Articles & Multimedia
Showing 1-11 of 11 Publications
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What We’re Getting Wrong about Veterans
Commentary
The memories of combat are loud bells that clang and gong in every veteran’s head unexpectedly. The emptier you feel, the more their crashing sounds echo and linger....
By Christopher D. Kolenda
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Why No One Was in Charge in Afghanistan
Commentary
On the first anniversary of the meltdown of Afghanistan, one of the best ways for the United States to respect the service and sacrifice of Americans and Afghans is to learn f...
By Christopher D. Kolenda
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U.S. Foreign Policy Agencies Need Senior Officials Who Can Really Lead
Commentary
Whoever wins the U.S. presidential election in November will face an unenviable collection of foreign policy challenges....
By Kristin M. Lord & Christopher D. Kolenda
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A fresh approach to peace in Afghanistan
Commentary
An effective peace process is possible and desirable in Afghanistan. Success, however, will require a careful, step-by-step course to test bona fides, build confidence, reduce...
By Earl Anthony Wayne & Christopher D. Kolenda
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The New Afghanistan Will Be Built on Ceasefire Solutions and Taliban Tradeoffs
To his credit, U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has made remarkable progress in recent peace talks with the Taliban. It appears the latter group has now renounced any willingness t...
By Christopher D. Kolenda & Michael O’Hanlon
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Ex-Pentagon Adviser: US-Taliban Talks an ‘Icebreaker’
The United States and the Taliban are reported to be in the early stages of discussions for the first time since 2012. Retired U.S. Army Colonel Christopher Kolenda, who fough...
By Christopher D. Kolenda
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Seven questions Congress should ask about Trump’s mini-surge in Afghanistan
The Trump administration seems set to roll-out a mini-surge of up to 5,000 additional troops in Afghanistan, likely increasing U.S. taxpayer costs to $30 billion per year. Bef...
By Christopher D. Kolenda
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How will Afghan, US leaders respond to deadly Taliban attack?
The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on the 209thAfghan Army Corps base near the historic city of Mazar-i-Sharif that has killed at least 140 Afghan s...
By Christopher D. Kolenda
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Afghanistan is at risk of becoming the new Vietnam
Thursday’s detonation in Afghanistan of the massive GBU 43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, also known as the Mother of All Bombs (MOAB) could be for this war what the Tet Offens...
By Christopher D. Kolenda
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Focused engagement: A realistic way forward in Afghanistan
The United States can succeed in Afghanistan, but only by letting go of the fantasy that destroying the Taliban is the only way to win. In his February 9 Congressional testimo...
By Christopher D. Kolenda
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Civilian Control – How Trump Can Reverse the Trend of Failures in Recent Conflicts
On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald J. Trump lambasted American generals for their failure to win wars. Now he has selected from their retired ranks to fill key cabi...
By Christopher D. Kolenda
