Afghanization

Afghanization

President Barack Obama’s five-point plan for turning the war back to the Afghans is designed to cover the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces and “forge a just and lasting peace.” What does the plan involve, and can it work?

Here are the five points:

1. Making Afghans responsible for their own security within two years

2. Training and operationalizing a 352,000-man Afghan security force

3. An enduring partnership with the United States providing training and counter-insurgency guidance

4. Pursuing a negotiated peace with the Taliban

5. Building a global consensus for peace

Afghanization—the practical consequence of...