Apr 15, 2008

The Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, US National Defense University, Washington, DC, and the Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analyses, National Defense College, Pakistan, hosted a Counter Terrorism working group meeting in Athens, Greece from 10-11 April, 2008. The event was part of the Regional Network of Strategic Studies Centers.
Mr. Hekmat Karzai, the Director of CAPS participated in the event and presented a case study of the violent groups operating in Afghanistan. He highlighted the work of four groups: Taliban, Hizb-e-Islami, Al Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban (also known as the Pakistani Taliban). During his presentation, Mr. Karzai stressed that many of the groups that operated in Afghanistan during the Taliban era are now in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) which include the following seven agencies: Bajaur, Momand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kuram and North and South Waziristan. Mr. Karzai, in his concluding remarks, noted that terrorism was a regional problem and would require political, social, economic and lastly military measure from all parties.
Background of Regional Network of Strategic Studies Centers (RNSSC)
The RNSSC is intended to expand the strategic dialogue among institutions throughout the region in response to regional suggestions for more avenues of cooperation in meeting security challenges. It promotes strategic thinking at the regional level by disseminating collaboratively developed research, thinking and publications throughout the region. These published analyses are intended to assist policymakers, national security educators, and interested experts in their professional endeavors. The Network Initiative is formed as a partnership with the countries of the NESA region, and currently enjoys co-sponsorship from the Institute for Strategic Studies, Research, and Analysis, National Defense College, Pakistan; the National Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense College, Jordan; and the Center for Strategic Research (SAM), Ankara, Turkey