Emboldened by the U.S. decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in April, the Taliban has surged across the country in a dramatic offensive. In response, Afghan security forces have collapsed like dominos, militarily overwhelmed or simply coerced into surrender. The fate of Kabul and the central government looks decidedly uncertain. For the first time in many years, al-Qaeda and its central leadership look likely to have a safe-haven in which to operate, while the group’s network of jihadist allies will feel similarly confident about what the future holds.
The Middle East Institute’s (MEI) Countering Terrorism and Extremism program is pleased to host an esteemed panel of experts to discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan and how it is likely to impact terrorism, both within the country and beyond.
What lessons can be learned from 20-years of counterterrorism operations? Should the West try to stop the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan? How has the Taliban’s ascendance impacted the Afghan terrorism landscape, and how does it affect global jihadism?
Speakers: Karen Joy Greenberg, David Kilcullen, Anne Likuski, Asfandyar Ali Mir, Charles Lister (moderator)