Michael KugelmanVerified account

@MichaelKugelman

Deputy director . South Asia senior associate . Writer of 's weekly South Asia Brief. Tweeting in a personal capacity.

Washington DC
wilsoncenter.org/person/michael…
Joined November 2011
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  1. Pinned Tweet
    Jul 22

    Islamabad is trying to deepen ties with its South and Central Asian neighbors to foster more trade and investment. So far, the results have been mixed. My latest for .

    56 replies . 82 retweets 399 likes
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  2. 38 minutes ago

    Right now, Afghans are caught between a collapsing government running on fumes, a military that has effectively surrendered, a brutal and emboldened insurgency that has many terrified, and a US partner that's running for the exits. What an unholy mess.

    73 replies . 155 retweets 544 likes
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  3. 45 minutes ago

    Biden's statement on Afghanistan reiterates his original reason for withdrawing: US counterterrorism goals were achieved, and there's no longer a rationale for US forces to remain. At the end, he doesn't mince words in his criticism of the Afghan security forces and government.

    NEW statement from — says they have told the Taliban there will be consequences if they harm US personnel.
    19 replies . 23 retweets 52 likes
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  4. 2 hours ago

    For President Ghani, the only prudent decision at this point is to resign. This wouldn’t necessarily make things better, but it could prevent things from getting a whole lot worse.

    122 replies . 144 retweets 805 likes
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  5. 9 hours ago

    Raoof, this thread-which essentially calls for us all to endorse the Taliban's violent march to power and its horrific and unrelenting brutalities of recent days-says more about you, and your government, than it does about me. Why not empathize more with Afghans and their plight?

    This should be a sobering moment for you & your friends in the DC think-tanks and an apt reminder that analyses should be based in reality & not in imaginary assumptions which are extraneously fed. . End. 5/5
    Show this thread
    143 replies . 56 retweets 320 likes
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  6. Retweeted
    Aug 12

    “But the Taliban, which is fighting a war it believes it’s winning, has the luxury of resisting Pakistani entreaties to ease violence and commit to talks," said “For the Taliban, the calculus is simple: Why quit when you’re ahead?”

    Tried _ emphasis on tried__ to explain what is deeply complicated relationship and regional dynamics between Pakistan and Afghanistan (from ) by ⁦⁩ ⁦⁩
    4 replies . 6 retweets 15 likes
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  7. 18 hours ago

    A new UN IPCC climate change report underscores South Asia's deep climate vulnerability. Indeed, without mitigation, the climate crisis is likely to exacerbate the region’s many fault lines and volatilities. My latest for .

    2 replies . 13 retweets 43 likes
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  8. Retweeted
    Aug 13

    Afghanistan crisis worsens. Taliban takes Kandahar. Will Kabul be next? Watch with | Full show: (, , , , )

    15 replies . 11 retweets 62 likes
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  9. Aug 13

    I wrote this piece five years ago, and recent days have painfully shown just how relevant this issue remains today.

    13 replies . 8 retweets 70 likes
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  10. Aug 13

    I’m about to join to discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan.

    43 replies . 5 retweets 183 likes
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  11. Aug 13

    I suspect the question of Ashraf Ghani's political future will be an increasingly big factor in determining how events play out in Afghanistan in the next few days--including the question of whether the Taliban enter Kabul. And they're getting very close to Kabul.

    50 replies . 32 retweets 305 likes
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  12. Aug 12

    "The international community should absolutely prioritize the security of its diplomats. But let’s be clear: Its departure from Afghanistan would send a sobering signal that the world is resigned to leaving Afghans to their fate."

    25 replies . 22 retweets 73 likes
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  13. Aug 12

    This is a very sharp and timely new report from and . Worth a close read.

    25 replies . 29 retweets 116 likes
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  14. Aug 12

    My thoughts are with the Afghan people, who have had to pay far too high a price for far too long. The world, and especially the NATO countries, have a moral obligation to provide humanitarian assistance. And right away. As bad as things are now, they're likely to get even worse.

    154 replies . 223 retweets 1,093 likes
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  15. Aug 12

    I never liked the Saigon analogies with Afghanistan. For one thing, US forces aren't under fire as they withdraw. But events of the last 24 hours, and the prospect of US diplomatic evacuations as Taliban draws closer to Kabul, bring Saigon to mind. In a big way.

    60 replies . 94 retweets 520 likes
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  16. Aug 12

    How long until Afghan government officials start to flee the country?

    349 replies . 202 retweets 1,558 likes
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  17. Aug 12

    There's an argument to be made that if the Afghan government can regroup, develop a proper strategy, and restore morale to Afghan forces, all is not lost. But this argument would've been more convincing a month ago, or even 10 days ago. It may now be too late to regain momentum.

    110 replies . 57 retweets 405 likes
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  18. Aug 12

    In many areas seized by the Taliban, Afghan forces are not getting steamrolled-they're simply stepping aside. This is ultimately more a story of ANSF weakness than one of Taliban strength. And Afghan civilians pay the biggest price for what's become a huge failure of leadership.

    142 replies . 188 retweets 889 likes
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  19. Aug 12

    USG public messaging on the Taliban is increasingly tone deaf and seemingly divorced from the horrific reality of what is happening on the ground in Afghanistan right now. Finger-wagging and repeated beseechments to stop fighting won't curb the Taliban.

    26 replies . 34 retweets 108 likes
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  20. Aug 12

    In just a few minutes, at 10am EDT, we begin our discussion with former US national security advisor H.R. McMaster on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its implications. Tune in here:

    1 reply . 1 retweet 20 likes
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  21. Aug 12

    Pakistan's army chief "has twice walked out of meetings with the Taliban, frustrated at their intransigence and infuriated by what he sees as the Taliban’s determination to return to full power in Afghanistan, according to senior security officials...."

    83 replies . 80 retweets 232 likes
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