As President Obama prepares to announce his new strategy in Afghanistan, it is vital to note that success or failure will not be determined by our military footprint alone. With mounting press speculation regarding a possible increase in U.S. troop levels, we should consider General McChrystal's warning that "focusing on force or resource requirements misses the point entirely." Even more important is the level of commitment from our Afghan and international partners. In his second term, President Karzai must act decisively to improve security, deliver basic services, and rid the government of corruption.
When I met President Karzai during a September visit to Kabul, we discussed the effectiveness of counterinsurgency strategy and the importance of stronger governance at all levels - national, district, and provincial. President Karzai must do a better job of delivering essential services because, ultimately, this is a battle for legitimacy between his government and the Taliban. This battle must be fought with the Afghans in the lead and the U.S. in a supportive role, because without a true Afghan partner, the U.S. military presence can only go so far.
The best defense against the Taliban is an effective Afghan government. As such, I urge President Karzai to work with the United States and other international partners to produce specific and measurable guidelines for combating corruption, improving government transparency and accountability, providing essential services, strengthening rule of law, tackling the drug trade, and improving economic conditions. Clear benchmarks must be set, and progress must be monitored to ensure compliance at every level.
This plan cannot be limited to Kabul. Government officials in the provinces and districts must be well qualified and empowered with the necessary authorities and budgets to improve the lives of all Afghans. We must work together to undermine the Taliban's foothold and role as a de facto provider of rule of law and basic services, especially in the south. To further support these goals, I urge President Karzai to appoint competent governors and cabinet members who adhere to international human rights standards and the rule of law, and are respected by the Afghan people.
I welcome President Karzai's recent characterization of corruption as a "dangerous enemy of the state," but rhetoric must be matched with action. This problem cannot be addressed with words alone. Numerous criminal cases involving government officials - such as recent allegations that the Afghan Minister of Mining accepted a $30 million bribe as part of an illicit deal with a Chinese mining firm - must be thoroughly investigated. No one is above the law, and anyone embroiled in corruption or illicit behavior should be held accountable.
Another element of success in counterinsurgency is the training and deployment of effective national security forces. I am pleased by President Karzai's stated intention to assume complete Afghan control over security within five years. I also echo his calls for NATO partners to take more effective steps to accelerate the training of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP).
Currently, there are not enough Afghan and international forces on the ground to "clear and hold" against the Taliban. In fact, the number of trained Afghan security forces is less than one-third those in Iraq - a geographically smaller country with nearly the same-sized population. The training of the ANA and ANP must be expedited to build a stronger force of needed counterinsurgents, with the near-term goal of transferring responsibility to the Afghans.
During my two trips to the region this year, I was impressed by the vision and fortitude of the people of Afghanistan. The Afghan people identified security as a key concern and wanted a swift transition from international to Afghan forces. Americans also hope for a swift transition, so we can eventually end our military presence and bring our brave troops home.
As we stand on the cusp of history together, the United States and Afghanistan are allies with shared goals and coinciding interests. It is now incumbent upon President Karzai to fulfill the promises articulated in his inauguration speech so that we can realize our common objectives. At this critical juncture, we must hold the Afghan government accountable for its actions and urge renewed leadership, determination, and resolve.
William Bradley: Tony Blair's Cautionary Tale For Obama
Under Blair, Britain "modernized" as "Cool Britannia," and indicators on the economy, the environment, and crime improved. Then came Iraq, the war too far.
History suggests that when internal political dysfunction overwhelms external attempts at stabilization, getting out sooner rather than later is in the best interest of an occupying power.
Leon T. Hadar: Obama, the Teabaggers and Foreign Policy
As Obama contemplates a new strategy for Afghanistan, he should consider integrating the conservative values of fiscal discipline and limited government into his foreign policy decision-making.
I read a recent story in the NY Times about a 13 year old boy with Asparger's Syndrome who went missing for 11 days on the NY subways. He could not be found in spite of flyers, parent search, police search, and special police units. They also knew he had gone missing on the subway several months earlier but had returned in 5 hours. Finally he was spotted by a transit worker in a very disheveled state. He had been ignored by the vast majority of people.
