Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

The way forward in Afghanistan

Sarah Chayes, one of the more courageous people out there, has laid out a good comprehensive plan for what we should do in Afghanistan. I have a few quibbles — for example, I don’t think the Kabul government ever enjoyed a monopoly on the use of force in the country — but overall, this is ...

By , a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy.
587772_090313_ricksb_rez2.jpg
587772_090313_ricksb_rez2.jpg

Sarah Chayes, one of the more courageous people out there, has laid out a good comprehensive plan for what we should do in Afghanistan. I have a few quibbles — for example, I don’t think the Kabul government ever enjoyed a monopoly on the use of force in the country — but overall, this is a very impressive document, certainly more thoughtful than anything else I’ve seen. Funny how people always bellyache about “the interagency,” and then one person living in a mud compound in Kandahar produces a cross-government plan.

(Hat tip to one a smart officer in Kandahar on this.) 

MASSOUD HOSSAINI/AFP/Getty Images

Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1

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