Publication

The term AfPak fell into disuse once it was recognised that these were in fact two wars, one against the Taliban group that wanted to defeat the Americans in Afghanistan and several other groups of Taliban operating in Pakistan. The Pakistani Talibans had a number of different objectives. These included not only assisting the Taliban fighting the Americans in Afghanistan, but also bringing Pakistan under the influence of Islam. Now the Americans have concluded that they should be engaged in just one war – that in Afghanistan with very limited objectives to be achieved within a period of three years, 2011-14.