If this is the situation here in our country how can we expect to achieve the unachievable in other places where people pay even less attention to each other. It is time to take a massive dose of reality checking and just get out. We'll just have to find better ways of protecting ourselves on our own soil.
The USA is hopelessly corrupt.
The USA cannot bring effective government it DOES NOT HAVE.
Stop thinking the USA can fix anything.
The USA spends more on War than the rest of the world combined.
War is what the USA does.
Those seemingly abstract and unrelated statements are what is real in Afghanistan. A strong central government means a type of government that the USA would not support. Strong satellite governments mean you have no central government buy the country is not a country buy separate territories in a fake boarder set by the West. The majority of the people if asked would be willing to vote their way into the money America spends but will not take up arms for a weak far away central government. This is Afghanistan today.
The best term we can use to explain Afghanistan today is nationalism to force the intruders into their political sphere away. The government is weak, the new military is in place because of our money and the real power is not being addressed.
Call a meeting of the tribal leaders and have them choose a semi powerful leader then buy them off to protect their own interests.
In every great social awakening there has to be an entity that wants that awakening. Women got out and demanded the right to vote. African-Americans demanded the end of 'separate but equal' and to be treated equally across the board. The list goes on and on about those whom were oppressed getting up and fighting for their rights. The Afghan people are no different. They got to want it, fight for it just as these groups did so. We can't make them want it. So, I'm afraid that we are wasting our time and money that we desperately need here at home. Get out now and be done with it..
We could take some of our "concern" and our very kind and wonderful war that we have so graciously bestowed upon these people and put some concern and funds toward our own people.
Oh yes, we have to spend billions in Afghanistan to make sure these people don't grow any more poppies. Well, that ought to take just about forever. Maybe we can eventually send one soldier to watch over each Afghan person.
Look, in the end, here's what needs to be done:
1. We go into Afghanistan to fight Alqueda.
2. We send a high level of troops -- by 1 year, we will have about 80,000 to 100,000 there.
3. We take 20,000 troops & start building roads & waterways. Each of there tribes should have a waterwell & paved roads leading to each other
4. We take 30,000 troops and build up the Afghanistan Army - Train them to protect their own goverenment.
5. Take 10,000 troops to recruit dissenters to join the Army by giving the Afghans jobs. Start having these new recruits start building farms & agricultural items.
6. The rest of the 40,000 troops will protect & go after the terror organizations within Afghan & Pakistan.
7. Use drones for the borders.
Do all of this in 2 years, & get out no matter what. Train the Afghanistan to start taking over. We gave them Roads, Water & an Army. We can leave them in peace then to fend for themselves. It's easy.
We talk about the Government as if that is something that is representative of people who live in tents and caves and that is not is not a statement made for effect.
This is a true tribal country with huge poverty and run by thugs who control poppy fields that feed the world with illegal drugs.
Let's not talk about this country as if it is searching for a real path forward but a place that is uncivilized at its core.
Despite good intentions, even a prospective "political" solution is bound to fail because the topographical, cultural and societal structure of Afghanistan makes it difficult to administer.
A civilized nation with an interconnected infrastructure like Iraq is one thing. A feudal society like Afghanistan is quite another.
Do you really believe a nearly stone-age Afganistan with huge levels of illiteracy, and a black market based opium economy can create a functioning and secular democracy?
BINGO.
Afghanistan doesn't need good governance - it needs good government.
Governance is a euphemism for weak central control and corporate and foreign dominance i.e. neo-colonialism : to call a spade a spade.
A poor state like Afghnanistan needs a strong central government to look after education, infrastructure and to create a feeling of patriotism, without which no cohesion is possible.
Ten protector outside states and 1000 NGO's will never bring this about.
Afghanistan was invaded for predatory and geopolitical reasons - as was indeed the case of Irak - and no amount of sweet-talking and hand-wringing will erase this original sin.
Good luck with your governance!