Strategic Regions
Focus Afghanistan
 Atlantic-community.org recognizes the importance of NATO's mission to Afghanistan. Success is vital to the people of Afghanistan, the region and the transatlantic alliance. But what exactly constitutes success? How can it be brought about?
Our Focus Afghanistan enables an open debate on all issues ranging from Reconstruction to Civil Society and Diplomacy, to Military & Police Forces.
The best debates are then condensed into memos and sent to policymakers in Europe and North America, with direct access to NATO headquarters ensured. You can contribute to the debate by submitting your own op-eds and research papers and commenting on other articles. Your input is appreciated!
(Photo: the children of war, cc license)
According to nearly 60% of Afghans, corruption is their country’s greatest problem, and not the precarious security situation. Hours spent waiting in lines, weeklong delays in obtaining necessary licenses from local bureaucrats have …More
Ed Burke: Spain cannot avoid the incoming fight in its Area of Responsibility in Afghanistan and should resource the mission properly. The Spanish responsibility to link the southern and western parts of Afghanistan to the north remains essential in the fight against the insurgency. …More
The Dutch gov’t. has unraveled over how to proceed in Afghanistan. ++ PM Jan Peter Balkenende was hoping to find a compromise between a promise to the Dutch people of troop withdrawal by the end of 2010 and American insistence …More
Osama Bin Javaid: The current Western involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan is only embedding deeper extremism. Let real democracy develop, as opposed to Karzai’s version, allow the Taliban to run and win elections. Empowering and educating the Afghan masses are the only ways out of NATO’s disarray. …More
Officials have confirmed the capture of the Taliban’s deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. ++ “It may indicate a shift in co-operation between American and Pakistani intelligence services, reflecting a change in policy by the government in …More
Anders Fogh Rasmussen: After the London conference, NATO was accused of trying to achieve peace by bribing the Taliban. In this video, the NATO Secretary General says that this is not the case, and that reconciliation and re-integration efforts will provide an alternative path to the Afghan people. …More
According to a recent complaint by General McChrystal, senior decision-makers are being forced to turn to the mass media in search of the information they need on Afghanistan. The intelligence community is preoccupied with …More
German troops are doing great work in Afghanistan but are not getting the support they deserve. ++ Despite the ongoing debate in Germany over whether troops are actually needed, they are a key partner and complement to the ISAF and US missions …More
Memo 22: Atlantic-community.org has developed several policy recommendations regarding the international mission in Afghanistan. Members agree that improving the functioning of the state is necessary and that better governance, empowering local institutions must be one of ISAF’s primary goals. …More
The Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska is the only institutional base in the US specifically concerned with Afghan affairs. As director of the center, he plays an integral role in educating …More
Last week’s London conference has reached two major consensuses: there needs to be a 5 year plan to shift security responsibilities to the Afghan people and Taliban members need to be lured out their ranks and into the mainstream. ++ …More
Interview with Bente Aika Scheller: Following yesterday’s London Conference, and reflecting the debate currently running on atlantic-community.org, we interviewed the Director of the Boell Foundation’s Kabul office. Dr. Scheller states that along side security, the international community also needs to strengthen Afghan civil society. …More
The international coalition involved in Afghanistan is seriously considering negotiating a peace process with the Taliban in the next international conference in London. ++ The deal is the following one: “renounce violence in …More
Editorial Team: In preparation for the upcoming Atlantic Memo, the editorial staff would like to invite atlantic-community.org members to participate in an analysis of the mission in Afghanistan. Please contribute by answering the highlighted questions and giving concrete recommendations and/or policy suggestions. We welcome your input! …More
Afghanistan’s electoral commission has postponed elections. ++ If “regrettable,” it is yet a positive sign that realism has finally won over idealism. ++ Afghan leaders acknowledge security issues and shortage of money …More
General Stanley McChrystal is set to announce a new strategy for Afghanistan at the Munich Security Conference in February; and in the process, he will shake up the Bundeswehr’s operations within ISAF. ++ The Commander of all international troops is …More
