http://armedforcesjournal.com/blogs/dartsboard/2009/10/13-rules-for-afghanistan/
13 rules for Afghanistan
October 30th, 2009 | Dartsboard | Posted by Karen Walker
An ominous number, I know, but it’s still a good list.
At the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy’s Afghanistan conference yesterday in Washington D.C., the center’s board chair, Zbigniew Brzezinski opened with the following three Don’ts and ten Do’s for Afghanistan.
Don’t:
1. Withdraw from Afghanistan;
2. Repeat the Soviet experience in Afghanistan. “There’s a reason Afghans don’t like foreigners with guns in their country telling them what to do”;
3. Make this a solitary U.S. military engagement.
Do:
1. Focus on a realistic and central strategic objective of denying safe haven to al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan;
2. Be extremely sensitive to the ethnic diversity of Afghanistan;
3. Shape an Afghan national army and police force, but recognize that doing so via the central government may not be compatible with also recognizing the country’s ethnic diversity;
4. Deploy only the number of extra troops that are essential to the counterinsurgency campaign, and no more;
5. Pursue the Taliban;
6. Keep economic assistance flowing;
7. Involve the Europeans, not only in military aspects but also in funding of programs such as anti-narcotic crops campaigns;
8. Be more respectful of Pakistan’s strategic interests in Afghanistan. Pakistan is afraid that a non-Taliban Afghanistan could become a neutral partners of India and that poses difficult diplomatic choices for the U.S. that it must confront;
9. Engage China and Iran more regarding their concerns in Afghanistan. China is concerned about the spread of militant Islamism and could be helpful to the U.S. in creating some sort of diplomatic process in the region. Iran’s stake hinges on the sizable Shia community in Afghanistan;
10. More actively move to create a north-south [natural gas] pipeline through the country to the Indian Ocean to help flow funds into Afghanistan and create a wider regional interest in stabilizing the country.
13 rules for Afghanistan
October 30th, 2009 | Dartsboard | Posted by Karen Walker
An ominous number, I know, but it’s still a good list.
At the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy’s Afghanistan conference yesterday in Washington D.C., the center’s board chair, Zbigniew Brzezinski opened with the following three Don’ts and ten Do’s for Afghanistan.
Don’t:
1. Withdraw from Afghanistan;
2. Repeat the Soviet experience in Afghanistan. “There’s a reason Afghans don’t like foreigners with guns in their country telling them what to do”;
3. Make this a solitary U.S. military engagement.
Do:
1. Focus on a realistic and central strategic objective of denying safe haven to al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan;
2. Be extremely sensitive to the ethnic diversity of Afghanistan;
3. Shape an Afghan national army and police force, but recognize that doing so via the central government may not be compatible with also recognizing the country’s ethnic diversity;
4. Deploy only the number of extra troops that are essential to the counterinsurgency campaign, and no more;
5. Pursue the Taliban;
6. Keep economic assistance flowing;
7. Involve the Europeans, not only in military aspects but also in funding of programs such as anti-narcotic crops campaigns;
8. Be more respectful of Pakistan’s strategic interests in Afghanistan. Pakistan is afraid that a non-Taliban Afghanistan could become a neutral partners of India and that poses difficult diplomatic choices for the U.S. that it must confront;
9. Engage China and Iran more regarding their concerns in Afghanistan. China is concerned about the spread of militant Islamism and could be helpful to the U.S. in creating some sort of diplomatic process in the region. Iran’s stake hinges on the sizable Shia community in Afghanistan;
10. More actively move to create a north-south [natural gas] pipeline through the country to the Indian Ocean to help flow funds into Afghanistan and create a wider regional interest in stabilizing the country.