Project on Middle East Democracy

Project on Middle East Democracy
The POMED Wire Archives


Category: Taliban

POMED Notes: “What Next for Afghanistan? A Post-Election Analysis”

October 20th, 2010 by Anna

On Monday, October 18th, the Brookings Institution held an event called “What Next for Afghanistan? A Post-Election Analysis.” The panel was moderated by Martin Indyk, Vice President and Director of Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution. The panelists were Thomas Garrett, Vice President for Programs at the International Republican Institute; Michael O’Hanlon, Senior Fellow and Director of Research in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution; Vanda Felbab-Brown, Fellow at the Brookings Institution; and Gerard Russell, Former Senior Political Adviser for Afghanistan. The group discussed the recent parliamentary elections in Afghanistan, focusing on polling irregularities, voter intimidation, tabulation errors, prospects for peace talks between President Hamid Karzai and Taliban leaders, and the future of the U.S. and NATO role in the country.

(For the full notes, continue reading below. Or, click here for the PDF.)

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Posted in Afghanistan, DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Elections, Events, Taliban, US foreign policy | Comment »

Afghanistan: O’Hanlon Sees “Basis For Hope”

September 29th, 2010 by Jason

Writing in Politico, Michael O’Hanlon, who recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan, argues that the outlook for that country is more positive than has been reported. “I saw more basis for hope than recent perceptions in the United States would allow.” O’Hanlon describes several reasons for optimism: “Four million in turnout is not bad for a midterm election in a troubled, war-torn country[…]Whatever Karzai’s limitations, there are a number of impressive reformers within his Cabinet and an improving slate of provincial governors.” O’Hanlon does concede that there will be continuing difficulties, including dealing with corruption and the growing insurgency.

In contrast, Vygaudas Usackas, the EU representative in Afghanistan, sees the Afghan electoral system as an impediment to a modern democracy according to a report by Radio Free Europe. Usackas is concerned with the “single non-transferable vote” system, which he believes is complicating the “development of political parties,” and which others describe as “encouraging patron-client relationships within constituencies.” He also emphasizes the need for a new census, saying, “‘We don’t know how many inhabitants [there] are in Afghanistan — is it 20 million or 40 million?[…]How many eligible voters are [there]? There are no proper voters’ register.’”


Posted in Afghanistan, Elections, Reform, Taliban | Comment »

POMED Notes: “The Struggle for a Democratic Future in Afghanistan: The 2010 Parliamentary Elections”

September 27th, 2010 by Anna

On Monday, September 27th, the Middle East Institute held an event entitled “The Struggle for a Democratic Future in Afghanistan: The 2010 Parliamentary Elections.” Kate Seelye, Vice President of Programs and Communications for MEI, introduced the two speakers: Marvin Weinbaum, scholar at the Middle East Institute, and Caroline Wadhams, Director for South Asia Security Studies at the Center for American Progress. Both recently returned from trips to Afghanistan, where they were monitoring the recent elections there. Seelye asked the speakers to discuss what they saw, as well as address the impact that the elections and their results might have for Afghanistan and for Washington’s engagement there.

(To read the full event summary, continue below. Or click here for the pdf.)

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Posted in Afghanistan, DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Elections, Foreign Aid, Taliban, US foreign policy | Comment »

POMED Notes: “Evaluating the State of Democracy in Pakistan”

September 23rd, 2010 by Jason

The United States Institute of Peace held a panel discussion Wednesday titled “Evaluating the State of Democracy in Pakistan”. The event was moderated by Moeed Yusuf, South Asia adviser and manager of the Pakistan program at USIP. The panel members were Mohammad Waseem, currently a visiting fellow at the Brooking Institution and professor of political science at Lahore University, Shahid Javed Burki, a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and current Senior Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, and Sheila Fruman, Senior Country Director for Pakistan at the National Democratic Institute from 2006-2010.

(To read full notes, continue below the fold or click here for pdf.)