Editorial Team: Though there have already been 15 NATO casualties in January 2010, the outlook on the ground is improving. According to a recent poll conducted by BBC and its affiliates throughout Afghanistan, support for foreign troops is on the rise; and the number of Taliban supporters has drastically fallen. Is the ISAF mission moving in the right direction? …More
Timor Sharan: Seventeen out of twenty-four proposed Afghan cabinet ministers were rejected by parliament in a clear reaction to Karzai’s capitulation to international pressure. How will the President balance his commitments to local power-brokers as well as international demands to stem corruption? …More
Ulf Gartzke: The new leadership of the SPD is strengthening its pacifist position on the Afghan war. Party Chair Gabriel’s plans to solicit policy input from the party base is a thinly veiled attempt to gain convenient political cover to orchestrate a volte-face on Afghanistan. …More
The new Commander Emergency Response Program (CERP) aims to counter the corruption of predecessor programs in Afghanistan by awarding aid funds for ‘village development,’ avoiding direct cash payments. ++ NATO hopes that by “siphoning off …More
Jerzy S Deren: ISAF consists of a huge number of actors constrained by limited political will, with unequal combat roles, making forces more vulnerable. A holistic approach is required to counter the unique challenges of the Afghan war. Furthermore, a successful conclusion to this complex process is the only way to prove NATO’s credibility to an increasingly skeptical public. …More
Editorial Team: In order to meet the ambitious growth targets for 2010, NATO has launched a new mission to put the training of all security and police forces under one roof. …More
Bernhard Lucke: With no political solution for Afghanistan in reach, NATO is heading towards disaster. The frequent speeches of exhortation rarely consider the risks of the military escalation and the failure of the political process. It is time to re-evaluate the war. …More
Donatella Scatamacchia: Of the 7,000 NATO soldiers that will support the US surge in Afghanistan, the highest contingent will be sent by the Italian Government. With this decision Rome confirms its own support for the transatlantic alliance, and underscores Italy’s important role in international security.
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Jerome Grossman: Obama’s new strategy underscored the United States’ primary objectives, but failed to shed light on some rather dubious dealings between the US, the CIA, and key players in Afghanistan and China. If transparency is the name of the game, answers must be given on key issues of America’s international relationships. …More
After the surge, there will be as many troops in Afghanistan as there are in Iraq. ++ Obama’s new strategy is nothing more than the obvious result of a war by committee. ++ Unconventional wars are won by earning and keeping the loyalty of …More
Thomas Rausch: President Obama’s West Point speech heralds the next transatlantic rift. The American president is in a tight spot: he needs his transatlantic allies to support this new strategic endeavor. All the while, the German government must decide if it will go along with the plan or develop its own way forward to do right by Afghanistan. …More
The planned surge of American troops will have tragic consequences for the people of Afghanistan. ++ After eight years of war, the situation on the ground is dismal for the poor, and especially for women. ++ The people are “squashed between two enemies”: …More
As in Iraq, there is no victory to be found in Afghanistan. ++ Only when foreign troops leave will the conflict come to an end. ++ Whether there will be an increase in troops or not, the question still remains: will the new Afghanistan strategy look for a …More
Gretchen Peters: The drug trade in Afghanistan is benefiting the insurgency, begging the question: What do Taliban leaders intend to do with the profits? The international intelligence community would be wiser to focus its efforts on identifying and disrupting flows of money to insurgent, extremist, and terror groups. …More
The planned expansion of the Afghan police force from 80,000 to 160,000 officers will make infiltration by Taliban insurgents easier. ++ Recent reports note that the Afghan police force is still suffering from weak leadership, incompetence …More
Obama and Karzai may be “hopelessly at odds” but they are “condemned to the mutual pursuit of success in Afghanistan.” ++ US policy now depends on how well Karzai can stabilize his country and not only on military …More
Obama’s prolonged deliberation about Afghanistan risks undermining his commitment to whichever decision he ends up making. ++ As there is unanimity in the Pentagon and considerable agreement in Congress and among NATO allies about the need for …More
Greg Randolph Lawson: Obama needs to maintain military flexibility by repositioning its “Af-Pak” policy. The US can encourage lasting stability in the region, and indeed protect its own strategic sustainability, by rethinking its nation building efforts and allowing regional actors to grow into a more effective anti-Taliban force. …More
