CIAO Focus, November 2013: Ending the War in Afghanistan

Over the past ten years, mistakes have been made by the international community in its involvement in Afghanistan– priorities were often wrong and promises too ambitious.
The goals set in 2005 with the NATO-led expansion of ISAF and the launch of the Afghanistan
National Development Strategy was strongly tested and in some cases went beyond the capabilities of Afghans and their international partners in the face of a resurgent Taliban movement, deeply entrenched structural challenges in Afghan governance and economy, and lack of donor accountability. But today, a degree of consensus has emerged around the key strategic goal and around a timeline to pursue it. The goals of international military, political, and economic involvement in Afghanistan is to achieve a “sufficient” degree of stability as well as to maintain respect for fundamental human rights, including those of minorities and women. While the international community has reaffirmed its continued commitment to achievement of these goals, future engagement should be “by, for, and with the Afghans and Afghanistan” on their way to obtain full sovereignty. No strictly military solution exists but a political solution must be found that is owned by the Afghan people. The more realistic the political process becomes, the more realistic the prospect of an end to major hostilities.

There is concern among Afghans about the weakness of the government in the areas of security, governance, and development. As a result, the foremost challenge for the international community is to provide credible reassurance to the Afghan people, government, and countries in the region that the drawdown in 2014 will not be a replay of history – that the international community is not going to abandon the Afghans once again. Psychology and perception are key. Reassuring Afghans will require a strong and clear international commitment. However, obtaining that continuous commitment from international actors requires not just a reiteration of the strategic rationale behind this commitment but also a routine effort to underscore positive results in Afghanistan, from education and the provision of health services to economic development.

With respect to the International Bonn Conference, which was chaired by Afghanistan, it was critical that the Afghans have the lead voice through hosting a large and inclusive state delegation. The key aspects of civilian transition were discussed at Bonn as was the reaffirmation of the international commitment. The notion of a political dialogue was also on the agenda. As discussed at the colloquium, this dialogue, and the discussion about its structure, content, and feasibility, both in Afghanistan and on the international stage, must be inclusive. In addition to the importance of inclusive dialogue, the international community and regional states must emphasize the notion of non-interference. In order for Afghanistan to exercise its sovereign right to govern its internal affairs without interference, a UN Security Council resolution might help underscore the principle of non-interference and provide a mechanism for recourse on the part of the Afghan state.

-- The Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination

 

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