Kimberly Kagan on How Taliban and Al-Qaeda Differ
On this week's edition of CBSNews.com's @katiecouric, military historian Kimberly Kagan told Katie Couric that while "al-Qaeda has a global focus," the Taliban "has a slightly more narrow focus in Afghanistan."
That isn't to say that the groups don't share goals and know each other, however.
"What we have in Afghanistan is a network of enemy groups who are tied by close personal relationships between their leaders," said Kagan.
She noted that "the first few steps that these groups need to undertake are actually shared in common."
"They need safe havens," Kagan said. "They need to establish a state in which they can produce their vision of law, order and justice. And from which they can project power."
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That isn't to say that the groups don't share goals and know each other, however.
"What we have in Afghanistan is a network of enemy groups who are tied by close personal relationships between their leaders," said Kagan.
She noted that "the first few steps that these groups need to undertake are actually shared in common."
"They need safe havens," Kagan said. "They need to establish a state in which they can produce their vision of law, order and justice. And from which they can project power."