Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 05/2012

Myths and Misconceptions in the Afghan Transition

Shahmahmood Miakhel, Noah Coburn

April 2012

United States Institute of Peace

Abstract

The coming period of transition to Afghan control of national security will require greater cooperation and understanding between all parties. Cooperation between the international community, the Afghan government and local communities is currently being undermined by a series of myths and assumptions which stem from the unstable conditions, a perceived lack of shared interests and a handful of highly publicized incidents. The international community often underestimates local capacity for governance in Afghanistan and ignores the success that Afghanistan did have with self-rule for much of the 20th century.