Steve Coll: All Publications, Events and Press

The Price of Failure in Afghanistan | Reuters

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:12:00 -0500

Steve Coll, journalist and president of the New America Foundation, sets out four consequences of failure in Afghanistan in a blog in The New Yorker, ...

My Father, the Terrorist | Washington Post

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:07:00 -0500

In "The Bin Ladens," Steve Coll's history of the family, Najwa and Omar are minor characters. And so they would have remained but for the decision -- not ...

Afghan Lessons | United Press International

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:04:00 -0500

According to Afghan expert Steve Coll, from 1986 to 1992 the Soviets, through their politically adept Afghan strongman President Mohammad Najibullah, ...

Afghanistan

Kirsten Gilbert — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/29/2009 - 8:00am

Please join the New America Foundation and the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy in a conference about Afghanistan.

Al- Qaeda and Its Allies: The Endgame

Kirsten Gilbert — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:45:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/21/2009 - 8:15am

This conference examined the civilian dimensions of counterterrorism, and took place on October 21, 2009, at the Mayflower Hotel. A full program agenda is below, as are video recordings from the webcasts of each discussion.

Higher resolution video and an MP3 audio recording will be added here as they become available.

Enemies of the People

Kirsten Gilbert — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:30:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/21/2009 - 5:00pm

In her book, journalist Kati Marton trolls the archives of the Hungarian secret police to piece together her parents' imprisonment in and flight from Hungary in the mid-1950s. The files revealed terrifying truths: secret love affairs, betrayals inside the family circle, torture and brutalities alongside acts of stunning courage - and, above all, deep family love.

War and Politics

Erin Drankoski — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:47:00 -0400

Over the summer, the Afghan Taliban's military committee distributed "A Book of Rules," in Pashto, to its fighters. The book's eleven chapters seem to draw from the population-centric principles of F.M. 3-24, the U.S. Army's much publicized counter-insurgency field manual, released in 2006. Henceforth, the Taliban guide declares, suicide bombers must take "the utmost steps . . . to avoid civilian human loss." Commanders should generally insure the "safety and security of the civilian's life and property." Also, lest

Lessons Learned In Vietnam Applied To Afghanistan | NPR

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:17:00 -0400

President Obama says Afghanistan is not Vietnam, but some are arguing that we're facing a "Vietnam moment" there. Steve Coll, author of Ghost Wars, and Neil Sheehan, author of A Bright Shining Lie, talk about the parallels between the two wars, and the path ahead. ...

Superfusion

Kirsten Gilbert — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:45:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/19/2009 - 12:15pm

Please join New America in a conversation between Zachary Karabell and Steve Coll about the book, Superfusion: How China and America Became One Economy and Why the World's Prosperity Depends on It.

The Case for Humility in Afghanistan

Erin Drankoski — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:20:00 -0400

The United States has two compelling interests at issue in the Afghan conflict. One is the ongoing, increasingly successful but incomplete effort to reduce the threat posed by al Qaeda and related jihadi groups, and to finally eliminate the al Qaeda leadership that carried out the Sept. 11 attacks. The second is the pursuit of a South and Central Asian region that is at least stable enough to ensure that Pakistan does not fail completely as a state or fall into the hands of Islamic extremists.

Review: 'Frontline: Obama's War' on PBS | Los Angeles Times

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:35:00 -0400

New Yorker writer Steve Coll summarizes: "This could not be a more complicated war. If you think about it, the United States is essentially waging a war ...

Karzai Weaker, but Still Important | New York Times

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:30:00 -0400

A repeated failing of US foreign policy has been to project American interests onto one leader and feel cheated if he falls short, said Steve Coll, ...

U.S. Interests and Policy Choices in Afghanistan

American Strategy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:37:00 -0400

The United States has two compelling interests at issue in the Afghan conflict. One is the ongoing, increasingly successful but incomplete effort to reduce the threat posed by Al Qaeda and related jihadi groups, and to finally eliminate the Al Qaeda leadership that carried out the 9/11 attacks. The second is the pursuit of a South and Central Asian region that is at least stable enough to ensure that Pakistan does not fail completely as a state or fall into the hands of Islamic extremists.

Karzai May Be Liability as Obama's Partner in New Afghan Policy | Bloomberg

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:51:00 -0400

A repeated failing of US foreign policy has been to project American interests onto a single leader and feel cheated if he falls short, says Steve Coll, ...

Can the War in Afghanistan Still Be Won? | Newsweek

Cecille Isidro — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:01:00 -0400

Arguing against the motion were Steve Coll, CEO of the New America Foundation; retired US armylt. Col. John Nagl, president of the Center for a New American ...

Afghanistan and Pakistan Debate | Intelligence Squared

Erin Drankoski — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:13:00 -0400

The overview: America cannot and will not succeed in Afghanistan/Pakistan.

For the motion: Steven Clemons, Director of New America Foundation's American Strategy Program

Against the motion: Steve Coll, President of the New America Foundation

Read on for more about this debate ... Orginial Video (available soon)

Afghan Election | United Press International

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:04:00 -0400

In a recent series of blogs in The New Yorker, Steve Coll brilliantly captures the essence of the problem. Sections of it are well worth quoting: "The ...

Stuck in Kabul, with Saigon Blues Again | Asia Times Online

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:08:00 -0400

Steve Coll from the New America Foundation, writing in The New Yorker, argues that Obama should adopt a solution similar to that of former Soviet leader ...

America Cannot Succeed in Af/Pak | Intelligence Squared U.S. (MPBN)

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:33:00 -0400

More troops and a new commander have been sent to Afghanistan, and the U.S. has increased its level of support and aid to Pakistan. Steve Coll will be on a panel to represent the argument against against this motion. Mr. Coll is, president and CEO of New America Foundation, and a staff writer at the New Yorker magazine ...

5 Ideas to Win Aghan War | The Atlantic Online

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:38:00 -0400

It's All About Pakistan The New Yorker's Steve Coll emphasizes the country wedged between Afghanistan and India. Coll explains how withdrawal would ...