War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Military Operations, and Issues for U.S. Congress

Steve Bowman and Catherine Dale | Congressional Research Service | 2010-06-08

This report presents an big-picture overview of U.S. counterinsurgency (COIN) efforts in Afganistan, asserting that since 2001, the character of the war in Afghanistan has evolved from a violent struggle against al Qaeda and its Taliban supporters to a much more multifaceted effort. "After the fall of the Taliban, the character of the war shifted to a multifaceted COIN effort aimed at smothering the diffuse insurgency by shoring up [Afghan government] efforts to provide security, governance, and economic development," states the report's summary. "The three areas are generally viewed as interdependent and mutually-reinforcing -- security is a prerequisite for some governance and development efforts, and longer-term, sustainable security requires both functional governance and economic opportunity."