Toward a Sustainable Peace in Afghanistan

“Toward a Sustainable Peace in Afghanistan” is a two-part series published by World Politics Review examining the challenges to reaching a sustainable peace in Afghanistan. Part I examines the domestic challenges to national reconciliation. Part II will examine the regional context of the Afghan peace process.

Part 1

“On May 13, Maulvi Arsala Rahmani, a former Taliban official who served on Afghanistan’s High Peace Council, was assassinated in Kabul. While the official Taliban spokesman denied the group’s involvement in the killing, a little-known splinter group aligned with al-Qaida, the Mullah Dadullah Front, claimed responsibility. …” Read more of  Part I here

Part II

“When NATO leaders gathered in Chicago earlier this week for a much-awaited summit, the withdrawal strategy for Afghanistan dominated the proceedings. A twist in the plot had developed in the lead-up to the gathering when NATO extended a last-minute invitation to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. The logic was straightforward: The occasion would be used not only to reach an agreement with Pakistan over reopening NATO supply lines that have been closed since November, but also to include Pakistan in discussions of Afghanistan’s future because of Islamabad’s importance in efforts to stabilize the country….” Read more of Part II here

Shehzad H. Qazi is a research associate at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.

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