New U.S. Envoy To Afghanistan On Strategy

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to former Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, the new envoy to Afghanistan, about the U.S. strategy in the country.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
When Zalmay Khalilzad was named ambassador to Afghanistan back in 2003, that country was a much different place. The U.S. had just invaded in 2001 in an effort to root out al-Qaida terrorists by overthrowing the Taliban. Afghanistan's economy? Well, there wasn't really an economy at all. There was little infrastructure, few reliable institutions. Khalilzad's mission at the time was to rebuild the country

ZALMAY KHALILZAD: Now Afghans are, on average, better off economically, socially than they were then. But in terms of security, the situation is more difficult. The Taliban are stronger, and therefore the mission now for me is to facilitate on behalf of the United States a peace settlement, a reconciliation agreement, between the government and the Taliban. - Read More

New U.S. Envoy To Afghanistan On Strategy