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Posted in Civil Society, DC Event Notes, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Military, Pakistan, Political Parties, Public Opinion, Taliban, US foreign policy | Comment »

Afghanistan: Election Violations Unexamined

September 17th, 2010 by Anna

The Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan has called on the Electoral Complaints Commission to “decisively adjudicate all complaints submitted after Saturday’s parliamentary elections.” FEFA election observers reportedly submitted 583 reports of election violations (including candidates using state funds for their campaigns and government representatives illegally supporting candidates) over a period of about five weeks. They also found numerous cases of election-related intimidation, including threats from the Taliban to kill candidates. According to FEFA’s executive director Jandad Spinghar, “[f]ew candidates were sanctioned for electoral offenses, and the candidates the commission did sanction were not the most serious offenders.” Spinghar added that recent incidents of election-related violence demonstrate “policy-makers’ lack of commitment to transitional justice over the past nine years.” FEFA chairman Nader Nadery still sought to reassure voters, and said: “We encourage voters to exercise their political rights, and our observers will be there to watch whether they can do so freely.”


Posted in Afghanistan, Elections, Political Parties, Taliban | Comment »

Afghanistan: Election Hopes and Doubts

September 16th, 2010 by Jason

With the Taliban calling for a boycott and some in the Hazara community already complaining about interference in the voting process, this Saturday’s parliamentary elections will likely be a fractious event. Writing at The Diplomat, Karlos Zurutuza takes the temperature of Afghans in Kabul. Many seem to have already decided on a candidate for reasons ranging from shared ethnic identity to simple competence. In a hopeful sign, 410 women are running for seats in parliament according to Zurutuza. The bustle and relative safety of Kabul, however, masks the very real problem of providing security for citizens and international observers in other areas of the country. A German government envoy says that he will “…probably never leave the compound during his five-week tour” in Kunduz, while others will never leave Kabul. A member of USAID describes his mission as “…monitor[ing] the whole election process” because,  “‘If these elections turn into an embarrassing fraud like the previous ones, pressure from public opinion to end the mission in Afghanistan will be insurmountable.’”


Posted in Afghanistan, Civil Society, Elections, Taliban, US foreign policy | Comment »

Afghanistan: Time to Negotiate With the Taliban?

September 15th, 2010 by Jason

With parliamentary elections three days away and the beginning of a major offensive outside of Kandahar, worries about the coalition’s mission in Afghanistan are growing. Gilles Dorronsoro spotlights the deteriorating security condition in the country: “While it is still safe in Kabul, you can feel the Taliban tightening its hold around the capital.[…] The Taliban have a great deal of influence, but even where they haven’t established control, the Afghan government doesn’t enjoy any support.” Even NGOs are beginning to acknowledge the Taliban’s influence in the country: “The NGOs negotiate directly with Taliban leaders to ensure access to the Afghan people and carry out their programs. The process has become so formalized that international groups can now expect to receive a paper that is stamped and sealed by the Taliban outlining the permissions granted.” Dorronsoro concludes that it is time to begin negotiating with the Taliban and possibly bring them into a new coalition government, “…with assurances that Al Qaeda will not operate in Afghanistan again…”as part of the agreement.


Posted in Afghanistan, Elections, Islamist movements, Military, NGOs, Taliban, US foreign policy, al-Qaeda | Comment »

POMED Notes: New America Foundation “A New Way Forward? Rethinking U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan”

September 8th, 2010 by Jason

The New America Foundation held a panel discussion today to introduce the Afghanistan Study Group’s paper, “A New Way Forward: Rethinking U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan”. (PDF here) The panel members were all members of the study group, although not all of them signed the finished product making for an interesting discussion. The panel included Paul Pillar (Director of Graduate Studies, Center for Peace and Security Studies, Georgetown University and former intelligence officer), Matthew Hoh (Former Foreign Service Officer and Marine, Director, Afghanistan Study Group), Steve Coll (President of the New America Foundation), Brian Katulis (Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress), Charles Kupchan (Whitney Shepardson Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, Professor of International Affairs, Georgetown University,Author, How Enemies Become Friends), Darcy Burner (Director, American Progressive Caucus Policy Foundation), Robert Pape (Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago Director, Chicago Project on Suicide Terrorism Author, Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism), and the event was moderated by Steve Clemons (Director, American Strategy Program, New America Foundation Publisher, The Washington Note).

