Defines the strategic interests of each of Afghanistan's neighboring states and key regional actors to explain why a rethinking of the U.S. role in Afghanistan can assist the emergence of a new regional order in Southwest and Central Asia, which in turn can embolden a free market economy and a growing political openess superior to authoritarianism and Islamist militancy. -- From the publisher.

Part I :The ability of Afghanistan to deliver acceptable governance to its people : The role of the U.S. military intervention in the state-building process -- Part II : Overcoming the structural shortfalls of state-building : The assumptions of the interventionists in state-building -- Strategic pitfalls and opportunities in the decade of transition -- Achieving the "Soft Landing" into transition: immediate to short term -- Achieving economic stability: Mid- to long term -- Part III : Afghanistan's changing geopolitical role in the region : The reconfiguration of Afghanistan's geopolitical role -- The birthplace of a new regional order: key regional economic actors -- Part IV : Key steps toward Afghanistan's future stability : Overcoming insurgency and corruption: the decade of transformation.