Afghanistan in 2011 and Beyond: Counterinsurgency, Transition and Drawdown

Afghanistan in 2011 and Beyond: Counterinsurgency, Transition and Drawdown

With President Obama's decision on troop withdrawal levels from Afghanistan expected this week, Congress, the policy community and the general public are debating the cost and level of commitment required to sustain the war effort.

In the midst of these considerations, the Institute for the Study of War is pleased to invite you to hear from a panel of leading voices in Congress and the defense community as they discuss the military requirements remaining in Afghanistan, implications of troop withdrawal levels and timelines, a path for developing a political strategy in Afghanistan, and the progress toward and impediments to a successful transition to Afghan responsibility by 2014.

The panel discussion will feature Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), and General Jack Keane, U.S. Army (Retired). Dr. Michael O’Hanlon, Director of Research at The Brookings Institution will moderate.

Please join the Institute for the Study of War for this important discussion on the U.S. role in Afghanistan, and the future of the country, and what to expect this year and beyond.

To read a transcript from this event, click here.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Time : 2:00 pm–3:00 pm

Location: The Newseum – Knight Studio
555 Pennsylvania Ave NW
(6th Street Freedom Forum entrance)
Washington, D.C. 20001

Panelists:

Senator John McCain is a senior U.S. Senator from Arizona who sits as Ranking Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, an ex officio member of the Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. He last visited Afghanistan in November 2010.

Senator Joe Lieberman is a senior U.S. Senator from Connecticut who sits as Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and is also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He last visited Afghanistan in November 2010.

General Jack Keane is a four-star Army general who completed 37 years in public service in December 2003, culminating as acting Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. General Jack Keane is currently a Senior Partner at SCP Partners, a private equity firm. He serves as Chairman of the Board for ISW.

Moderator:

Michael O’Hanlon is the Director of Research in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution. He specializes in national security and defense policy and researches military strategy and technology, Northeast Asia, U.S. Central Command, defense budgets. O’Hanlon is the author of multiple books and coauthor of Toughing It Out in Afghanistan, The Afghanistan Index, and Toward a Political Strategy for Afghanistan.