 (Continue below the fold for full notes or click here for PDF)

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Posted in Afghanistan, Civil Society, DC Event Notes, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Islamist movements, Military, NGOs, Pakistan, Sectarianism, Taliban, US foreign policy | Comment »

Pakistan: The Next Indonesia?

August 31st, 2010 by Evan

Writing in The New Yorker, Steve Coll suggests that for all of Pakistan’s problems, there is a way forward. According to Coll, Pakistan must first seek peace with India and then develop a stronger, export-based economy. Coll cites Indonesia’s experience as a potential model: “Indonesia, which, like Pakistan, has a large Muslim population and implausible borders left behind by imperialists, suffered badly a decade ago from separatist violence, Al Qaeda-linked Islamist terrorists, and poisonous civil-military relations. By riding Southeast Asia’s economic boom, Indonesia has become a comparably bland, democratic archipelago.”


Posted in Pakistan, Taliban, al-Qaeda | Comment »

Afghanistan: Parliamentary Election Anxiety

August 26th, 2010 by Jason

Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections will be held on September 18th in Afghanistan. Tina Blohm reports from Paktika on the difficulties of running free and fair elections there.  The problems range from a shrinking number of polling places (190, down from 265 in last year’s presidential elections) due to security issues, to a lack of poll workers brought about by a fear of insurgent reprisals, and the fact that “According to the provincial head of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), after the 2009 election, 1555 of its staff members were blacklisted in Paktika alone due to allegations of fraud.”

Candidates have also found it difficult to campaign in Paktika: “Out of 22 candidates (one of lowest numbers in the country), six were in the province … the rest staying in Kabul mainly due to security concerns.” Blohm also discusses the rising anti-coalition sentiment in the province, raising the concern that international observers are going to be unable to perform their jobs when “the question of movement beyond the provincial capital is central - and in case of the internationals this is unrealistic.”


Posted in Afghanistan, Elections, Political Parties, Taliban | Comment »

Afghanistan: The “Faustian Pact”

August 26th, 2010 by Jason

At Democracy Digest, Michael Allen covers a recent Brookings Institution event featuring Steve Coll, Vali Nasr, and Michael O’Hanlon, exploring the effectiveness of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. According to Coll, NATO has made a “Faustian Pact” with local warlords by sacrificing the long term development of civil society for short term security gains. Coll also expressed concern that too much emphasis is being paid to centralization at the cost of local governance. O’ Hanlon noted that the Afghan people are generally supportive of the central government, while Nasr emphasized the importance of Pakistan in any calculations of the region.


Posted in Afghanistan, Civil Society, Pakistan, Taliban | Comment »

Pakistan: Disaster Relief and Political Disarray

August 23rd, 2010 by Farid

Daud Khattak writes in Foreign Policy that in the midst of the flood crisis in Pakistan, fears of targeted killings by the Taliban have not only sent key secular leaders into hiding, but also contributed to a lack of leadership in the Peshawar province, providing “an opening for religious and pro-Taliban elements to win the hearts and minds of the hundreds of thousands in the area.” Pointing out the ineffectiveness of local and central governments in assisting the victims of the flood, Khattak argues that Islamists have stepped in and “used their relief efforts as a propaganda opportunity,” instructing locals that the flood “occurred because Pakistanis have not obeyed God or implemented sharia.” With the secular parties under threat from the Taliban, Khattar writes that “not a single elected government in Pakistan has completed its five-year term since 1988,” adding that “religious movements that keep secular parties from providing services to their constituents will only help ensure that after the next elections it will be the religious parties governing in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.”