L. Michel & R. Hunter: To succeed in Afghanistan, the US needs its allies’ support. Therefore the US needs to start listening to those nations sharing the risks and incorporate their input into its new game plan. …More
Since Afghan elections have ended with Mr Karzai securing another five-year term, the doubts about his legitimacy should be put to rest. ++ The key problem now isn’t Afghanistan’s President but the uncertainty about Mr. Obama’s commitment to his own …More
With Abdullah Abdullah stepping out of the presidential running in Afghanistan, the American position has become increasingly uneasy. ++ Having insisted upon a democratic mandate “beyond reasonable question” as a prerequisite …More
The US needs to reduce its footprint in Afghanistan and start focussing on nation-building at home. ++ The US “does not have the Afghan partners, the NATO allies, the domestic support, the financial resources or the national interest …More
Mr Obama must choose a strategy on the war with Afghanistan and persist with it, as delay and indecision will prove dangerous in the face of public opinion. ++ The latest excuse for delay, namely that a decision cannot be made without a legitimate partner …More
The early victory, coupled with key mistakes and the over use of air support at the start of the conflict has led to the present, dire security situation. ++ The “pacification of a country needs boots on the ground [and] the tiny …More
Abbas Daiyar: Comparisons between the Afghanistan conflict and the Vietnam war are completely unfounded as they have little in common. Obama has no choice but to agree to General McChrystal’s request of sending more troops into Afghanistan. …More
Pressure is mounting for President Hamid Karzai as his country is awaiting the results of the investigation by the Electoral Complaints Commission, following widespread accusations of voting fraud. ++ Afghanistan’s Western …More
The priority in Afghanistan should not be to send more soldiers, but to alter the image of the US and its allies as foreign occupiers. ++ Statistics show that increasing troops in Afghanistan, has in the past directly led to a rise in …More
Birgit Hütten: Japan, like no other country, has been successful in implementing enormous changes to its political and social structure. The way to modernization and its impact on Afghanistan are vital factors for the development of other Asian countries. …More
Sari Kouvo: An increased focus on the technical aspects of rule of law reform will not break the negative spiral of the Afghan public’s declining trust in the state and increased insecurity without a political will to tackle institutionalized impunity. …More
Although the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated considerably, largely due to Hamid Karzai’s ineffective and corrupt government, injecting more troops could provoke an antigovernment or nationalist backlash. ++ Instead, “the US …More
After only nine months in office, it is time for President Obama to make some tough decisions on ‘his war’ in Afghanistan. ++ His options are shifting the focus from Afghanistan to a targeted anti-terrorist campaign, or …More
Nadia Claudine Boegli: The US and the wider global community must change their strategy towards Afghanistan. Their aim should be to establish a stable Afghan state not mired by corruption and based on the full engagement of the domestic population. …More
General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, should get the additional 40,000 troops he requires. ++ Although polls show that the American public has no interest in staying in Afghanistan, the costs of losing the war …More
Marco Vicenzino: The deployment of international troops in Afghanistan must be transitional. Thus, the further strengthening of the Afghan National Army (ANA) has to be a crucial task for NATO. Amongst others, important issues are to increase the army’s manpower, to better train the security forces, and to modernize ANA’s weaponry. …More
NATO: As the insurgency persists the message from NATO is clear: although lasting longer than anticipated, ISAF’s aims will be achieved and prove sustainable in the long term. …More
Ian Davis: Criticism of Germany as an unreliable military ally is widespread and growing. But rather than deregulating the rules of German military engagement, we should be looking to include similar non-aggression clauses in the national legislation of other NATO member states. …More
Péter Marton: Euro-discourse often derides Americans for not recognizing “complexity” around them. The opposite is true in Afghanistan. The European countries present in the North are not particularly interested in learning a lot about the social context they are operating in, and they are generally slow to adapt to changes in their area of operations. …More
It is too early for US troops to leave Afghanistan. ++ Withdrawal now would make Afghanistan again a safe haven for terrorists. ++ Relying only on the growth of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is not enough to deal with the …More
