David Rieff Assesses Obama's Plan For Afghanistan | Big Think | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The Obama Administration's approach to Pakistan and Afghanistan involves reopening contact with Pakistan's leader, recognizing the importance of cooperation, and pressuring for positive changes.

Key Insights

• 🫵 Recognizing the importance of cooperation with Pakistan and reopening contact with its leader, Nawaz Sharif, is viewed positively.
• 🥺 Pressure from the Obama Administration led to the reinstatement of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, a move seen as a step in the right direction.
• ❓ Despite concerns about political correctness, most Europeans understand the real threat of terrorism and the presence of Islamist militants in their countries.
• 🍉 Europe, however, has been reluctant to prioritize remilitarization, which limits its contribution in terms of troop deployment.
• 🎖️ The American military may welcome additional European troops, but Europe's overall military capability is significantly smaller compared to the United States.
• 😀 The Obama Administration faces challenges and uncertainties in dealing with Afghanistan and Pakistan, and there may be moments where Obama questions his decision to pursue the presidency.
• 🫱 The Iraq war was more controversial in Europe compared to the engagement in Afghanistan, where the threat of Al-Qaeda is widely recognized.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How does the Obama Administration view the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan?

The Obama Administration recognizes the interdependence of the outcomes in both countries and believes that the success of Afghanistan depends on Pakistan's cooperation.

Q: What positive step did the Obama Administration take regarding Pakistan?

They reopened contact with Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan, understanding that excluding him was a mistake and that his support is crucial in countering fundamentalism.

Q: How does the Obama Administration's approach differ from the Bush Administration in terms of foreign policy?

The Obama Administration is seen as less competent in Asia, but they have focused on issues such as global health and AIDS which were handled better than under the Clinton Administration.

Q: How does Europe view the engagement in Afghanistan compared to the Iraq war?

In Europe, engagement in Afghanistan is less controversial than the Iraq war, as European governments recognize the threat of Al-Qaeda and Islamic militants present within their own countries.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Obama Administration acknowledges the link between the outcomes in Pakistan and Afghanistan, reopening contact with Pakistani leader Nawaz Sharif.

• The decision to reinstate the Chief Justice of Pakistan, who is an ally of Sharif, under American pressure is seen as positive.

• The Bush Administration's policy of not involving Sharif and attempting to rely on other methods to combat fundamentalism in Pakistan was viewed as a mistake.