Afghan War Assessments

Reports, Papers, and Publications Providing
Assessments of the Afghan War
(listed chronologically by date)

2018

GAO, GAO, Afghanistan Security, Report to the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, October 2018. Some improvements reported in Afghan Forces capabilities, but actions needed to enhance DoD oversight of U.S. purchased equipment.
www.gao.gov/assets/700/695012.pdf

DoD IG, Summary Report on U.S.Direct Funding Provided to Afghanistan, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense, March 21, 2018. This 50-page report summarizes the systemic challegens associated with the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan's (CSTC-A's) oversight of U.S. direct funding provided to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
www.dodig.mil/reports.html/Article/1472257/summary-report-on-us-direct-funding-provided-to-afghanistan/

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, January 30, 2018.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2018-01-30qr.pdf

2017

DoD, Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense, December 2017.
https://media.defense.gov/2017/Dec/15/2001856979/-1/-1/1/1225-REPORT-DEC-2017-FINAL-UNCLASS-BASE.PDF

SIGAR, Reconstructing the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces: Lessons from the U.S. Experience in Afghanistan, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, September 2017.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/lessonslearned/SIGAR-17-62-LL.pdf

DoD, Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense, June 2017. The U.S. Dept of Defense is required by law to submit a report to Congress twice a year.
www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Enhancing-Security-and-Stability-in-Afghanistan-June-2017.pdf

UNAMA, The Situtation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security, United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan, June 15, 2017.
https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/sg_report_on_afghanistan_-_15_june_2017.pdf

Clark, Kate, Looking at the 'Nicholson plan': A bid to tilt the Afghan war in the government's favour, Afghanistan Analysts Network.
https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/ . . . afghan-war-in-the-governments-favour/

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, April 30, 2017.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2017-04-30qr.pdf

UN, Annual Report 2016 - Protection of Civilians, United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, February 2017.
www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/HRReports.aspx

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, January 30, 2017.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2017-01-30qr.pdf

CRS, Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, Kenneth Katzman, Congressional Research Center, January 12, 2017. Posted on Homeland Security Digital Library.
www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=798252

SIGAR, High-Risk List, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), January 2017. This report identifies the greatest threats to the ultimate success of the 15-year-long U.S.-funded reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. These areas are the ANDSF, corruption, sustainability, on-budget support, counternarcotics, contract management, oversight, and strategy and planning.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/spotlight/2017_High-Risk_List.pdf

2016

DoD, Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense 1225 Report, December 2016.
www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/Afghanistan-1225-Report-December-2016.pdf

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, October 30, 2016.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2016-10-30qr.pdf

The Asia Foundation, Survey of the Afghan People, December 7, 2016. A comprehensive poll conducted of over 12,000 Afghans in all 34 provinces on a variety of topics.
http://asiafoundation.org/where-we-work/afghanistan/survey/

Cordesman, Anthony H., The Afghan War: Reshaping American Strategy and Finding Ways to Win, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), August 17, 2016.
www.csis.org/analysis/afghan-war-reshaping-american-strategy-and-finding-ways-win

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, July 30, 2016.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2016-07-30qr.pdf

DoD, Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense 1225 Report, June 2016.
www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Enhancing_Security_and_Stability_in_Afghanistan-June_2016.pdf

Katzman, Kenneth. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS), June 6, 2016.
www.pksoi.org/document_repository/Report/CRS_Afghanistan_Governance_Security_Policy_(6-Jun-2016)-CDR-1759.pdf

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, April 30, 2016.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2016-04-30qr.pdf

Katzman, Kenneth. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS), April 15, 2016. 81-page report posted on website of Federated American Scientists (FAS).
www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL30588.pdf

AREU, The Afghan National Army After ISAF, Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, March 2016. An 18-page report describing problems of logistics, recruitment, ghost soldiers, and lack of mobility.
http://www.areu.org.af/Uploads/EditionPdfs/1603E%20The%20Afghan%20National%20Army%20after%20ISAF.pdf

SIGAR, Challenges to Effective Oversight of Afghanistan Reconstruction Grow as High-Risk Areas Persist, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, February 24, 2016.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/testimony/SIGAR-16-18-TY.pdf

Institute for the Study of War, Afghanistan Partial Threat Assessment: The Taliban and ISIS, February 23, 2016. A four-page document with threat map.
www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/AFG%20Map%20Threat%20Assessment%20PDF.pdf

SIGAR, Assessing the Capabilities and Effectiveness of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, testimony of John F. Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Armed Services, U.S. House of Representatives, February 12, 2016.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/testimony/SIGAR-16-17-TY.pdf