Joshua Foust: The Bundeswehr has evolved from refusing to kill known militants to calling in air strikes based on flimsy evidence. The German deployment has been a complete failure. The Bundeswehr is consistently undermining the allied tasks in Afghanistan and should either reevaluate or withdraw. …More
President Obama must not add to the 21,000 troops that he has sent to Afghanistan recently as this would be an historic mistake. ++ This will only serve to “galvanize local people to back the Taliban in repelling the infidels.” ++ Leading …More
Christopher Lee Davis: NATO’s near-term priority in Afghanistan must be the implementation of the new strategy to which member-states agreed at their last summit. Time is of the essence since the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. The alliance-wide agreement offers new momentum to focus on five critical areas. …More
At present, the power struggle in Kabul is reaching its apex. ++ After years of US hegemony, now, Russia, Iran and China push for influence in Afghanistan. ++ Both, Kabul and Washington depend on Moscow’s benevolence in …More
US stabilization plans for Afghanistan miss the main reason for the ongoing Talib insurgency, ethnic conflicts. ++ The largest ethnic group, the Pashtun tribe, support the Taliban because their rivals, the Tajiks, have all the political power. …More
Abbas Daiyar: The recent insurgency in Kunduz province is due to the arrival of Tahir Yaldosh, the Uzbek Al-Qaeda leader. A lack of allied forces is a major concern and NATO should pay more attention to Kunduz, which is slowly falling under the control of groups linked to Al-Qaeda. …More
After 8 years, Afghanistan is not independent or democratic, and women are as bad off as ever. ++ This will not improve until Western soldiers leave, as “history teaches that we always reject occupation and foreign domination.” ++ “It is not …More
Editorial Team: The Bundeswehr pursues insurgents in Northern Afghanistan with heavy firepower. Members of atlantic-community.org, will this more assertive approach lead to more stability in Afghanistan? Has a “psychological threshold” been crossed in Germany? …More
German military deployment in Afghanistan is the only way to establish long-lasting stability in the region. ++ The international community is not at war with Afghanistan but supporting the fragile government. ++ “After 30 years of war, …More
The UK and other countries must pull out most of their forces from Afghanistan. ++ More troops will not lead to less military casualties. ++ Al-Quaeda does not need Afghanistan as a training ground, as it can count on affiliates in many other …More
Britain and the US seek dialogue with the Taliban but the Taliban are not in the mood to talk. ++ Taliban leader Mullah Omar’s wants military victory and nothing can stop the war in Afghanistan except a clear defeat of the occupation armies. ++ He set …More
Ridding Afghanistan of al-Qaida is not worth our soldiers’ lives, as “the world is full of places where [they] can hide and operate.” ++ The true war on terror “is about hearts and minds, not soldiers dead in a ditch… The hearts and the minds …More
Haroon Rashid graduated from Ohio University’s College of Communication with a master’s degree in media management. He is currently employed as a strategic communication manager at the Independent Directorate of …More
The international community is taking inventory of their expenditure in Afghanistan. ++ The results will reveal a wide range of shortfalls, especially on behalf of the EU. ++ In spite of the existing realization that the Afghan war …More
German politicians must address public questions about NATO involvement in Afghanistan. ++ They must recognize that the war entails risks, and costs - including German lives - and communicate to Germans that they owe their soldiers …More
When Dick Cheney lambasted the change in US security policy under President Obama, he was not really attacking the current administration,
but the previous one. ++ The changes to policy - such as a push to close Guantanamo and …More
The claim it is possible to divide Taliban moderates from radicals is based on desperation for a strategic response and not historical reflection and hard analysis. ++ The Taliban are the fiercest and most inflexible Sunni-based extremists with …More
Gen. Petraeus faces a tougher fight in Afghanistan then Iraq in applying his counterinsurgency tactics; to first hit the insurgency hard to then strip away the moderates.++ His asset of strong diplomatic support to …More
Afghanistan, and now Pakistan, have evolved into wars of attrition.++ There are truly four wars- the western war in Afghanistan, war in the border region, war between Islamist and weak Pakistani government, and a US war against …More
The international community is falling “woefully short” of financing Afghanistan’s needs. ++ Security is better funded than any other sector including economic and social development. ++ If this continues, “the suffering of a very poor …More
The global community is slowly realizing the magnitude of the dangers the current problems Pakistan and Afghanistan carry for the world. ++ France has taken an active role, “committed to contributing its full weight to help …More
