Identifying and Neutralizing Afghan Peace Spoilers Format Annie Pforzheimer, Andrew Hyde, and Jason Criss Howk Women judges and media workers have been killed by gunmen in Afghanistan in alarming attacks over the past two months. Civil society leaders are also being targeted, and some are leaving their jobs or fleeing the country. These devastating attacks send a chilling message to others, especially women, who dare to participate in Afghanistan’s public life. The United Nations and Afghanistan’s independent human rights commission have both reported a sharp increase in these kind of attacks over the past year. These circumstances raise further questions about the future of the peace process and the ability of the Afghan government to maintain security should the United States fully withdraw its troops.