CIAO DATE: 02/2009
October 2008
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Stability in Afghanistan and the future of its government depend on the United States and its Afghan and other allies providing security for the Afghan people. Calls for an Iraq-style "troop surge" ignore the immediate need for a comprehensive political strategy to fix Afghanistan's fragile security structure, dysfunctional system of government, and unstable borders, warns a new policy brief by Afghanistan expert William Maley.
Since the ousting of the Taliban in 2001, serious flaws in the international community's approach point to the need for a long-term vision. Poor governance, failure to secure adequate counterterrorism cooperation from Pakistan, and the limited presence of international troops beyond Kabul greatly undermined the Afghan public's confidence in their country's transition and Western promises.
Resource link: Stabilizing Afghanistan: Threats and Challenges [PDF] - 222K