The Afghan people stand at the center of one of the greatest foreign policy challenges facing the U.S. and the world today. Ultimately, their confidence in the Afghan government and the international community, their rejection of extremism, and their investment in their own future will define the potential for long-term stability in Afghanistan. At present, the spread of corruption, criminality, violence, and uncertainty are alienating many Afghans from the Afghan government and its international partners. To reverse this trend, significant work is needed at the local level, addressing citizen concerns and needs province by province, district by district.

The panelists, all with recent service in Afghanistan addressing local governance and development issues, will discuss the efforts of the U.S. and ISAF to expand the presence of the central government, improve security, and promote reconstruction at the local level. The panel will also examine the state of joint civil-military operations, as many local level initiatives, such as those implemented through provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs), require close civilian and military cooperation

Archived Audio

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Speakers

• Sloan Mann
  Former USAID Development Advisor to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force- Afghanistan
• Major Jay Liddick
  D/97th Civil Affairs Company Commander with multiple tours in Afghanistan
• Dr. Stacy Crevello
  Former USAID Development Advisor to ISAF
• Edward Joseph
  Member, USAID assessment team for the Local Governance and Community Development (LGCD) program, Afghanistan
• J Alexander Thier, Moderator
  U.S. Institute of Peace