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The winner of this year’s presidential election will face major policy decisions on a wide range of issues. One of them is how to craft a foreign policy strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, two countries beset by development, governance, and security challenges as well as a tense relationship with each other. The increasing political influence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the continued existence of al-Qaeda sanctuaries in volatile border areas, and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities pose an international security threat that extends beyond south Asia.

On February 15, the Campaign 2012 project at Brookings will hold a public discussion on Afghanistan and Pakistan, the second in a series of forums that will identify and address the 12 most critical issues facing the next president. Charles Hoskinson of POLITICO will moderate a panel discussion with Brookings Senior Fellows Michael O’Hanlon, Bruce Riedel, Vanda Felbab-Brown, and Elizabeth Ferris.

After the program, panelists will take questions from the audience. Participants may follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #BIAfPak.

This event will be webcast live. To register for the live webcast, click here.

To attend the event in person, please call the Brookings Office of Communications at 202.797.6105 or click here.

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One year ago, a wave of revolutionary change swept across the Middle East and North Africa. The political protests in Cairo captured the world’s attention as Egyptians took to Tahrir Square to call for President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation. On February 11, Mubarak stepped down after nearly 30 years in power. Now, one year later, democratic elections have given Islamists a majority in the Egyptian Parliament. But that is only the beginning of the political process: constitutional changes will have to be debated and decided; the division of power among Parliament, the presidency, and the military will have to be resolved; and the Egyptian economy will have to be put back on a growth trajectory.

On February 8, Foreign Policy at Brookings and NBC’s Meet the Press will host a panel discussion to assess the implications of the Egyptian revolution at its first anniversary. David Gregory, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, will moderate the session, part of a series of discussions on foreign policy issues. Panelists will include New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman; Martin Indyk, vice president and director of Foreign Policy at Brookings; Tamara Wittes, former deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, who was responsible for U.S. democracy promotion in the Middle East; and Shadi Hamid, fellow and director of research of the Brookings Doha Center, who will appear live from Doha via video feed. Friedman, Hamid, and Indyk have all recently returned from Egypt.

After the program, the panelists will take audience questions.
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