July 16, 2009 12:00 AM

The AfPak Front
It will be useful if, here too, militant Islamism proves to be a dead end.

By Clifford D. May

The National Review

Afghans and Pakistanis both dislike the term “AfPak.” But the fact is the two nations now constitute a single front — the most “kinetic” front — in the global war being waged by militant Islamists. During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama emphasized his opposition to the conflict in Iraq but he was adamant about the need to prevail in Afghanistan. This month, American Marines launched Operation Khanjar (Thrust of the Sword), Obama’s own surge of troops into Helmand Province where, over the past two years, the Taliban has been regrouping and regaining power. The White House has pushed the Pakistani government to challenge the Islamist insurgents on its territory as well. The goal is straightforward: in President Obama’s words, to “disrupt, dismantle, and defeat” both the Taliban and al-Qaeda in their strongholds. But the means to those ends are more complicated than one might think, as was made clear at a recent “experts workshop” on the AfPak theater organized by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the policy institute I head. Among those participating in the conference were scholars, foreign correspondents, current and former ambassadors, and representatives of organizations working on the ground in Afghanistan and Pakistan. ↓ Keep reading this article ↓