Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy
Abstract
Afghanistan's planned political transition was completed with the convening of a parliament in December 2005, but insurgent threats to Afghanistan s government persist and are even growing in some southern provinces. A new constitution was adopted in January 2004, and successful presidential elections were held on October 9, 2004, followed by parliamentary elections on September 18, 2005. In April 2006, the parliament reviewed and then confirmed 20 out of the 25 nominees to a new Karzai cabinet. This largely completed the post-Taliban political transition roadmap established at the December 2001 international conference in Bonn, Germany. Afghan citizens are enjoying new personal freedoms that were forbidden under the Taliban. Women are participating in economic and political life, including as ministers, provincial governors, and senior levels of the new parliament. However, the insurgency led by remnants of the former Taliban regime has conducted numerous lethal attacks since mid-2005, narcotics trafficking is rampant, and independent militias remain throughout the country, although they are being progressively disarmed. U.S. stabilization measures focus on strengthening the central government and its security forces while combating insurgents. The United States and other countries are building an Afghan National Army; deploying a multinational International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to patrol Kabul and other cities; and running regional enclaves to secure reconstruction (Provincial Reconstruction Teams, PRTs). Approximately 18,000 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan to combat the Taliban-led insurgency, but the United States and NATO have agreed to shift more of the security burden to NATO during 2006. That transition will permit U.S. force levels to drop to a planned level of about 16,500 by mid-2006, although the reduction has raised concerns among Afghan officials that the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan is waning.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 04, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA472660
Entities
People
- Kenneth Katzman
Organizations
- Library of Congress