ABSTRACT
In 2013, President Barack Obama took it upon himself to create a special operations group in Kabul, Afghanistan, to address the persistent threat posed by the long-standing terrorist and insurgent group: the Haqqani Network. Since United States (US) operations began in Afghanistan in 2001 under President George W. Bush, US and allied forces have contended with the violent persistence of the Haqqani Network while simultaneously orchestrating operations against the Taliban. For more than a decade, while US forces operated in Afghanistan, Haqqani militants challenged the success of US-and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)–led operations against Taliban strongholds and allied efforts to liberate the country from oppressive Taliban rule. During this period, the Haqqani Network demonstrated its resilience against a coalition of states utilizing sophisticated technologies and weaponry, and that elded thousands of soldiers under the umbrella of air superiority. The Haqqani Network has entrenched itself in the region and successfully dened itself as one that is much more than a mere insurgent group. Pitching beyond this point, the Haqqani Network has indeed forged a position for itself in the political landscape of Afghanistan. Decisions made by the Haqqani Network extend deep into the political process and life of the country, and as Grewal (2013) notes that decision-making of the Network in foreseeable future “has the potential to greatly affect the future of Afghanistan” (p. 1).
