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Beginning with the events of September 11th the United States has been forced to re-engage with the country of Afghanistan. A country often called the "Graveyard of Empires" has already lead to the downfall of the Soviet Union and has chewed up armies from Alexander the Great to the British and Soviet Union. After eight years the U.S. continues to struggle and President Obama, upon taking the oath of office, put forth a new strategy for Afghanistan. This volume is intended to be not only an analysis of this new strategy and whether it will be successful in Afghanistan. It is also intended to give a deeper understanding of the very challenges we face in Afghanistan from the trafficking of Poppy to the extremists return to their old safe haven in the Northwest Frontier Province. In this monograph the author traces the history and influence of the different issues competing within Afghanistan and then brings them together in an examination of what the new strategy holds for the people of Afghanistan and the success of the US. At the end of the volume there is also an examination of the origins of the very group that brought the US back to Afghanistan, al Qaeda.

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Jeffrey Beck holds a Masters in Public & International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and two Bachelors from Clemson University (one in Economics and one in Political Science). He is currently a PhD Student at George Mason University, studying Public Policy Analysis concentrating on Governance, Failed States and Non-State Threats.

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