Hello!
The path through Afghanistan is unclear... and here is an interesting report from the American Enterprise Institute with fresh perspective... it covers five different scenarios for consideration:
Scenario 1: The president orders all U.S. forces out of Afghanistan, including Special Operations Forces (SOF) and classified forces
Scenario 2: The president orders U.S. combat forces out of Afghanistan, including all trainers and forces supporting the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), but not including SOF and classified forces
Scenario 3: The president orders U.S. combat forces out of Afghanistan, but trainers, SOF, classified forces, and forces assisting the ANSF remain
Scenario 4: U.S. combat forces remain as currently deployed, with additional emphasis on expansion of the ANSF
Scenario 5: U.S. combat forces are augmented as proposed by General McChrystal and the expansion of the ANSF is accelerated
As the Obama administration considers its strategic approach and future resource levels in Afghanistan, AEI Resident Scholar Frederick W. Kagan and coauthor Kimberly Kagan of the Institute for the Study of War have produced a follow-up report to their first study on Afghan force requirements. This second analysis, “Enemy Reactions to the US Strategy and Force Sizing Options,” considers how enemy groups and other stakeholders in Afghanistan and Pakistan would respond to several U.S. policy scenarios.
Thanks and have a great week!
Erik Plesset
