Afghanistan

Afghanistan Order of Battle

The Afghanistan ORBAT describes the location and area of responsibility of all American units in Afghanistan, down to the battalion level, updated as of May 2013.

How many troops does the U.S. need in Afghanistan?

Three thousand troops are not sufficient to keep even a single U.S. military base in Afghanistan after 2014. This report, released jointly with AEI's Critical Threats Project, describes how to calculate the force requirements for keeping one base in Afghanistan.

How to Waste a Decade in Afghanistan-The Wall Street Journal

Leaving a bare-bones U.S. presence will risk a return of the Taliban—and civil war.

Unpacking the Attempted Assassination of Asadullah Khalid

A suicide bombing in Kabul on December 6 targeted the head of the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS), Asadullah Khalid, in an event that has rattled Afghan elites and rekindled controversy between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Command Perspectives: Combat Power & Confidence Within The Afghan National Army

The success of transitioning security responsibility to the Afghans is contingent upon their willingness and ability to receive the handoff.

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Overview

The Afghanistan Project at the Institute for the Study of War produces detailed publications on the changing security and political dynamics in Afghanistan. Research analysts document the pattern of enemy activity in Afghanistan and Pakistan; military operations by Coalition and Afghan forces; the implications of the drawdown of Surge forces; and the political, economic, and demographic dynamics underlying the conflict.

Publications

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Afghanistan - Order of Battle

The Afghanistan ORBAT (in PDF format) describes the location and area of responsibility of all American units in Afghanistan, down to the battalion level, updated as of May 2013.

How many troops does the U.S. need in Afghanistan?

Three thousand troops are not sufficient to keep even a single U.S. military base in Afghanistan after 2014. This report, released with AEI's Critical Threats Project, describes how to calculate the force requirements for keeping one base in Afghanistan after 2014.

Latest Media

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Featured Media

The Surge in Afghanistan: Command Voices

Why U.S. troops must stay in Afghanistan

Latest Photos

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Afghanistan Maps

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Afghanistan Topographical Map

ISAF Force Distribution in Helmand Province - Winter 2010

ISAF Force Distribution in Helmand Province - Spring 2009

ISW in the News

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Jeffrey Dressler Named to Diplomatic Courier's Top 99 Under 33

Jeffrey Dressler, ISW Senior Research Analyst and Afghanistan/Pakistan Team Lead, was named to this year's Top 99 Under 33 list by Diplomatic Courier. Read more.

NATO: Don't Shortchange Afghanistan's Future

This week, members of NATO will descend on Chicago for a summit that could determine the future of the mission in Afghanistan. That future will be determined by the size and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).