Tanvir Orakzai: The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan have suffered from radicalization of the population, in part due to the Afghanistan invasion by US and NATO forces. Resolving many of the tensions there could go a long way to solving the bigger problems in the surrounding region. Any strategy has to take into the account the unique political and geographical landscape of the FATA. …More
Ambassador Maliha Zulfacar taught sociology as a professor at California Polytechnic State University before her current position representing Afghanistan in Germany. In our interview she speaks about the wishes, hopes …More
Future strategy in Afghanistan is being debated more strongly than before: more money, more soldiers, stronger European involvement, and negotiations with moderate Taliban. But the allied troops on site have to solve completely different …More
Silence often prevails over the denouncing of atrocities that take place in the Muslim world because the fear of compromising dialogue is huge. ++ Yet, there is a limit to the threshold of acceptance. ++ Even if communication between …More
Obama’s long awaited new strategy in Afghanistan has finally been presented by the President last Friday March, 27th. ++ The delivered strategy has proven to be comprehensive in understanding the wide dimension of the challenge — for …More
According to US envoy Holbrooke, Afghanistan is tougher than Vietnam. ++ The Taliban have the advantage of operating on their terrain and have a network of supporters providing them superior intelligence. ++ Thus, the mechanism of operation ought …More
Jordan Michael Smith: In yesterday’s speech, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Afghanistan as “NATO’s biggest challenge”. NATO has agreed to resume high-level contacts with Russia on this issue, but President Obama also has a key role in ensuring that Afghanistan is transformed into a liberal democracy. …More
The pledge for a new era of cooperation made by Joe Biden during the Security Conference in Munich has been received with great enthusiasm worldwide. ++ Europe is, however, slowly realizing that the cost of Obama’s …More
The long-term solution to Afghanistan’s security does not lie in sending in new soldiers but in the Afghan army. ++ This army is basic but innovative; its greatest strength is the sense of national identity which governs it. ++ …More
No-one in their right mind would go up against the combined forces of Gen. Petraeus, Amb. Holbrooke, Defence Sec. Gates, Sec. of State Clinton and the Iraq-hardened US military. ++ But a US victory still needs coherence of military and regional …More
This year the international community could achieve a major breakthrough in the anti-drug war being waged in Afghanistan. The last two years have witnessed large surpluses in drug production resulting in falling prices and …More
A recent Taliban bridge bombing in Pakistan which cut off supply lines to NATO forces in Afghanistan has once again highlighted the vulnerability of passing through Pakistan. ++The US is, however, running out of luring …More
Abbas Daiyar: The US’ latest program to arm tribal groups in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban is based on flawed comparisons with Iraq. Prominent ethnic and tribal tensions will only flourish, entrenching instability and increasing bloodshed. The US and NATO must understand these realities and rethink the plan. …More
Memo 11: The war in Afghanistan is as much about winning militarily and politically as it is about winning the media battle against the Taliban. What it takes is an effective communication strategy that reaches Afghans in their daily life and respects conditions on the ground. …More
From the Editorial Team: British Defence Secretary John Hutton has called upon NATO allies to pull their weight and share the burden in Afghanistan. In one of the most outspoken speeches from a British defence minister in years, Hutton reprimands some EU members for a lack of commitment to global security interests. …More
Assem Akram: It is time for strategy overhaul in Afghanistan. The size of the Afghan army must be dramatically increased; foreign troops should lock down borders; Pakistan must become a partner in providing solutions in Afghanistan; and the Afghan government needs top-to-bottom reform. Progress can only come with security. …More
From the Editorial Team: During 2008 Afghanistan was among the most explosive political issues. The unstable state of the country will continue to affect the whole region. What are your recommendations for 2009? What is the most urgent action that needs to be taken in Afghanistan this year? …More
Analysts and scholars warn that the problems that the US faces in Afghanistan - continued insurgencies, opium production, a US army demoralized and drained of resources given the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - will compromise the …More
Tim Foxley: Too little time, effort and analytical resources are dedicated to understanding what the Taliban are saying - and that a change in this approach could lead to a change in the war.