Cordesman, Anthony, Afghanistan: The Uncertain Impact of a Year of Transition, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), February 11, 2016.
http://csis.org/publication/afghanistan-uncertain-impact-year-transition

Paul, Christopher and Colin P. Clarke, Counterinsurgency Scorecard Update: Afghanistan in Early 2015 Relative to Insurgencies Since World War II, RAND Corporation, February 2016.
www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1273.html

Campbell, Gen John, 20160202 - AFG in 2016: The Evolving Security Situation and U.S. Policy, Strategy, and Posture, YouTube.com, 2 hour long video testimony of the Resolute Support commander before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuYTzYRaiRs

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, January 30, 2016. A 203-page report detailing the political, economic, social, development, and security situation in Afghanistan.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2016-01-30qr.pdf

2015

Katzman, Kenneth. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS), December 22, 2015. Posted on the website of Homeland Security Digital Library.
www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=789303

Cordesman, Anthony. Afghanistan a Year After "Transition": Losing the War at Every Level, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), December 22, 2015.
http://csis.org/publication/afghanistan-year-after-transition-losing-war-every-level

DoD, Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan, December 2015.
www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/1225_Report_Dec_2015_-_Final_20151210.pdf

Asia Foundation, Afghanistan in 2015: A Survey of the Afghan People, November 2015.
http://asiafoundation.org/afghansurvey/

United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Afghanistan Post-2014: Effective Monitoring and Evaluation in Conflict-Affected Environments, by David Mansfield, November 12, 2015.
www.usip.org/publications/2015/11/12/effective-monitoring-and-evaluation-in-conflict-affected-environments

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, October 30, 2015.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2015-10-30qr.pdf

Katzman, Kenneth. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS), October 15, 2015. Posted on the website of Homeland Security Digital Library.
www.hsdl.org/?view&did=788068

CSIS, Afghanistan and "Failed State Wars": The Need for a Realistic Transition, by Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), September 29, 2015. A informative 219-page PDF slide presentation.
http://csis.org/files/publication/150929_Cordesman_Afghanistan_Failed_State_Wars_1.pdf

DoD, Report on Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan, June 2015. The '1225 report' is replacing the '1230 report'. This bi-annual report covers December 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015. Report has a description of the strategy of the U.S. in regards to Afghanistan, current and anticipated threat assessment, as well as information about the Afghan National Security Forces.
www.defense.gov/pubs/June_1225_Report_Final.pdf

Cordsman, Anthony. Key Combat Trends in Afghanistan: Violence vs. Population, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), May 18, 2015.
http://csis.org/publication/key-combat-trends-afghanistan-violence-vs-population

SIGAR, Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, April 30, 2015.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2015-04-30qr.pdf

DoDIG, Equipping and Training Afghan Security Forces, DoDIF-2015-108, April 30, 2015. An assessment of U.S. and Coalition efforts to develop the sufficiency of Afghan National Security Forces policies, processes, and procedures for the management and accountability of Class III (fuel) and V (ammunition).
www.dodig.mil/pubs/report_summary.cfm?id=6431

SIGAR, Why ANSF Numbers Matter: Inaccurate and Unreliable Data, and Limited Oversight of On-Budget Assistance Put Millions of U.S. Taxpayer Dollars at Risk, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction testimony before the Subcommittee on National Security, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform U.S. House of Representatives, April 29, 2015.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/testimony/SIGAR-15-56-TY.pdf

SIGAR, Afghan National Army: Millions of Dollars at Risk Due to Minimal Oversight of Personnel and Payroll Data, SIGAR 15-54 Audit Report, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, April 2015.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/audits/SIGAR-15-54-AR.pdf

DoDIG, Equipping and Training Afghan Security Forces, DoDIG-2015-107, April 17, 2015. Challenges exist for asset accountability and maintenance and sustainment of vehicles within the Afghan Nationa Security Forces.
www.dodig.mil//pubs/report_summary.cfm?id=6327

DoDIG, Summary of Lessons Learned - DoD IG Assessment Oversight of "Train, Advise, Assist, and Equip" Operations by U.S. and Coalition Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, Inspector General U.S. Department of Defense, Report No. DODIG-2015-093, March 31, 2015.
www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2015-093.pdf

Barakat, Sultan and Brooke Smioth-Windsor, Post-ISAF Afghanistan: The Early Months, Brookings Doha Center, February 2015.
www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/reports/2015/05/bdc-afghanistan-nato-report/bdc-nato-event-report.pdf

