The U.S. must be careful not to repeat the mistake of an overly-hasty withdrawal of support for Afghanistan.

Expect to see the U.S. establish further political alternatives intended to counterbalance China’s influence in Central Asia.

A strategy for Afghanistan must put events in proper order and move forward with caution.

The new White House plan will keep 9,800 American troops in the country until the end of 2016 or early 2017.

Talk of a new regional force is unrealistic. There is only one way to keep the peace after 2014.

In the election run-up, the Taliban has increasingly set the agenda in the region with a spate of high-profile attacks.

“It is time for Washington to put objective facts above political wishful thinking and recognize the Taliban as a terror organization.”

U.S. post-2014 development plans for Central Asia are worthy, but at risk of strategic failure.

The risks of conflict and collapse post-2014 are significant, but disaster is not inevitable.