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Florian Broschk: The Western effort to conquer “hearts and minds” in Afghanistan is being hindered by a failure to recognize the core role of religion in Afghan society. The West must integrate the language of Islamic morality into its counterinsurgency mission. …More
NATO Channel: Afghanistan’s symbolic Highway 1 is coming under increased attacks from insurgents placing explosives in bridges and culverts. These attempts to disrupt this important route for both commerce and the movement of people can only be countered through coordinated efforts from ISAF and the Afghan people. …More
Global power is increasingly spread-out and is tipping towards Asia. ++ This shift will shape Obama’s political agenda, forcing him to distance himself from unilateralism. ++ Asia is planning an alternative to the IMF and the US must …More
Interview with Amb. Zulfacar: One hundred thousand young Afghans with a high school diploma will not have a place at university in 2010. This is both a humanitarian catastrophe and a threat to security. The Afghan ambassador to Germany H. E. Maliha Zulfacar, speaks about the wishes, hopes and fears of the men and women of her country. …More
David S. Yost : In order to deal with new security challenges, NATO is developing its concept for cooperation with civilian organizations. Since the early 1990’s, the European Union, the OSCE and the United Nations have been the closest partners. Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan are showing how crucial it is to expand this work. …More
The British military are increasingly angered by the poor international effort to win over hearts and minds in Afghanistan. ++ British generals have been arguing for years that getting the population on side is the key to success. ++ A …More
Irrespective of slow gains in basic services
as well as little success in reconstruction, the conflict in Afghanistan is
still in full swing. High civilian and military casualties, severe food
shortages, millions of Afghans facing starvation and …More
Interview with Abdul Naeemi & Imtiaz Gul: Afghanistan and Pakistan have been close allies, but their current relationship is driven by mutual mistrust. The international community should help open diplomatic channels and promote Afghan-Pakistani negotiations to collectively succeed in fighting terrorism. …More
NATO Channel: Two video reports give an insight into the encouraging development of Afghanistan’s security forces as the take-over from foreign forces begins to be consolidated. …More
Daoud Sultanzoy: Daoud Sultanzoy, an Afghan member of Parliament, gives his impression of the risks that his country runs if it does not connect with its people during the coming elections. A growing list of tribulations the common Afghan faces is enumerated - concerns that military might alone would be hard-pressed to mitigate. …More
NATO Review: Nick Grono, Deputy President of the International Crisis Group, outlines elements of the Taliban’s media war in Afghanistan, including its strengths, weaknesses, and how to fight back. …More
Bernhard Lucke: The US and NATO should develop exit strategies instead of increasing their military presence in Afghanistan. Winning back tribal leaders’ allegiance is the key to successfully drawing down troops. Western policy makers can learn many valuable lessons from the Soviet failure in Afghanistan. …More
The lessons, as well as the history of Iraq, have been ignored and are now being repeated in Afghanistan. ++ The US and the UK have only succeeded to “reduce what should be one of the world’s richest countries to shambles.” ++ If there is one …More
NATO Review: Ahmed Rashid, author of the seminal book ‘Taliban,’ talks to NATO Review’s Paul King about how terror, tribalism and the Taliban fit together in present-day Afghanistan. …More
One of Obama’s most trying tasks as president will be to redefine NATO, which lacks “a clear mission” and has “outlived its original purpose.” ++ The thorny issue of Ukrainian and Georgian accession will need to be negotiated …More
Seven years after the advent of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Taliban, al- Qaeda and various insurgents have regained strength particularly on Afghan and Pakistani soil. The fight for
security in the Middle East has spiralled …More
Nicholas Lunt: ISAF and NATO have tried to speak to Afghans directly in their own language. Previous communication, even when assisted by locals, has led to misunderstandings and conflict. The solution would be to empower locals to speak for ISAF and NATO directly. …More
Sepideh Parsa: Despite efforts to combat the drug production in Afghanistan, figures continue to rise. To avert the threat which arises from the resurgence of terrorist groups, and to ensure international security, the international community has to make a long- term commitment. This paper aims to outline the dynamics of the Afghan drug economy, focusing on the effectiveness of measures carried out under international law. …More
