Afghanistan: Is the New Strategy Working? with Professor Alam Payind

A sudden switch of American commanders in Afghanistan signaled unhappiness with the conduct of the war and a decision to pattern strategy more on the Iraq model where Sunni guerrilla groups were convinced to switch sides through Awakening Councils. General Stanley A. McChrystal, Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command and one of the prime architects of recent successes in Iraq, was brought in to craft this policy change. General McChrystal has announced his intent to dramatically lower civilian casualties by reducing the use of airpower and changing the rules of engagement for allied forces in the theatre. Concomitant with this is a planned dramatic increase in civil infrastructure aid for Afghanistan. Fresh from a September fact-finding visit to Afghanistan, Professor Alam Payind, an Afghan academic and Director of the Middle East Center at the Ohio State University, discusses the impact of these changes. CLASS #: 444100 D