Posted in Elections, Islamist movements, Pakistan, Political Parties, Taliban | Comment »

Afghanistan: Minorities and Models of Governance

August 17th, 2010 by Farid

Last month, in a delegation organized by Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), four members of the House of Representatives met in Europe with ethnic minority leaders from Afghanistan who oppose “President Hamid Karzai and his U.S.-backed initiative to open political negotiations with the Taliban.” Rohrabacher recently stated that no one in Afghanistan wants a central government, adding that “That’s the model that we have been trying to force with our military . . . on the people of Afghanistan.” Representative C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger (D-MD) argued that the Afghan people “don’t feel the United States is listening to them because of our relationship with Karzai.” The Northern Alliance, consisting of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras– minority groups who helped the U.S. military to oust the Taliban government in 2001 –have systematically been “purged” from official positions by the Karzai government and replaced with the country’s largest ethnic groups, Pashtuns. In fear of being increasingly marginalized, minority groups are opposing a deal between the government and the Taliban. Rohrabacher advocated a U.S. withdrawal of 100,000 troops, along with efforts to “back the minorities’ demand for more autonomy and help them rebuild their own militias and take over the fight against the Taliban.” Rohrabacher also said, “We can beat the radicals in Afghanistan. We can’t do it by trying to force people to accept a centralized government that is totally contrary to their culture.” In last month’s meeting, Ruppersberger told the Afghan leaders to work with Afghanistan’s “democratic culture” rather than try to overthrow Karzai.


Posted in Afghanistan, Taliban, US foreign policy | Comment »

POMED Notes: “Perspectives on Reconciliation Options in Afghanistan”

July 28th, 2010 by Jennifer

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing to discuss reconciliation and reintegration in Afghanistan. Touching on issues of governance and civil institution building, the hearing was twelve in a series the Committee has held on Afghanistan in the past 18 months. The Committee—chaired by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA), with ranking Committee member Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-IN) in attendance—requested the testimony of three individuals: the Honorable Ryan C. Crocker, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Pakistan; Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International; and Dr. David Kilcullen of the Center for a New American Security.

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Posted in Afghanistan, Elections, Foreign Aid, Taliban, Terrorism, US foreign policy | Comment »

Afghanistan: Reconciliation, Reintegration, & Mediation with the Taliban?

February 2nd, 2010 by Jessica

Following the Afghanistan conference in London, President Hamid Karzai returned to his country optimistic, as reported in an article for The Christian Science Monitor.  Outcomes of the conference included an increase in governmental control of Western aid from 20% to 50% and NATO support for Taliban engagement, with $140 million pledged towards the dual goals of reconciliation and reintegration. The $140 million was announced by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as, “an international trust fund to finance this Afghan-led peace and reintegration program to provide an economic alternative to those who have none.”  The fund is slated to provide Taliban fighters with jobs on the condition that they renounce extremism. The U.S. has pledged to support this approach as long as the aforementioned conditions are met, in addition to embracing democracy. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have also jointly agreed to fund debt relief from major creditors up to $1.6 billion dollars.

During the conference, President Karzai called on Saudi Arabia to help with Taliban reintegration efforts. Following the London conference, Karzai met with Saudi leaders in a bid for assistance with the Taliban.  An article for the Huffington Post reports the conditions under which Saudi Arabia will act as an intermediary between the current Afghan government and the Taliban.  The Saudi position was made clear by Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal at the London conference, “So long as the Taliban doesn’t stop providing shelter for terrorists and [Osama] bin Laden and end their contacts with them, I don’t think the negotiations will be positive or even able to achieve anything. They must tell us that they gave this up, and prove it of course.” While Karzai is amenable to discussions with the Taliban, he remains adamant in his decision to expel members of Al Qaeda from the reconciliation efforts, saying that terrorists have no role in the future of Afghanistan.

The Taliban are not without their own requirements for accepting Karzai’s invitation to begin negotiations, recently reiterating their demand for the withdrawal of foreign troops before peace talks begin.  Additionally the Taliban have demanded that in return for peace talks mediated by Saudia Arabia, the U.S. must immediately halt plans to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Karzai maintains that these conditions are unrealistic.


