Fragile states / Comment
Afghanistan and the crisis in Pakistan
14/01/2008 By Mariano Aguirre Ernst
NATO and the United States call for more military support for the war in Afghanistan, but it is necessary to consider whether sending more troops or withdrawing altogether are really the only options. Many experts feel the military strategy should be revised, with better use of the politics of development and support for the Afghan government in order to help it effectively manage the funds it receives. Being open to negotiations with the insurgents and taking the regional context, particularly the role of Pakistan, into account are also considered important. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has served to underline this last point.
When the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 it overthrew the Taliban, a Muslim organisation of Pashtun origin (the largest ethnic grouping in Afghanistan and part of Pakistan). But Washington and her allies put most effort into the war with Al-Qaeda, arming groups linked to narco-trafficking such as the Northern Alliance, instead of focussing on development projects, controlling the border with Pakistan and promoting inclusive policies in a society with deep ethnic and tribal divisions.
Nor did it give enough attention to the population outside Kabul, the promotion of anti-poverty programmes, employment in the rural sector or protecting the rights of women. International donors maintained control over the security budget, the missions of foreign troops and the taxation system, thereby weakening the government and the parliament, as explained by Astri Suhrke of the Michelsen Institute (Bergen).
This Comment article analyses the three aspects that debate over Afghanistan has focussed on: the objectives of the mission, the resources supplied to it, and negotiations with the insurgents.
[This Comment was also published in the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, the 15/01/2008]
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Afghanistan and Pakistan: a region in crisisKeywords
Afghanistan Fragile state Middle East Pakistan War on terrorRelated publications
Bio author: Mariano Aguirre Ernst
Mariano Aguirre has been Director of the Centro de Investigación para la Paz, in Madrid, and Coordinator of programmes on peace and conflicts at the Ford Foundation, in New York. Mariano Aguirre publishes articles in various media in Spain and internationally such as OpenDemocracy, Le monde diplomatique, El Correo, La Vanguardia, Maniere de voir, AlertNet, Enjeux Internationaux, Temas, El País, Política Exterior, Debate, BBC World Service, Radio Netherland, Radio Nacional de España, Radio France International, Mediterranean Politics and CNN Spain.
