The Robert S. Strauss Center welcomed Sir Nigel Sheinwald, British Ambassador to the United States, on February 9, 2010, to discuss the status and future of U.K. involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Mark Updegrove, Director of the LBJ Library and Museum, introduced Admiral Bob Inman, Interim Dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs, who provided introductory remarks to open the event.

Ambassador Sheinwald began his talk by describing the historical diplomatic closeness of the United States and the United Kingdom.  He noted that the U.S. and U.K. share similar strategic priorities in Afghanistan and Pakistan: supporting the central government, waging a successful counterinsurgency and winning support from indigenous populations.  The ultimate objective with respect to Afghanistan is the successful transition of power to the Afghan government.

Ambassador Sheinwald also discussed the political component that accompanies U.S.-U.K. military activities in Afghanistan.  The political strategy contains three prongs: reassurance, reintegration and regional outreach.  Reassurance engages the loyalty of Afghans and instills a sense of ownership among the population with respect to its central, provincial and local governance.  Reintegration is geared towards assimilating those Afghans currently fighting for or allied with the insurgency back into mainstream Afghan society.  Regional outreach marks recognition that partnership, particularly with Pakistan, is an essential precondition to stability in Afghanistan.  He concluded by acknowledging that, despite the many challenges that remain in bringing stability to Afghanistan, a comprehensive approach that blends urgency with respect to military operations and long-term political and economic commitment by both the U.S. and the U.K. will be necessary for success. 

In a Q&A session moderated by Admiral Inman, Ambassador Sheinwald fielded questions from the audience regarding the poor literacy rate among the Afghan population, the ability of multinational forces to coordinate both militarily and politically, the roles of India, Russia and China in the development of Afghanistan and the stability of Pakistan and its interconnectedness with Afghanistan.

Sir Nigel Sheinwald joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1976 and has served in Washington (twice), Brussels (twice), and Moscow and in a wide range of policy jobs in London.  He became British Ambassador to the United States in October 2007.  In that role he leads the Embassy in Washington and nine Consulates-General around the country.

Austin American-Statesman article about the event