Meher Babbar

Meher is a research associate at the Middle East Institute.

Publications

Policy Focus

Sep 7, 2016

Marvin G. Weinbaum and Meher Babbar

The Tenacious, Toxic Haqqani Network

Sep 7, 2016

Marvin G. Weinbaum and Meher Babbar

While global jihadist franchises al-Qaeda and ISIS compete for the public spotlight, the Haqqani Network has steadily and stealthily acted as a formidable insurgent force in Afghanistan, with the assistance of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. Islamabad's relationship with the Haqqani Network remains a thorn in U.S.-Pakistan relations, and will undoubtedly continue to plague relations with the coming of the next U.S. administration.
Analysis

Jul 7, 2016

Marvin G. Weinbaum and Meher Babbar

New Taliban Leadership and Peace Prospects

Jul 7, 2016

Marvin G. Weinbaum and Meher Babbar

The prospects for restarting Afghan peace talks, suspended a year ago, were dim when a U.S. drone strike in May eliminated Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour. The justification given for targeting Mansour was that he had become a major obstacle to negotiations. A shift in leadership, however, to Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada has only made the dream of a peaceful, political end the Afghan conflict appear more distant.