ISAS Insights

There is a combination of hope and despair about the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan. There is hope because of a fairly fundamental change in the thinking of the various countries that have interest in Afghanistan. Washington and Kabul need to rethink their approach towards the conflict. Both capitals must find a way of bringing Pakistan to their side. Perhaps the most important change is in the thinking about this 17-year conflict is in Washington. This is on the part of the military leaders in the United States whose thinking does not always match that of Donald Trump, the country’s president. This paper examines where the various players in the game stand