U.S soldiers inspects the site of an explosion outside the main U.S. military base in Bagram north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, March 4, 2009. A car bomb exploded outside the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan and wounded three U.S. contractors Wednesday. The Taliban claimed responsibility.
"Recent events suggest that a clear military victory is unlikely, even if the coalition augments its troop strength," said the report by the Rand Corporation and the Bertelsmann Stiftung think-tank.
"Rather, all indications point to a long, protracted struggle in which neither side wins a decisive military victory."
The report was released as foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, met Thursday at North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels to discuss Afghanistan, Russia and other strategic hot-spots.
The report called on the coalition to "face reality" and seek to find a new definition of success that focuses on basic development and political reconciliation in a country plagued by corruption and a drug economy.
"In effect, Afghanistan has become a narco-state under the noses of the coalition," declares the report, based on the views of two dozen experts on transatlantic relations.
"The establishment of a truly functioning, democratic state is not feasible, at least not yet."
The report doesn't mention Canada, but notes that without success by 2011 many allies are likely to pull back on their "stabilization and reconstruction efforts." That is the year the Canadian Parliament has endorsed the withdrawal of Canada's 2,500-strong military force from the country.
Canada and other western countries have continued to promote the coalition's efforts to make Afghanistan a pluralistic, democratic society that respects women's rights.
But the report, which also offered guidance on issues such as the Middle East conflict, unstable Pakistan, Russia's new assertiveness, and Iran's nuclear ambitions, said goals must be more practical.
"The main emphasis in Afghanistan now has to be improving the quality of life of the Afghan people," the authors urged.
A new definition of success could include a "reasonable" level of stability, the "reintegration" of relatively moderate Taliban elements into society, and "basic rule-of-law structures and institutions."
The report also said Pakistan's ability and willingness to help allies fight insurgents near the border is compromised by its suspicion of the motives of bitter regional rival India, which has numerous development projects underway in Afghanistan.
"India should be encouraged to scale back its development presence in southern Afghanistan until a more stable environment is established."
Europe should also lead the way in expanding development assistance in the impoverished Pakistan border areas where radicalism flourishes.
"The coalition could win the hearts and minds of every Pashtun in Afghanistan and still lose the war, since three-fifths of the Pashtun population lives in Pakistan."
On the broader issue of terrorism, the report said a new transatlantic alliance led by President Barack Obama should formally renounce George W. Bush's "war on terror."
"Where possible, Americans and Europeans must craft a new counterterrorism narrative that avoids demonizing Islam and giving any impression that an existential life-and-death struggle with Islam is underway."
.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Little Hope For Afghanistan Democracy: Report
Little Hope For Afghanistan Democracy: Report
(NSI News Source Info) PARIS - March 6, 2009: Afghanistan has become a "narco-state" that is unlikely to experience democracy or peace any time soon, according to a pessimistic new report on the conflict released Thursday.
The study by two major think-tanks, one American and the other German, calls on the U.S. and its allies to re-fashion the counter-insurgency while seeking to reach a political settlement with Taliban insurgents.
The report echoes some of the views recently expressed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has come under criticism from opposition MPs for declaring that he doesn't expect military victory in a conflict that has claimed more than 111 Canadian lives. U.S soldiers inspects the site of an explosion outside the main U.S. military base in Bagram north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, March 4, 2009. A car bomb exploded outside the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan and wounded three U.S. contractors Wednesday. The Taliban claimed responsibility.
"Recent events suggest that a clear military victory is unlikely, even if the coalition augments its troop strength," said the report by the Rand Corporation and the Bertelsmann Stiftung think-tank.
"Rather, all indications point to a long, protracted struggle in which neither side wins a decisive military victory."
The report was released as foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, met Thursday at North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels to discuss Afghanistan, Russia and other strategic hot-spots.
The report called on the coalition to "face reality" and seek to find a new definition of success that focuses on basic development and political reconciliation in a country plagued by corruption and a drug economy.
"In effect, Afghanistan has become a narco-state under the noses of the coalition," declares the report, based on the views of two dozen experts on transatlantic relations.
"The establishment of a truly functioning, democratic state is not feasible, at least not yet."
