The Search for Stability: Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan
Abstract
The need for Nation Building is now widely recognized, but how to do it is not universally agreed upon. This paper examines how the United States' institutional mindset against peacekeeping and Nation Building has changed over time with the acceptance that Nation Building is a role for interagency and international bodies as well as the military. Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), as employed in Afghanistan, are used as a vehicle to examine the wide range of activities necessary for Nation Building. There are differences between military, non-military, and shared roles, though PRTs should be able to achieve the necessary balance. Emphasis is placed on involving interagency organizations, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the local population. The paper concludes that, within Afghanistan, PRTs may be an effective way of widening and strengthening the writ of Afghan central government, but that they rely on the existence of a benign and permissive environment at the local level. The role of the military in any Nation Building endeavor is the creation of a safe and secure environment within which other initiatives can come to fruition. A factor of this requirement will be the number of troops committed to this part of the operation. (45 refs.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA424370
Entities
People
- Russel N. Wardle
Organizations
- United States Army War College