Posted in Afghanistan, Foreign Aid, Saudi Arabia, Taliban, United Nations, al-Qaeda | Comment »

Afghanistan: The London Conference Begins

January 28th, 2010 by Josh

The much anticipated London Conference got underway this morning, with delegations from more than 60 countries gathering to tackle issues of Afghan security, governance and development, and regional support.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown opened with remarks on the collaborative effort to bring Afghanistan greater stability and prosperity. To perhaps assuage concerns over the recent rise in troop levels, Brown affirmed that “the increase in our military efforts must be matched with governance and economic development — a political and civilian surge to match and complement the current military surge.” Along those lines, he announced an initiative to train “12,000 sub-national civil servants in core administrative functions in support of provincial and district governorships by the end of 2011.” He further noted significant increases in British and German foreign aid directed toward Afghan agriculture development and infrastructure.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai hailed the conference as an opportunity to develop an “Afghan‑led, Afghan‑owned initiative” that ensures peace and stability in Afghanistan. To achieve that goal, he advocated a six-point framework: 1) peace, reconciliation and reintegration; 2) security; 3) good governance; 4) fight against corruption; 5) economic development; and 6) regional cooperation.

Among the agreed-upon conference outcomes were: Targets for significant increases in the Afghan Army and Police Force supported by the international community; the establishment of an independent Office of High Oversight and an independent Monitoring and Evaluation Mission to tackle corruption; a civilian surge to match the military surge; and an enhanced sub-national government to improve delivery of basic services to all Afghans.

A full and comprehensive summary of the day’s discussions can be found here.


Posted in Afghanistan, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Multilateralism, Taliban | Comment »

Afghanistan: Human Rights Violations Must Be Addressed

January 28th, 2010 by Maria

Navi Pillay writes in the Daily Star that today’s conference on Afghanistan in London will be best-served by tackling human rights concerns in the country, where “even the modest human rights gains achieved in the last eight years are under threat.” Pillay argues that groups like the Taliban have benefited from an environment of lawlessness which has enabled them to organize and intensify their operations. Afghan disillusionment with democratization is not surprising, says Pillay, as more and more Afghans are perceiving government processes and structures to be “undemocratic, unfair, and unable to deliver the most basic services or the most fundamental protection.” Pillay believes that these human rights violations are “neither accidents of fate nor unchallengeable occurrences. They are rather the blatantly violent and unmitigated manifestation of how roles are structured…and how power is distributed in Afghanistan.”

Center for Strategic and International Studies hosted an event on Monday to preview the conference in London.

UPDATE:  Democracy Digest reports that there is some speculation that a “forgive and forget” policy might be implemented for some members of the Taliban in order to incorporate the group as part of a legitimate government in Afghanistan. However, advocates of democracy and human rights are pushing against such a move, arguing that human rights shouldn’t be traded in for the sake of security.


Posted in Afghanistan, Human Rights, Taliban | Comment »

Afghanistan: Taliban Intensifies Attacks in Advance of International Conference

January 19th, 2010 by Jessica

Dexter Filkins of the New York Times reports in an article entitled, “Kabul Attack Shows Resilience of Afghan Militants,” on the attack made by Taliban militants early Monday morning in the city of Kabul. According to Filkins’ article a total of five people were killed during the course of the attacks with another 71 being injured. The assault, consisting of a group of militants and two suicide bombers, took place in a busy city center in the middle of Kabul. The primary of target of the attacks was the Central Bank, though the Presidential Palace and the Ministry of Justice, both located in Pashtunistan Square, were in close proximity to the area under assault. In response to the attacks several hundred Afghan soldiers were deployed.

Filkins reports that the assault is the most recent operation in a series of incidents designed to instill a sense of panic among the citizens of Kabul. Filkins also comments that urban centers were targeted due to the concentration of U.S. troops in the rural countryside, and that this concentration as led to a recent upsurge in assaults concentrated in urban locals.

The assaults lasted approximately 5 hours, leaving a popular Afghan shopping area in ruins. Of the seven Taliban carrying out the attacks, 2 were suicide bombers, the remaining 5 were killed during the course of the following conflict. Spokesmen for the Taliban greatly exaggerated the number of militants carrying out the assault, reporting that approximately 20 suicide bombers had been dispersed to the city’s center and that some 40 plus government officials had been killed.

