Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy
Abstract
U.S. and outside assessments of the effort to stabilize Afghanistan are mixed; the Administration notes progress on reconstruction, governance and security in many areas of Afghanistan, but says the mission is still "under-resourced" to address escalating insurgent activity in some sectors, particularly the east and the consistently restive south. Recent outside studies emphasize a growing sense of insecurity in areas previously considered secure, increased numbers of suicide attacks, increasing aggregate poppy cultivation, and growing divisions within the NATO alliance about total troop contributions and the relative share of combat primarily in the south. Both the official U.S. as well as outside assessments are increasingly pointing to Pakistan, and particularly the new Pakistani government, as failing to prevent Taliban and other militant infiltration from Pakistan. With available U.S. forces short, the Administration is anticipating adding U.S. troops to the Afghanistan theater, reorganizing the command structure for U.S. and partner forces, and expanding the Afghan National Army. The Administration also has increased direct U.S. action against Taliban concentrations inside Pakistan. Politically, the Afghan central government is relatively stable, but it is perceived as weak and rife with corruption. The United States and partner countries now deploy a 53,000 troop NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) that commands peacekeeping throughout Afghanistan. Of those, about 23,000 of the 34,000 U.S. forces in Afghanistan are part of ISAF; the remainder are conducting anti-terrorism missions under Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. and partner forces also run regional enclaves to secure reconstruction (Provincial Reconstruction Teams, PRTs), and are building an Afghan National Army and National Police. The United States has given Afghanistan over $25 billion (appropriated, including FY2008 to date) since the fall of the Taliban.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 08, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA486018
Entities
People
- Kenneth Katzman
Organizations
- Library of Congress