UNAMA, The Situation in Afghanistan, February 27, 2015. The UN is presented with a report every three months on the activities of the United Nations in Afghanistan, a summary of key political and security developments, and regional events that affect Afghanistan.
www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2015/151

DoDIG, Acquisition Processes and Contract Management, DODIG-2015-082, February 26, 2015. Report on GIRoAs Controls over the contract management process for U.S. direct assistance.
www.dodig.mil/pubs/report_summary.cfm?id=6269

Cordesman, Anthony H. Transition in Afghanistan: Losing the Forgotten War?, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), February 6, 2015. This report provides "the real story" on the advisory effort in Afghanistan and the state of readiness of the ANSF.
http://csis.org/files/publication/150206_forgotten_war.pdf

SIGAR, Quarterly Report on Afghanistan, January 30, 2015. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2015-01-30qr.pdf

DoDIG, Assessment of U.S. and Coalition Efforts to Develop the Logistics and Maintenance Sustainment Capability of the Afghan National Police, Inspector General U.S. Department of Defense, January 30, 2015.
www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2015-067.pdf

Munch, Phillip. Resolute Support Light: NATO's New Mission versus the Political Economy of the Afghan National Security Forces, Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), January 12, 2015.
https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/20150112-PMuench-Resolute_Support_Light.pdf

Jost, Tyler. Defend, Defect, or Desert?: The Future of the Afghan Security Forces, Center for a New American Security. Jost served as a company commander in the U.S. Army and did two tours in Afghanistan. He is currently a Phd candidate in International Relations at Harvard University.
www.cnas.org/future-of-aghan-security-forces

2014

December 19, 2014. "Assessment of U.S. Government and Coalition Efforts to Develop the Logistics Sustainment Capability of the Afghan National Army", Department of Defense Inspector General (DoDIG), Report No. DODIG-2015-047.
www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2015-047.pdf

December 7, 2014. "The Afghan National Army: Sustainability Challenges beyond Financial Aspects". Afghan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU).

December 2, 2014. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report RL30599, Dec 2, 2014.
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/234979.pdf

November 20, 2014. "Afghanistan in 2024: Muddling Through?", Stability: International Journal of Security and Development 3(1):37, by David Kilcullen.
www.stabilityjournal.org/article/view/sta.ej/

November 18, 2014. Afghan Forces on the Edge of Transition. By Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
http://csis.org/publication/afghan-forces-edge-transition

November 18, 2014. Afghanistan in 2014: A Survey of the Afghan People, The Asia Foundation.
http://asiafoundation.org/country/afghanistan/2014-poll.php

November 4, 2014. Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance, by Kenneth Katzman, Congressional Research Service (CRS), RS21922.
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/234362.pdf

October 2014. Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense, 1230 Report.
www.defense.gov/pubs/Oct2014_Report_Final.pdf

October 2014. SIGAR Quarterly Report to Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2014-10-30qr.pdf

October 27, 2014. Afghanistan in Transition: U.S. Civilian Presence and Assistance Post-2014, Majority Staff Report for Committee on Foreign Relations United States Senate, October 27, 2014.
www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/89860.pdf

October 2014. Improving Strategic Competence: Lessons from 13 Years of War, RAND Corporation.
www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR816.html

September 17, 2014. Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance, by Kenneth Katzman, Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report RS21922, September 17, 2014.
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/232516.pdf

July 30, 2014. Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2014-07-30qr.pdf

July 30, 2014. Rethinking Afghan Local Governance Aid After Transition, United States Institute of Peace (USIP), by Frances Z. Brown. This report assesses donor subnational governance assistance effors in Afghanistan's more remote and contested areas from 2009 to 2014 and recommends revised approaches going forward. Accessed here 31 Jul 2014.

June 15, 2014. "The Afghanization of Afghan Security", by Robin L. Duane, Small Wars Journal. Good overview of the Afghan security forces and security situtation.
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/the-afghanization-of-afghan-security

May 21, 2014. "The Afghan National Army: Sustainability Challenges beyond Financial Aspects". AREU.

May 19, 2014. U.S. Military and Coalition Efforts to Develop Effective and Sustainable Healthcare in Support of the Afghan National Police, Inspector General DoD Report No. DODIG-2014-072.
www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2014-072.pdf

April 30, 2014. Quarterly Report to the United States Congress,  Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2014-04-30qr.pdf

April 30, 2014. Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense. 1230 Report on Afghanistan to Congress.
www.defense.gov/pubs/April_1230_Report_Final.pdf

March 25, 2014. Can the Taleban outwrestle the government? An assessment of the insurgency's military capability. Afghanistan Analysts Network.
www.afghanistan-analysts.org/can-the-taleban-outwrestle . . .

