Last month’s conference in London showed encouraging signs about the direction of Afghanistan by both Karzai and the international community. There are more troops and resources, a better defined strategy to shift security accountability to the Afghan people, and communication and coordination between troops and locals has improved.
Despite these positive developments, most of the media and public attention has focused on the question of whether “bribing” the Taliban is the best means to achieve peace.
Rasmussen addressed the question by noting that the majority of insurgents are fighting for the Taliban because it is the only way for them to make a living, and not for ideological reasons. Rasmussen comments, “What is being offered to them is the chance to choose a new path in their lives.”
An Afghan Trust Fund has been established to make for a smooth re-integration into mainstream society for these insurgents. But there would be a number of pre-conditions for the Fund: (1) The Afghan people need to lead the effort and (2) The Afghan constitution and human rights needs to be preserved through the deal.
“We support reconciliation and reintegration but not at the expense of our values and interests.”
Focus Afghanistan is sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Related Material from Atlantic Community:
- Memo 11: Afghan Media War- A Failure to Communicate
- Jerzy S Deren: The Battle for Public Opinion
- Editorial Team: Support for Foreign Troops is Up
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