The Mission in Afghanistan (2001-2012)

In response to the 9/11 attacks, the United States conducted a military operation in Afghanistan to destroy al Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power, followed by a nation building project to create a centralized democratic government capable of  defending itself.  While elements of this strategy were justified for  counterterrorism purposes, the long-term military operation and  nation-building campaign were deeply flawed, with virtually no  possibility of succeeding.

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Location:  CLE Lecture Hall

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Presenter:  David Schanzer is a Professor of  the Practice at the Sanford School of Public Policy and Director of the  Triangle Center on terrorism and homeland Security at Duke University. Before coming to duke in 2005, Schanzer served as Minority Staff  director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland  Security, Legislative Director for Senator Jean Carnahan, Special  Counsel for the General Counsel of the Department of Defense, and  Counsel to Senators Joe Biden, Jr.  and William S. Cohen.  he previously  served as a trial attorney in U.S. department of Justice, law clerk to  the Honorable Nora Shapiro (E.D.Pa.) and law clerk in the Office of the  Solicitor General of the United States.  Schanzer is a graduate of  Harvard College (1985) and Harvard Law School (1989).