March 13, 2014."Can the Afghan Security Forces Stand Up to the Taliban?" Small Wars Journal. A team of analysts from the CNA Corporation traveled to Afghanistan to conduct a Congressionally mandated study to assess the ANSF. Eight major conclusions were reached.
http://smallwarsjournal.com/ . . . stand-up-to-the-taliban

March 12, 2014. Testimony of General Dunford (COMISAF) before the Senate Armed Services Committee about Afghanistan. View the transcript of his opening statement and view the testimony video. (2 hours and 14 minutes). Briefing doesn't begin until the 20 minute mark.

March 11, 2014. Analysis: Critical year ahead for Afghanistan. IRIN, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs provides an analysis of the next 12 months.
http://www.irinnews.org/report/99765/analysis-critical-year-ahead-for-afghanistan

March 4, 2014. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, Kenneth Katzman, Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report.
www.hsdl.org/?view&did=751093

January 24, 2014. Independent Assessment of the Afghan National Security Forces, Strategic Studies Research Department, Center for Naval Analyses, Alexandria, VA.
www.cna.org/research/2014/independent-assessment-afghan-national-security

January 17, 2014. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, by Kenneth Katzman, Congressional Research Service (CRS).
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/221259.pdf

2014, Assessing Locally Focused Stability Operations, RR387, RAND Corporation.
www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR300/RR387/RAND_RR387.pdf

2013

December 17, 2013. War in Afghanistan: Campaign Progress, Political Strategy, and Issues for Congress,  by Catherine Dale, Congressional Research Service.
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/219633.pdf

December 2013. NATO in Afghanistan: Demoncratization Warfare, National Narratives, and Budgetary Austerity, by Henrik B.L. Larsen, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University.
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/larsen-dp-2013-10.pdf

November 2013. Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense. Commonly known as the 1230 report to Congress.
www.defense.gov/pubs/October_1230_Report_Master_Nov7.pdf

Fall 2013. "A War Examined: Afghanistan", Parmeters, by Todd R. Greentree, 43(3) Autumn 2013, pages 87-97. Posted on Strategic Studies Institute website.
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/parameters . . .Greentree.pdf

May 2013. Volume III: Security and the ANSF, by Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
http://csis.org/files/publication/130327_afghan_war_in_2013_vol_III.pdf

May 2013. Volume I: The Challenges of Leadership and Governance, by Anthony H. Cordsman, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
https://csis.org/files/publication/130326_afghan_war_in_2013_vol_I.pdf

SIGAR, Afghan National Security Forces: Actions Needed to Improve Plans for Sustaining Capability Assessment Efforts, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, SIGAR 14-33 Audit Report, February 2014.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/audits/SIGAR_14-33-AR.pdf

Cordeman, Anthony H. The Uncertain Role of the ANSF in Transition: Establishing Real World Criteria and Metrics, Center for Strategic & International Studies, February 27, 2013. Testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.
http://csis.org/testimony/uncertain-role-ansf-transition-establishing-real-world-criteria-and-metrics

January 2, 2013. 10,000 Troops in Afghanistan is not Enough: Rightsizing NATO's Developmental Support Force Beyond 2014, By Jeffrey Dressler and LTG James M. Dubrik (Ret), Institute for the Study of War.
http://www.understandingwar.org/ . . . /10000-troops . . .

2012

December 2012. Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Department of Defense (1230 report).
http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/1230_Report_final.pdf

August 1, 2012. Paint It Pink: The US redefining ANA success, by Gary Owen, Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN).
www.afghanistan-analysts.org/paint-it-pink-the-us-redefining-ana-success/

2011

June 2011. Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).  Background paper for media by ISAF.

May 10, 2011. "No Time to Lose".  Promoting the accountability of the Afghan National Security Forces.  Joint Briefing Paper. Oxfam.

April 2011. "Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan".  Department of Defense.

March 15, 2011. Statement of Gen Petraeus Before Senate Armed Services Committee. General Petraeus.

