Afghanistan

A buildup of Western military forces in Afghanistan along the Pakistani border is creating a buzz in the region and beyond, but U.S. forces are not on the verge of conducting large-scale military operations in Pakistan just yet. [more]

The Bush administration has let it be known that it is prepared to reduce U.S. troop levels in Iraq. [more]

A news leak that the Bush administration is thinking of accelerating the rate of troop withdrawals from Iraq coincides with one of the worst days for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. A closer look at both situations. [more]

The following are internal Stratfor documents produced to provide high-level guidance to our analysts. These documents are not forecasts, but rather a series of guidelines for understanding and evaluating events, as well as suggestions on areas for focus. [more]

An attack July 7 on the Indian Embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul that killed two high-level diplomats has all the signs of a targeted assassination versus a strike aimed at the building itself with the aim of incurring a high body count. [more]

The third quarter will be a hot season of conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with U.S. and Pakistani forces fighting the spread of Taliban influence. Senior analyst Kamran Bokhari gives the outlook in Part 3 of our series on the Stratfor quarterly forecast. [more]

The involvement of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, whether official or not, cannot be ruled out in the July 7 suicide attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. [more]

The success of a break at Sarposa prison in Afghanistan underscores the Taliban's dedication to freeing their fellow insurgents, as well as the overall vulnerability of the facilities that attempt to contain them. [more]

Recent developments in South Asia suggest that the battle against the Taliban will lead to increasingly overt U.S. military operations on Pakistani soil. Stratfor’s Middle East director, Kamran Bokhari, explains the issues and explores the political ramifications of a widening conflict zone with Marla Dial. [more]

U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan are preparing for overt operations across the border in Pakistan. [more]

A U.S. airstrike June 10 in Pakistan's northwestern tribal area that killed 11 Pakistani militiamen was condemned June 11 by the Pakistani military. [more]

The United States is nearing a paradigm shift that will see it no longer constrained by fears for Pakistani stability. [more]

Gen. David Petraeus has been recommended to be the next head of U.S. Central Command, a position that would give him oversight of both the U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. [more]

Osama bin Laden's 18-year-old son is recruiting young people -- particularly those with mental deficiencies or from broken homes -- to form small jihadist cells, a source told Stratfor. [more]

With some NATO troops seeking tactical-level talks with Taliban insurgents, Stratfor’s Middle East director, Kamran Bokhari, discusses the possibilities and pitfalls of any “selective engagement” policy for Afghanistan. [more]

There’s been quiet talk within NATO circles on whether to seek negotiations with some Taliban elements in Afghanistan. While direct, high-level talks involving NATO officials are unlikely, some are encouraging dialogue at the tactical level. Stratfor’s Middle East Director Kamran Bokhari explores the question with Marla Dial. [more]

The West is considering nonmilitary options for dealing with the Taliban. However, at this stage, it is not clear who the West can deal with among the Pashtun jihadists. Lessons learned in Iraq could prove useful. [more]

The Taliban’s April 27 attack against a ceremony commemorating Afghanistan’s independence has gotten a lot of media attention but the Taliban has shown itself unable to capitalize on a golden opportunity. [more]

Several banned Kashmiri militant groups are resurfacing in major Pakistani cities, Pakistan's Dawn News reported April 25. (With Stratfor map) [more]

The Taliban’s audacious attack against Afghanistan’s president highlights the difficulties NATO faces in beating the jihadists. Geography and difficulties in obtaining cooperation from neighboring Pakistan and Iran will make life difficult for Gen. David Petraeus as CENTCOM chief - as America’s ally, Australia’s Kevin Rudd, acknowledges. Colin Chapman reports. [more]