The report doesn't mention Canada, but notes that without success by 2011 many allies are likely to pull back on their "stabilization and reconstruction efforts." That is the year the Canadian Parliament has endorsed the withdrawal of Canada's 2,500-strong military force from the country.
Canada and other western countries have continued to promote the coalition's efforts to make Afghanistan a pluralistic, democratic society that respects women's rights.
But the report, which also offered guidance on issues such as the Middle East conflict, unstable Pakistan, Russia's new assertiveness, and Iran's nuclear ambitions, said goals must be more practical.
"The main emphasis in Afghanistan now has to be improving the quality of life of the Afghan people," the authors urged.
A new definition of success could include a "reasonable" level of stability, the "reintegration" of relatively moderate Taliban elements into society, and "basic rule-of-law structures and institutions."
The report also said Pakistan's ability and willingness to help allies fight insurgents near the border is compromised by its suspicion of the motives of bitter regional rival India, which has numerous development projects underway in Afghanistan.
"India should be encouraged to scale back its development presence in southern Afghanistan until a more stable environment is established."
Europe should also lead the way in expanding development assistance in the impoverished Pakistan border areas where radicalism flourishes.
"The coalition could win the hearts and minds of every Pashtun in Afghanistan and still lose the war, since three-fifths of the Pashtun population lives in Pakistan."
On the broader issue of terrorism, the report said a new transatlantic alliance led by President Barack Obama should formally renounce George W. Bush's "war on terror."
"Where possible, Americans and Europeans must craft a new counterterrorism narrative that avoids demonizing Islam and giving any impression that an existential life-and-death struggle with Islam is underway."
.
U.S soldiers inspects the site of an explosion outside the main U.S. military base in Bagram north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, March 4, 2009. A car bomb exploded outside the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan and wounded three U.S. contractors Wednesday. The Taliban claimed responsibility.
"Recent events suggest that a clear military victory is unlikely, even if the coalition augments its troop strength," said the report by the Rand Corporation and the Bertelsmann Stiftung think-tank.
"Rather, all indications point to a long, protracted struggle in which neither side wins a decisive military victory."
The report was released as foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, met Thursday at North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels to discuss Afghanistan, Russia and other strategic hot-spots.
The report called on the coalition to "face reality" and seek to find a new definition of success that focuses on basic development and political reconciliation in a country plagued by corruption and a drug economy.
"In effect, Afghanistan has become a narco-state under the noses of the coalition," declares the report, based on the views of two dozen experts on transatlantic relations.
"The establishment of a truly functioning, democratic state is not feasible, at least not yet."
The report doesn't mention Canada, but notes that without success by 2011 many allies are likely to pull back on their "stabilization and reconstruction efforts." That is the year the Canadian Parliament has endorsed the withdrawal of Canada's 2,500-strong military force from the country.
Canada and other western countries have continued to promote the coalition's efforts to make Afghanistan a pluralistic, democratic society that respects women's rights.
But the report, which also offered guidance on issues such as the Middle East conflict, unstable Pakistan, Russia's new assertiveness, and Iran's nuclear ambitions, said goals must be more practical.
"The main emphasis in Afghanistan now has to be improving the quality of life of the Afghan people," the authors urged.
A new definition of success could include a "reasonable" level of stability, the "reintegration" of relatively moderate Taliban elements into society, and "basic rule-of-law structures and institutions."
The report also said Pakistan's ability and willingness to help allies fight insurgents near the border is compromised by its suspicion of the motives of bitter regional rival India, which has numerous development projects underway in Afghanistan.
"India should be encouraged to scale back its development presence in southern Afghanistan until a more stable environment is established."
Europe should also lead the way in expanding development assistance in the impoverished Pakistan border areas where radicalism flourishes.
"The coalition could win the hearts and minds of every Pashtun in Afghanistan and still lose the war, since three-fifths of the Pashtun population lives in Pakistan."
On the broader issue of terrorism, the report said a new transatlantic alliance led by President Barack Obama should formally renounce George W. Bush's "war on terror."
"Where possible, Americans and Europeans must craft a new counterterrorism narrative that avoids demonizing Islam and giving any impression that an existential life-and-death struggle with Islam is underway."
.
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