Operations in Afghanistan are hamstrung by limitations placed on forces from different nations. ++ Many willing to provide troops lack money or have political constraints. ++ Soldiers are needed not only on the battlefield but also …More
Daniel Korski: EU engagement in Afghanistan will affect Washington’s perception of its strategic partnership. The best way for the EU to stay a strong partner is to extend the aid-and-security approach of its Provincial Reconstruction Teams and take the concept to Kabul. Diplomacy with Pakistan will remain important. …More
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI): Bringing food to millions of Afghans can have both strategic and humanitarian results. An operation styled on the Berlin Airlift could also bring new actors to Afghanistan. Likewise, it might be a necessity for keeping the Afghan government afloat, since access to food during famine can determine political allegiances. …More
Memo 9: Afghanistan needs a continued international commitment to ensure its security and assist in economic and social development. The US, EU and Germany must focus on training local authorities. Cooperating with Iran and the Taliban remains a point of debate. …More
Mr. Samiullah Wardak was born in Kabul in 1976 and migrated to Pakistan at the age of five. In 2002 he returned to Afghanistan where he had been engaged in reintegration and refugee issues. Mr. Wardak has worked as a program …More
Interview with Andrew Hammel: US calls for German troops in southern Afghanistan primarily have a “symbolic meaning,” says Andrew Hammel, who teaches Anglo-American Law at Heinrich Heine University and runs the popular blog “German Joys.” …More
The next administration might find itself entangled in a dispute over Kashmir as Obama wants Pakistan to cooperate in Afghanistan. ++ Obama strongly acknowledges the importance of a Indo-US partnership, but what “Indians fear is that they are …More
“The ‘Great Game’ is no fun anymore.” ++ A timeout is needed in Afghanistan so that the players, including Obama, can draught a new deal. ++ A global effort to secure Afghanistan’s stability should be above other …More
Morgan Sheeran: Europe can contribute to progress in Afghanistan outside of the military arena: mentoring Afghan ministry officials, instilling policies of good governance, and developing the Afghan economy could ultimately provide as much security as any troop contribution. …More
Florian Broschk: Extending the German ISAF mandate requires a broad public debate on the mission’s goals and strategies in Afghanistan. Germany must recognize the importance of counterinsurgency and improve a variety of its tactics - human intelligence, language training, and a greater troop presence. …More
From the Editorial Team: Europe is the United States’ best partner, argues Charles A. Kupchan of Georgetown. An Obama administration will work hard towards a renewal of transatlantic relations and pursue a more liberal internationalist agenda, but also ask Europe for greater assistance. …More
The US and EU must use an unexpected exit strategy in Afghanistan: negotiate a truce with the Taliban. ++ Though the Bush administration is still vying for a better position, it has learned it is better to “take an enemy off the battlefield …More
Abbas Daiyar: The Afghan Foreign Minister’s statement opposing talks with insurgents emphasizes existing divisions within government circles in Afghanistan and abroad. The US and NATO must win the war in Afghanistan. Involving regional countries like Russia, China and India may prevent history from repeating itself. …More
From the Editorial Team: General John Craddock, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO, criticizes member states’ “wavering political will,” which prevents NATO from operating effectively. Is NATO an outdated body as many claim, or can it overcome political hesitations and remain a strong alliance? …More
More German soldiers were killed by a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan. ++ The German people’s reaction towards the extension of the German mandate, as well as on the killings, seems to be restrained. ++ Once more the attacks …More
Morgan Sheeran: The Afghans have to secure their own country. The army has benefitted from Western training, but the police continues to lack active mentoring from ISAF. While a surge of combat troops in Afghanistan could be beneficial, what is needed the most are more police trainers and mentors. The police is the lynchpin of security for each village. …More
Americans believed that imperialism could trump nationalism but the Afghans proved them wrong. ++ Foreign occupation of Afghanistan is triggering a backlash inside of the country, as well as destabilizing Pakistan. ++ There is a …More
