The Search for Security in Post-Taliban Afghanistan

The Search for Security in Post-Taliban Afghanistan PDF

Author: Cyrus Hodes

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-05-13

Total Pages: 121

ISBN-13: 1134975171

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By the middle of 2007, Afghans had become increasingly disillusioned with a state-building process that had failed to deliver the peace dividend that they were promised. For many Afghans, the most noticeable change in their lives since the fall of the Taliban has been an acute deterioration in security conditions. Whether it is predatory warlords, the Taliban-led insurgency, the burgeoning narcotics trade or general criminality, the threats to the security and stability of Afghanistan are manifold. The response to those threats, both in terms of the international military intervention and the donor-supported process to rebuild the security architecture of the Afghan state, known as security-sector reform (SSR), has been largely insufficient to address the task at hand. NATO has struggled to find the troops and equipment it requires to complete its Afghan mission and the SSR process, from its outset, has been severely under-resourced and poorly directed. Compounding these problems, rampant corruption and factionalism in the Afghan government, particularly in the security institutions, have served as major impediments to reform and a driver of insecurity. This paper charts the evolution of the security environment in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban, assessing both the causes of insecurity and the responses to them. Through this analysis, it offers some suggestions on how to tackle Afghanistan’s growing security crisis.

Life and Security in Rural Afghanistan

Life and Security in Rural Afghanistan PDF

Author: Neamatollah Nojumi

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Published: 2010-01-06

Total Pages: 339

ISBN-13: 1461704693

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To access the maps mentioned in this book, Click Here. Despite the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan remains a country in dire need of strong international support. Only with an understanding of the conditions in both urban and rural areas will the international community be able to offer aid and remain committed to long-term development. This fascinating and clearly written book mines a rich and unique array of data, which was collected in rural areas of Afghanistan by an expert team of researchers, to analyze countrywide trends in the relationship between human security and livelihoods. The team's research and recommendations, published here for the first time, suggest that international assistance or national development strategies that ignore the long-term developmental and structural goals and sideline the moderate elements of Afghan society will be doomed to failure. The authors' deeply informed policy recommendations will help to focus further action on vital issues such as co-optation of aid by armed political groups; water scarcity; contamination and degradation of the environment; education; health care; agriculture, livestock, and land health; and justice. A valuable resource for students, policymakers, donor governments, and national and international organizations, Life and Security in Rural Afghanistan opens a rare window into the otherwise hidden lives of the people of rural Afghanistan.

After the Taliban

After the Taliban PDF

Author: Neamatollah Nojumi

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 9780742540323

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To access the maps mentioned in this book, Click Here. Despite the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan remains a country in dire need of strong international support. Only with an understanding of the conditions in both urban and rural areas will the international community be able to offer aid and remain committed to long-term development. This fascinating and clearly written book mines a rich and unique array of data, which was collected in rural areas of Afghanistan by an expert team of researchers, to analyze countrywide trends in the relationship between human security and livelihoods. The team's research and recommendations, published here for the first time, suggest that international assistance or national development strategies that ignore the long-term developmental and structural goals and sideline the moderate elements of Afghan society will be doomed to failure. The authors' deeply informed policy recommendations will help to focus further action on vital issues such as co-optation of aid by armed political groups; water scarcity; contamination and degradation of the environment; education; health care; agriculture, livestock, and land health; and justice. A valuable resource for students, policymakers, donor governments, and national and international organizations, After the Taliban opens a rare window into the otherwise hidden lives of the people of rural Afghanistan.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan PDF

Author: Kenneth Katzman

Publisher:

Published: 2006

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Afghanistan's political transition was completed with the convening of a parliament in December 2005, but since then insurgent threats to Afghanistan's government have escalated to the point that some experts are questioning the future of U.S. stabilization efforts. Afghan citizens are enjoying new personal freedoms that were forbidden under the Taliban. Women are participating in economic and political life. U.S. stabilization measures focus on strengthening the central government and its security forces and on promoting reconstructing while combating the renewed insurgent challenge.

Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy PDF

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 103

ISBN-13:

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Following two high-level policy reviews on Afghanistan in 2009, the Obama Administration asserts that it is pursuing a fully resourced and integrated military-civilian strategy that will pave the way for a gradual transition to Afghan security leadership beginning in July 2011. The policy is predicated on the view that stabilizing Afghanistan will ensure that it cannot again become a base for terrorist attacks against the United States, and that accomplishing this objective requires reversing a deterioration of security in large parts of Afghanistan since 2006. Each of the two reviews resulted in a decision to add combat troops, with the intent of creating the conditions to expand Afghan governance and economic development, rather than on defeating insurgents. A total of 51,000 additional U.S. forces were authorized by the two reviews, which will bring U.S. troop levels to approximately 104,000 by September 2010. Currently, U.S. troops in Afghanistan total about 95,000 and foreign partners are about 40,000.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan PDF

Author: Kenneth Katzman

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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The United States and its partner countries are reducing military involvement in Afghanistan as Afghan security forces assume lead security responsibility throughout the country. The current international security mission will terminate at the end of 2014 and likely transition to a far smaller mission consisting mostly of training and mentoring the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF). The number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, which peaked at about 100,000 in June 2011, was reduced to a pre-surge level of about 66,000 in September 2012, and is currently about 52,000. That number will fall to 34,000 by February 2014. The size of the residual force that will likely remain in Afghanistan after 2014 might be announced later in 2013, with options centering on about 8,000-12,000 U.S. trainers and counterterrorism forces, assisted by about 5,000 partner forces performing similar missions. The U.S. troops that remain after 2014 would do so under a U.S.-Afghanistan security agreement that is under negotiation. Fearing instability after 2014, some ethnic and political faction leaders are reviving their militia forces should the international drawdown lead to a major Taliban push to retake power. The Administration remains concerned that Afghan stability after 2014 is at risk from weak and corrupt Afghan governance and insurgent safe havens in Pakistan. Among efforts to promote effective and transparent Afghan governance, U.S. officials are attempting to ensure that the next presidential election, scheduled for April 5, 2014, will be devoid of the fraud that plagued Afghanistan s elections in 2009 and 2010. Other U.S. and partner country anti-corruption efforts in Afghanistan have yielded few concrete results. An unexpected potential benefit to stability could come from a negotiated settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban and other insurgent groups.

Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan - December 2018 Pentagon Report on Afghan War U.S. Status, Strategy, and Objectives, Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) Financing

Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan - December 2018 Pentagon Report on Afghan War U.S. Status, Strategy, and Objectives, Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) Financing PDF

Author: U S Military

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2019-05-10

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 9781097656356

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This unique report was issued in December 2018. The principle goal of the South Asia Strategy is to conclude the war in Afghanistan on terms favorable to Afghanistan and the United States. Over the past 16 months, the United States and its partners have used military force to drive the Taliban towards a durable and inclusive political settlement. There have been some notable developments - the Eid al-Fitr ceasefire and the support for peace from the broader Islamic community - which threatened the legitimacy of the Taliban and may represent leading indicators of success. The Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation (SRAR) has reinforced U.S. diplomatic engagements with Afghans, neighboring states, and interested parties in the broader region. Increased military pressure on the Taliban, international calls for peace, and the new SRAR's engagements appear to be driving the Taliban to negotiations. While an array of challenges remain-Afghan political stability, Afghan security force capacity, and regional spoilers-the combination of military escalation and diplomatic initiative have made a favorable political settlement more likely than at any time in recent memory.This compilation includes a reproduction of the 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.Executive Summary * Section 1 - Strategy and Objectives * 1.1 U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan * 1.2 U.S. Objectives in Afghanistan * 1.3 U.S. Counterterrorism Mission * 1.4 NATO-led Resolute Support Mission * 1.5 Indications of Progress * Section 2 - Threat Assessment * 2.1 Importance of Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations * 2.2 Current Security Conditions * Section 3 - Overview of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces * 3.1 ANDSF Roadmap * 3.2 ANDSF Size, Posture, and assessment * 3.3 Capabilities * Section 4 - Ministry of Defense and Afghan National Army * 4.1 Ministry of Defense * 4.2 Afghan National Army * Section 5 - Ministry of Interior and Afghan National Police * 5.1 Ministry of Interior * 5.2 Afghan National Police * Section 6 - Financing the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces * 6.1 Holding the Afghan Ministries Accountable * 6.2 U.S. Contributions * 6.3 International Contributions * 6.4 Afghan Government ContributionsThe current military situation inside of Afghanistan remains at an impasse. The introduction of additional advisors and enablers in 2018 stabilized the situation, slowing the momentum of a Taliban march that had capitalized on U.S. drawdowns between 2011 and 2016. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) remain in control of most of Afghanistan's population centers and all of the provincial capitals, while the Taliban control large portions of Afghanistan's rural areas, and continue to attack poorly defended government checkpoints and rural district centers. The ANDSF have continued to excel in offensive operations; the bulk of their casualties have come in defense of isolated checkpoints, command posts, and bases. The ANDSF, with U.S. and coalition support, have limited new Taliban territorial gains and quickly regained control of population centers when attacked. The intensity of the fighting and level of bloodshed on both sides has risen as both sides vie for leverage at the negotiating table.