Wilson Center
Hindsight Up Front | Complicated Legacies: The U.S. and Russia in Afghanistan
With echoes of the Soviet retreat, the last American plane left Afghanistan on August 31, 2021 following two decades of war. How do the legacies of the Soviet and American occupations compare, and what does the future hold for Russian-Afghan relations with the Taliban now in charge?
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Latest Insights & Events
Hindsight Up Front: Implications of Afghanistan Withdrawal for South Asia
We discussed the future of the region with leading journalists, former diplomats, and thought leaders from India and Pakistan.
The Deteriorating Situation in Afghanistan: Expertise from the Wilson Center
Experts from the Wilson Center examine the implications of what is unfolding for Afghanistan, its people, the region, and the United States.
Afghanistan Withdrawal Continues Apace
We catch up with resident Afghanistan expert Michael Kugelman, hearkening back to our last Afghanistan episode in May. We evaluate his predictions, and how he sees things going as U.S. troops continue to pull out of the region.
Ambassador Mark Green in Conversation with Gen. David Petraeus and Sir John Scarlett
Listen to the audio from this discussion with Gen. David Petraeus and Sir John Scarlett. Their conversation—moderated by Wilson Center President, Director, and CEO Mark Green—focused on the implications of the withdrawal for Afghanistan and the world.
The Afghan President's Crucial Visit to Washington
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani arrived in Washington amid increasing reports of Taliban gains on the ground in Afghanistan and of sagging morale among Afghan security forces and citizens who are not aligned with the Taliban.
Long Time Gone - Discussing the Afghanistan Withdrawal
After 20 years, the United States will be withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. Our resident South Asia expert Michael Kugelman walks us through the hurdles and challenges we will have to watch out for in the foreseeable future. Plus, a quick look at the COVID-19 resurgence in India.
2021: Afghanistan's Year of Reckoning
This joint report on Afghanistan – led by scholars from the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Wilson Centre (WC), and Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations – is a crystallisation of some of the efforts of the three organisations engaged in an India-Russia-U.S. trilateral Track II dialogue for the past couple of years.
No-Win War: The Paradox of U.S.-Pakistan Relations in Afghanistan's Shadow
This book explores the post-9/11 relations between the US and Pakistan. The growing divergence between Washington and Islamabad has taken an already uneasy alliance to a point of estrangement. Yet, a complete breakup is not an option.
The War in Afghanistan: Perspectives from U.S. Veterans
This event looked back on nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan from the perspective of the Americans that fought it.
Experts
Michael Kugelman
Director, South Asia Institute
Read more from Michael"Afghanistan is facing a pivotal moment. We’ve heard this before, but it’s never been more true today. The final U.S. withdrawal, unprecedented Taliban gains, and a floundering peace process underscore just how much Afghanistan’s future hangs in the balance."
Abraham Denmark
Vice President of Programs and Director of Studies; Senior Advisor to the Asia Program; Senior Fellow in the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States
Read more from AbrahamThe 21st century will be defined by what happens in Asia. It is the source of incredible economic growth and tremendous upward potential, but is also riven with uncertainty, tension, and competition.
Merissa Khurma
Program Director, Middle East Program
Earl Anthony Wayne
Public Policy Fellow
Read more from Earl AnthonyThe United States produces more with its neighbors that with any other countries in the world. More than two million dollars of trade crosses the US-Canada and the US-Mexico borders each minute.
