Colonel Christopher D. Kolenda (US Army retired), Senior Advisor on Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
Colonel Kolenda served three tours in Afghanistan. As a Task Force Commander in 2007-2008 in Kunar and Nuristan provinces, he pioneered an innovative population-focused approach to counterinsurgency that dramatically improved the levels of security and governance in that volatile area of Afghanistan – this approach would later become expected practice in ISAF. Since then he has shaped every critical strategic review for Afghanistan and Pakistan since 2009, led the team that drafted the McChrystal assessment and ISAF strategy, penned the 2009 ISAF counterinsurgency guidance, developed the reintegration and reconciliation strategies, and influenced myriad other strategic and tactical initiatives that have set the conditions for success in Afghanistan.
Chair: Professor Theo Farrell
This talk will be under the Chatham House rule.