The War on Terror and US Foreign Policy: The Transition from Obama’s Af-Pak Policy to Trump’s Negotiations with the Taliban

Abstract

The main question this paper answer is: To what extent is Obama’s Afghan policy a departure from or an extension of his predecessor’s legacy regarding Afghanistan? To answer the question, the paper is divided into three main sections: The first section presents a brief historical background of the US policy towards Afghanistan, starting with the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. The second section deals with the policies of the Bush administration towards Afghanistan after September 11, including its conduct of war. The third and most detailed section looks into the Obama administration’s policies toward the Afghan War. The focus of this section remains on highlighting the main trends in the US-Afghan policy during the Obama years. The paper does not detail the merits or demerits of Bush’s or Obama’s approach to the Afghan War. The intent is to merely highlight the existence of a different Afghan policy during the Obama years.