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Seth G. Jones

From the Archives Jan 3, 2018 Snapshot

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Why the Taliban Isn't Winning in Afghanistan

Although the Taliban has demonstrated a surprising ability to survive and conduct high-profile attacks in cities like Kabul, it is weaker today than most recognize.

Seth G. Jones

A game of cricket on a field outside of Kabul, December 2017.

Security Aug 7, 2017 Snapshot

Will al Qaeda Make a Comeback?

Al Qaeda’s past strength has never been linear, but has waxed and waned based on multiple factors.

Seth G. Jones

From the Archives Mar 21, 2017 Snapshot

How Trump Should Manage Afghanistan

U.S. President Donald Trump's goals in Afghanistan should be limited: aggressively pursue terrorists that threaten the United States, prevent Taliban forces from...

Seth G. Jones

Afghan security forces take position during a gun battle between Taliban and Afghan security forces in Laghman province, Afghanistan, March 2017.

Security Jun 16, 2016 Snapshot

Afghanistan After Mansour

The killing of Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in May 2016 is unlikely to transform the conflict in Afghanistan or improve the prospects for a deal between...

Seth G. Jones

An Afghan National Army soldier keeps watch in Logar Province, Afghanistan, February 2016.

Democratization Mar 17, 2016 Snapshot

Democracy in the Arab World

The United States’ power to force political change in the Arab world is limited, and the end of authoritarianism there isn't coming anytime soon.

Seth G. Jones

A member of the military at a demonstration against candidates for a national unity government proposed by U.N. envoy for Libya Bernardino Leon in Benghazi, Libya, October 2015. There are no signs of an end to the authoritarianism in the Middle East.

Terrorism & Counterterrorism Jun 11, 2015 Snapshot

Expanding the Caliphate

For over a year, ISIS has been attempting to expand into South Asia. As the group gains a toehold among Afghan and Pakistani militants, the region could be in store...

Seth G. Jones

Political Development Jul 21, 2013 Postscript

The Enduring Mirage of the Arab Spring

For those surprised by the military coup in Egypt, it is worth remembering that democracy was never the Egyptian protesters’ main goal. Rather, most were more...

Seth G. Jones

A supporter of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi rests his hands on barbed wire fence.

Political Development January/February 2013 Essay

The Mirage of the Arab Spring

The Arab uprisings of 2011, once a great source of hope for democracy enthusiasts, have given way to sectarian clashes and political instability. The Middle East has...

Seth G. Jones

War & Military Strategy Jan 29, 2012 Snapshot

Al Qaeda in Iran

Iran is holding terrorist leaders as an act of defense -- so long as it has them, al Qaeda will likely refrain from attacking Iran. But the strategy also has a...

Seth G. Jones

Terrorism & Counterterrorism Nov 6, 2011 Snapshot

Why the Haqqani Network is The Wrong Target

The United States has placed outsized importance on disabling the Haqqani network along the Afghan-Pakistan border. Yet in focusing on this group -- which enjoys...

Seth G. Jones

Afghanistan - Foreign Affairs

Strategy & Conflict May/June 2010 Review Essay

It Takes the Villages

Current efforts to stabilize Afghanistan are based on a misunderstanding of the country's culture and social structure. As three new books show, defeating the Taliban...

Seth G. Jones

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