In The Warlords’ Shadow: Village Stability Operations in Afghanistan
Channel: New America
Date: 2017-09-07

In 2010, U.S. Special Operations Forces began a new program to fight the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, the Village Stability Operations/Afghan Local Police Initiative. The initiative embedded Army Special Forces and Navy SEAL teams in villages throughout Afghanistan, moving from a top-down to a bottom-up strategy to provide security. 

In his new book In The Warlords’ Shadow: Special Operations Forces, the Afghans, and their Fight Against the Taliban, Daniel R. Green provides a first-hand account of how the initiative functioned in practice. 

Green is a Defense Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is a reserve officer with the U.S. Navy and most recently served in Iraq (2015-2016) as a tribal and political engagement officer in Baghdad. Since 2001, he has held several senior advisory positions dealing with the Middle East, Central Asia, and NATO/Europe in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the State Department. 

In addition to his latest book In The Warlords’ Shadow, he has two other books: The Valley’s Edge: A Year with the Pashtuns in the Heartland of the Taliban and Fallujah Redux: The Anbar Awakening and the Struggle with al-Qaeda. 

Follow the discussion online using #AfghanSOF and following @NewAmericaISP. 

Participant: 

Daniel R. Green 
Defense Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy 
Author, In The Warlords’ Shadow: Special Operations Forces, the Afghans, and their Fight Against the Taliban 

Moderator: 

John Dempsey
Fellow, New America International Security Program

====================================

New America is dedicated to the renewal of American politics, prosperity, and purpose in the digital age through big ideas, technological innovation, next generation politics, and creative engagement with broad audiences.

Subscribe to our channel for new videos on a wide range of policy issues: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=newamericafoundation

Subscribe to The New America Weekly and other newsletters: http://www.newamerica.org/subscribe/#