Taliban representatives  stated that the attacks were in response to American and Afghan proposals to “reconcile and reintegrate Taliban fighters into mainstream society.” This proposal, an essential tenet of Obama’s plan for peace in Afghanistan, was meant to be revealed later this month at the International Conference on Afghanistan in London. The conference is designed to bring Afghan leaders and the international community together in order to discuss the strategies for democracy and development in Afghanistan. Policymakers will develop milestones for improving the Afghan government with followup conferences to take place Kabul designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the aforementioned milestones.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban, is quoted in response to the proposed policy as saying, “We are ready to fight, and we have the strength to fight, and nobody from the Taliban side is ready to make any kind of deal.”

Evan Hill in his post entitled, “Taliban Launches Raid in Kabul; Gov’t says 5 dead 38 wounded,” urges that the January 18th assault not hinder U.S. and Afghan plans to reintegrate members of the Taliban back into society. Hill comments, “It might be a slap in the face, but it doesn’t seem to me as if an assault by a few dozen fanatics undermines the entire effort to bring certain Taliban back into society.”


Posted in Afghanistan, Taliban, Terrorism | Comment »

Afghanistan: MP Mistakenly Killed by Police

December 23rd, 2009 by Zack

Time reports that Mohammad Yunos Shirnagha, a member of the Afghan parliament, was mistakenly killed in a shoot-out with police who were attempting to ambush a Taliban transport.  The New York Times reports that President Karzai has called for an investigation into the murder of his 18 year-old cousin Waheed Karzai. Waheed’s family believe he was murdered by another Karzai family member as part of an old family feud, leading President Karzai to cover up the incident for political reasons.

Mark Major in Foreign Policy discusses Lt. Gen. William Caldwell’s new strategy to whip the Afghan army into shape by focusing on the quality of the army, rather than the quantity of troops.

Gregg Carlstrom at The Majlis rebuffs Ann Friedman’s argument (see our previous post that the mission in Afghanistan has never been about humanitarianism, especially concerning the liberation of women. Carlstrom argues that even though the military does not work toward humanitarian goals, the greater stability brought by a troop increase will engender more protection and freedom for Afghan women. He also asks that the media stop using activist Malalai Joya as the representative voice “of everyone with ovaries between Herat and the Khyber Pass.”

Lastly, Der Spiegel carries an editorial by Olaf Ihlau about Germany’s defense minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg’s change of heart and his new willingness to engage moderate Taliban elements.  Ihlau argues that engaging the Taliban is the only way to adequately start a German exit strategy.


Posted in Afghanistan, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Freedom, Islam and Democracy, Military, Reform, Taliban, US foreign policy, Women | Comment »

Afghanistan: Who Will Head the U.N. Mission?

December 22nd, 2009 by Jason

Laura Rozen explores who will replace Kai Eide as the head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan. She reports rumors that Swedish diplomat Staffan de Mistura is the “top contender” for the position and is an American favorite. At the same time, there are reports that French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner has expressed interest in the job, but other sources explain Kouchner is looking to serve as an E.U. envoy equivalent to Richard Holbrooke. In a follow up post, Rozen discusses the idea to have a “dual-hatted U.N./NATO chief in Afghanistan.”  

Ann Friedman  observes the difference in opinion between Afghan and U.S.-based women’s rights groups. While Afghan-based groups tend to call for an American withdrawal, U.S.-based groups believe that military intervention can be used to promote women’s rights. But for Friedman, “it doesn’t matter whether U.S. military intervention can be a force for humanitarianism because, in Afghanistan, it never has been and won’t become one.”

Max Boot responds to a video from Guardian films that “presents a dire picture of the Afghan National Army.”  According to Boot, the video has been overblown because “we can’t expect many Third World militaries to meet the standards of the 21st century US. armed forces.” In short, “the Guardian clip presents a slice of reality, not all of reality. It should not be dismissed, nor should it be given the last word.”

M.J. Rosenberg of TPMCafe points to an Al Jazeera English video about the difficult choices U.S. soldiers face in delivering medical care to Afghan nationals. Finally, Doctors Without Borders lists Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen among its annual list of the year’s worst humanitarian crises.


Posted in Afghanistan, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Military, Taliban, US foreign policy, United Nations, Women | Comment »