The End of bin Laden
Implications for Business, Politics and Security
Tuesday May 3, 2011, 15.00 BST / 10.00 EDT
The killing of Osama bin Laden is a major domestic political victory for President Barack
Obama, and will make it easier for him to stick to his ambitious Afghan withdrawal
timetable. Combined with the upheavals in the Arab world, in which secular and
moderate Islamic forces are to the fore, the al-Qaida leader’s death will inflict further
damage on the declining cause of global jihadism. Yet problems loom as a result of the
drama of the past 24 hours, and the risks to security arising from Afghanistan and parts
of Pakistan remain -- and are still capable of jeopardising the interests of the United
States and its allies in many parts of the world.
In this special Conference Call, leading Oxford Analytica experts, including Senior
Global Advisor Michael Crawford, will explore the implications of bin Laden's
demise on global security, Pakistani politics, the US military campaign in Afghanistan,
India, and presidential politics in the United States. Issues to be discussed include:
- The outlook for US-Pakistan relations, given that bin Laden apparently enjoyed
sanctuary for some years close to Islamabad.
- The impact of bin Laden's death on Pakistan's domestic politics.
- US military strategy in Afghanistan, now that one of Washington's 'war aims' appears to have been achieved.
- The impact on the al-Qaida 'franchises', such as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
- The significance of bin Laden's death on the future of the 'Arab Spring'.
