Ending the War in Afghanistan

1. ENDING THE WAR IN Afghanistan Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, US Army retired Darcy Burner, Candidate for Congress & member of the Afghanistan Study Group

2. The key question • Given that we don’t have teleporters or magic wands, what is the right course for the US?

3. Where we’re at right now • About $100 billion per year in costs • $250 million last year alone for this Congressional district • 1,982 US soldiers killed • 10,140 US soldiers wounded • Estimated 20,000 Afghan civilians dead

4. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

5. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

6. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

7. Afghanistan is a regional problem

8. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

9. Afghanistan has tremendous economic & cultural problems, not just military problems • GDP per capita: $585 • Worst infant mortality rate in the world (122/1000) • Worst maternal mortality rate in the world (1400/100,000) • 72% illiteracy rate

10. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

11. Tribes matter in Afghanistan

12. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

13. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

14. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

15. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

16. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

17. Women in Afghanistan matter

18. Ten things you need to know • Al Qaeda is essentially gone • Afghanistan is a regional problem • Afghanistan has tremendous economic and cultural problems, not just military ones • Tribes matter in Afghanistan • The Taliban are locals • Political reconciliation is essential; foreign presence makes it harder • Corruption is a huge issue • Counterinsurgency vs. counterterrorism • Women in Afghanistan matter • Pakistan is deeply entwined

19. How do we end the war? • Pressure the President • Make it an election issue • Talk and write about it • Don’t skip over the uncomfortable bits • We are at an inflection point

20. What happens afterwards? • What about Afghan women and children? • What about the Taliban? • What about al Qaeda? • Will the US be safe?