRODUCTION
ROLE OF NEURONS IN WAR QUAGMIRE
MAJOR CHARACTER OF WAR
COIN STRATEGY
BUSH’S MAJOR FAULTS AND WAR CRIMES
BUSH’S TEAM AND WAR CABINET ROLE
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4
INTRODUCTION
OBAMA’S VICISSITUDES
TRANSFORMATION OF IDEAS AND STRATEGY
CHANGE OF TEAM AND DEMOCRATIC POLICY
TRANSFORMATION OF STRATEGIC ATMOSPHERE
REVOLUTION OF GOALS
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5
IMPLICATIONS FOR PAKISTAN
THE DISASTROUS AND UNDENIABLE IMPLICATIONS
a) Subjects’ anger at Government and Military
b) Human Losses
c) Economic Decline
d) Educational Debacle
e) The IDPs Catastrophe
POLICY OPTIONS FOR PAKISTAN
Restricting troublemakers and out comers by careful use of force
Commencement of talks with willing warring groups
Revival of Tribal System
Massive Financial Aid and Rehabilitation Programme
Rising Local Militias or Lashkars
The Support of Neighboring Countries
The Need of Advance Technology
Tough Stance against the Drone Attacks
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’S VIEWPOINT
PAKISTANI PERCEPTION
LOCAL PERSPECTIVE
Psychological Impact of Drone Attacks
Drone Attacks Damage the US Interests
FINAL ASSESSMENT
Indian vicinity in Afghanistan: Threat for Pakistan
Stability in Afghanistan
CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This research aims to analyze the dynamics of the U.S. role in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks, specifically focusing on the transition from the Bush administration's engagement to the Obama administration's strategic end game, and evaluating the multi-faceted implications of these policies for regional stability and Pakistan’s national security.
- The impact of U.S. counterterrorism strategies on Pakistan’s internal security and socio-economic landscape.
- The evolution of the "Af-Pak" policy and its geopolitical consequences for the region.
- The influence of drone warfare and its effectiveness versus domestic backlash in Pakistan.
- The role of regional actors, particularly India, and their involvement in Afghanistan as a source of tension for Pakistan.
Excerpt from the Book
Terrorism as a Conceptual Framework
Terrorism is as deep-rooted old concept in history as power greed rooted in human being since time immemorial. This phenomenon alone has spoiled the human history in a much unlimited magnitude. Even though terrorism is old and ingrained in human history that is why the complexity and dynamics of this phenomenon is very difficult to define and understand. In today‘s world it has taken so many relative shapes that it is indeed difficult to crystalize and analyze the differentiation between terrorism and a common act of violence.
In previous times, it was believed that terrorism is because of the injustices in society, and could be economic, social or political injustice but it leads to the acts of violence and terrorism. One country’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter, is a relative concept. However, there is an attention grabbing consideration about the validity context of the violence and terrorism. On one side, if aggression is used to bring down a dictator or to liberate a confiscated area, terrorism is justified in this situation and comes under the tag of freedom fighting. This indicates that fighting has moral perpendicular in the dominion of society and politics. While on the other, the same freedom fighters in International Politics under Neo-realist’s umbrella, is considered non-state actor or terrorist as threat to that state sovereignty.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER 1: This chapter provides the introduction to the research, outlining the problem statement, objectives, and the theoretical framework based on Neo-Realism.
CHAPTER 2: This chapter examines the historical context of Afghanistan, covering the World Wars, the Cold War era, and the eventual rise of the Taliban.
CHAPTER 3: This chapter focuses on the U.S. response to 9/11 during the Bush era, the initiation of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the strategic flaws of that period.
CHAPTER 4: This chapter analyzes the policy shifts under the Obama administration, the transformation of strategic goals, and the conceptualization of the Af-Pak policy.
CHAPTER 5: This chapter assesses the specific implications for Pakistan, including human and economic losses, and discusses potential policy options for regional stability.
Keywords
Afghanistan, Pakistan, War on Terror, US Foreign Policy, Neo-Realism, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Af-Pak, FATA, Drone Attacks, Geopolitics, Regional Security, Counterterrorism, Sovereignty, Militancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this dissertation?
The work fundamentally explores the U.S. role in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2012, analyzing the transition from the Bush to the Obama era and the resulting implications for Pakistan.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The core themes include the impact of the U.S.-led War on Terror, the evolution of security policies in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the rise of militancy in the border regions, and the geopolitical tensions involving regional actors like India.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The goal is to conduct a thorough investigation into the security challenges Pakistan faces due to the war in Afghanistan and to provide strategic suggestions to navigate the ongoing regional crises.
What scientific methodology is applied here?
The research employs historical and descriptive methods, utilizing a Neo-Realist theoretical framework to analyze the interactions between states, non-state actors, and the anarchic international system.
What does the main body of the research address?
The main body chronicles the history of US-Afghanistan relations, the specific military and political strategies employed by the Bush and Obama administrations, and a detailed analysis of how these strategies have destabilized Pakistan’s tribal areas.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include War on Terror, Af-Pak, Neo-Realism, Pakistan, Afghanistan, FATA, and regional security.
How does the author interpret the impact of drone attacks in Pakistan?
The author views drone attacks as highly counter-productive, arguing that while they may eliminate specific militants, they alienate the local population, violate Pakistani sovereignty, and ultimately fuel anti-American sentiment.
What is the significance of the Pashtun tribal system mentioned in the text?
The text highlights that the traditional Pashtun tribal system and the Pukhtunwali code of conduct were vital for social order; the author argues that military interventions and foreign-driven strategies have disrupted this system, leading to further instability.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Allauddin Kakar (Autor:in), 2014, The US-Afghanistan Relations during Obama Era: Implications for Pakistan, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/286515