Violence, corruption and lawlessness keep pushing Afghanistan into a “downward spiral.” ++ Foreign troops are part of the problem; the US and the NATO focus on air attacks, “putting the life of occupation …More
Julianne Smith: The next US president will ask NATO allies for more troops in Afghanistan. Europe should respond by at least providing more police trainers, civilian reconstruction experts and new diplomatic initiatives. …More
Even President Bush has now come to realize that Afghanistan is “the real frontline in the war on terror.” ++ America’s sixteen intelligence agencies agree that Afghanistan is on a “downward spiral.” ++ Sobering estimates say it will be five to …More
The Taliban are losing battles in Afghanistan but are winning the war. ++ The situation looks grimmer now than ever before. ++ The war looks it can’t be won, but we must keep trying. ++ NATO can’t win alone, but it …More
David Neil Lebhar: Ahmed Rashid argues that the conflict in Afghanistan needs a regional solution, including US-Iranian cooperation. The German military must intensify operations in northern Afghanistan, and the government has to educate the public about the mission’s importance. …More
The British commander admitted that winning in Afghanistan is unlikely - reducing the Taliban insurgency to a manageable level may be the only realizable goal. ++ Northern ethnic groups, which account for 60% of the population, are backed by the US, but …More
Seven years of war, occupation and reconstruction efforts have not improved the situation in Afghanistan. ++ A lack of security, stability and economic development dominates the political agenda. ++ To succeed in Afghanistan the conception of the ISAF …More
John McCain wants to bring an Iraqi-style surge to Afghanistan to “turn around the war,” but the inability to differentiate between the two countries will ensure failure in Afghanistan. ++ There, there is no sectarian civil war, no …More
Djörn Eversteijn: NATO’s reliance on its global partnerships may seem innocuous today. Contributions in Afghanistan from a diverse array of nations, such as Australia and South Korea, are seen as indispensable in security and reconstruction efforts. Until a full commitment by member states is exhibited, though, NATO’s long-term credibility is in danger. …More
Obama’s foreign policy proposals are too vapid; far from incipient or novel, we are subjected to his recycled ideas - which, albeit, were fresh when first espoused in the face of Bush dogmatism. ++ “These ideas have lost their oomph among …More
Thorsten Benner & Lars Zimmermann: Germany lacks an informed and responsible debate on the country’s engagement in Afghanistan. The looming populism of the 2009 election year is set to make matters even worse. Politicians and the media must prevent this from happening. …More
NATO is facing a wily and pitiless enemy in Afghanistan. ++ Taliban forces have reconstituted themselves into a formidable foe. ++ The transfer of nearly 5,000 troops from Iraq - where the situation is more dire than the Bush …More
Atlantik-Brücke’s Young Leaders: The Atlantic partners must jointly address the economic slowdown, competition over scarce resources and energy dependence. Moreover, the transatlantic relationship faces an immediate, critical test in Afghanistan. Success there is needed as a demonstration of our ability to effectively address common security threats. …More
Military victory in Afghanistan is achievable, but are we “willing to pay the high cost?” ++ Chura Valley in Uruzgan province is secure thanks to a Dutch reconstruction team, while in a nearby valley snipers reign. ++ This is a microcosm …More
Russia is convinced that it can deal with the West, but worries about the dangerous Afghanistan. ++ The well-being of the Russian economy and a good relationship with its domestic Muslim population depend on a stable Afghanistan. ++ Therefore, …More
Djörn Eversteijn: Afghanistan is the litmus test for the relevance of history’s most successful military alliance in the 21st century. Despite official statements that emphasize the importance of the alliance’s mission in Afghanistan, both member states’ long-term commitment and substantial contributions to the mission remain largely absent. Member states’ unwillingness not only endangers the future of Afghanistan, but, perhaps even more importantly, also puts the future of the transatlantic alliance at risk. …More
Bernhard Lucke: It is not lack of civil investment, but the occupation that is the problem in Afghanistan. The “war on terror” is creating terrorism instead of controlling it. We are getting used to eroding morals and rising brutality, a way which may lead to new big wars. …More
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