March 2011. "Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict".  United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

2010

December 16, 2010. Overview of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Annual Review. Office of the Press Secretary, The White House.
www.whitehouse.gov/ . . . annual-review

June 29, 2010. Actions Needed to Improve the Reliability of Afghan Security Force Assessments, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). This report discusses the results of a performance audit of the assessment system used to evaluate the capabilities of the ANSF. It includes ten recommendations for IJC and three for NTM-A/CSTC-A.
www.sigar.mil/pdf/audits/2010-06-29audit-10-11.pdf

June 29, 2010. "Report: Rating System of Afghan Forces 'Not Reliable'", PBS Newshour.
www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/report-on-afghan-forces/

January 2010. Fixing Intel: A Blueprint for Making Intelligence Relevant in Afghanistan, by MG Michael Flynn. Center for a New American Century.
http://www.cnas.org/files/documents/publications/AfghanIntel_Flynn . . .pdf

2010. "Measuring Progress in Reconstructing Afghanistan", Baltic Security and Defence Review, by Christiaan Davids, Sebastiaan Ritjens, and Joseph Soeters of the Netherlands National Defence Academy.
http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/ . . . /Afghan-Progress.pdf

2009

September 2009, Report on the Assessment of U.S. and Coalition Plans to Train, Equip, and Field the Afghan National Security Forces, Inspector General United States Department of Defense, Report No. SPO-2009-007. Report focuses on the ANSF, Embedded Training Teams (ETTs), and Police Training Teams (PTTs).
www.dodig.mil/spo/Reports/SPO2009-007_final.pdf

August 2009. McChrystal's Initial Assessment Report of the Situation in Afghanistan, August 2009, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).
www.cfr.org/afghanistan/mcchrystals . . assessment . . .

News Articles Providing Assessments of Afghan War

2014

December 2, 2014. "What's The Plan? The Afghan National Security Forces". War on the Rocks. Commentary on the ANSF by Jason Campbell of RAND Corporation.

October 30, 2014. "The Capabilities of the Afghan Military are Suddenly a Secret". Time.com.

October 30, 2014. "U.S. Military Classifying Assessments of Afghan Military". Bloomberg Businessweek.

October 20, 2014. "A (fighting) season to remember in Afghanistan". The Washington Post. Jason Lyall identifies five trends and lessons learned.

June 30, 2014. "The Haunting Rhymes of America's Wars in Vietnam and Afghanistn: Why Metrics Still Matter", by James C. Bithorn, Small Wars Journal.

April 30, 2014. "Report Points to Afghan Progress, Challenges". American Forces Press Service. This is the 1230 report due to Congress semi-annually.

January 31, 2014. "Poll: Grim assessment of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan". USA Today. Most Americans have concluded that neither war achieved its goals.

December 28, 2014. "U.S. Intelligence Estimates Predicts Big Rollbacks in Afghanistan: Report". Huffington Post Politics.

2013

December 8, 2013. "Afghanistan gains will be lost quickly after drawdown, U.S. intelligence estimate warns". The Washington Post.

October 2, 2013. "Are we winning yet? Led astray by metrics". War on the Rocks.

Autumn 2013. "A War Examined: Afghanistan", Parameters,  By Todd R. Greentree, posted on Strategic Studies Institute website.
www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/ . . . Greentree.pdf

September 5, 2013. "An Update on America's Forgotten War in Afghanistan". Brookings Institute. An overall assessment of the 2013 fighting season.

2012

November 5, 2012. "US General Gives Mixed Assessment of Afghanistan War". Voice of America. Marine General Joseph Dunford testimony to Congress.

January 31, 2012. "Dianne Feinstein criticizes W.H.'s Afghanistan assessment". Politico.com.

January 12, 2012. "Assessing the Afghan War: Guess what? We aren't winning". Los Angeles Times.

2011

April 29, 2011. "Pentagon's rosy report of Afghanistan war raises questions", The Christian Science Monitor. 1230 report called into question.

January 25, 2011. "Petraeus issues state of the Afghan war assessment". McClatchy.com Nukes & Spooks Blog.

December 16, 2010. "CIA report undermines Obama's upbeat assessment of Afghan war".  The Independent (UK).

2010

December 7, 2010. "Petraeus Gives Gates an Upbeat Assessment". National Journal.

October 5, 2010. "Assessing British Support for the War in Afghanistan". Encyclopedia Britannica Blog.

2009

September 21, 2009. "General McChrystal's report on Afghanistan and external influences". Threat Matrix Blog of the Long War Journal.

Listing of Periodic Reports and Assessments

Quarterly Strategic Assessment Report (QSAR). A classified report by ISAF on the ANSF.

1230 Report. A mandatory report to Congress on the status of the Afghan War and the ANSF.

Brookings Institute - Afghanistan Index. This index is a statistical compilation of economic, public opinion and security data measuring the counterinsurgency and nation-building efforts. Updated every month.
www.brookings.edu/about/programs/foreign-policy/afghanistan-index