America's Response: Regional Issues and Implications

View a map of Afghanistan and the surrounding region.

America's response to the terrorist attacks will likely include military strikes against terrorist training camps and infrastructure in Afghanistan. Attacks on Iraq, long suspected of supporting terrorists, are also possible.

CNS regional experts have prepared materials on regional security issues and implications:

• WMD Overviews
  • An overview of WMD capabilities in Afghanistan.
  • What are the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capabilities of the states of the region? See WMD Capabilities Overview and Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East

• Pakistani Concerns
  • Safety Concerns About the Command & Control of Pakistan's Strategic Forces, Fissile Material, and Nuclear Installations.
  • Will Pakistan assist the U.S. in staging military strikes on Afghanistan? What risks does Pakistan incur if it does assist the United States? See United States Seeks Pakistan's Assistance.
  • What U.S. sanctions were imposed on India and Pakistan after their nuclear weapons tests? See the Status of U.S. Sanctions Imposed on India and Pakistan.

• Russian and Central Asian Concerns
  • What is Russia's response to the U.S. request for assistance in combating terrorism? Will it encourage the Central Asian states to support the United States?
  • Will Russia provide military support or access to its bases in Central Asia for a strike against terrorist forces in Afghanistan?
  • Will attacks on Afghanistan destabilize Central Asia? What are the security concerns of the Central Asian states?
  • Could some Central Asian States be used as a staging ground for strikes into Afghanistan?

• Chinese Concerns
  • Can 9-11 Provide a Fresh Start for Sino-U.S. Relations?
  • The War on Terrorism: China's Opportunities and Dilemmas.

• Op-Eds and Viewpoints by CNS Analysts

Q&A with CNS Specialists:

• Do the World Trade Center and Pentagon bombings represent a major U.S. intelligence failure?
• Why did the terrorists who attacked on September 11 use hijacked airplanes as their weapon of choice rather than chemical or biological weapons?
• What Russian military forces are in Central Asia?
• If the United States targets the Taliban, will Russia cooperate?
• Is it conceivable that the United States might use nuclear weapons to respond to the attacks of September 11?

Go to Terrorism, WMD, and Emergency Preparedness.