Methods of Engagement in Afghanistan - Essay Example

? Afghanistan is a country rich in culture and natural resources. However, years of combat and retaliation against outside forces has left the land and its people in ruins. Before trying to implement any relief strategies in Afghanistan one must begin by understanding the country’s long history. The people of Afghanistan always seem to be fighting some sort of war. They are either struggling with external innovators or a rebellion from within the country. The turmoil began with the invasion attempt and fails of Alexander the Great, continued throughout their quest for independence from Britain rule. The long battle with the Soviet Union which eventually ended in the late 1980’s and gave rise to the Taliban government. The retreat of the Soviet Union gave room for rebel forces from within the country to rage civil war on the Mujahedin government. In 1996 the Taliban took over the country and imposed strict Islamic law over the people. The use of harsh punishments, the segregation of women and the practice of public executions forced international support to pull back their resources leaving Afghanistan in a state of rubble and chaos. Despite many attempts by the United States administration to reach agreements with the Taliban, they were never recognized as the official government of Afghanistan. The attack of the twin towers on U.S. soil prompted the United States to launch a “war on terrorism” coalition in search of Osama Bin Laden believed to be the leader of Al Qaeda. The Taliban refused to disclose the location of Osama, which resulted in yet another war on Afghan soil. The Taliban was militarily removed by the end of 2001. After nearly 20 years of continuous warfare disaster, Afghanistan is left in much need of international support in order to rebuild a stable country. Success regarding “nation building” within Afghanistan depends primarily on local support and involves a combination of tactics. After years of warfare devastation and corrupt governments the nation is in desperate need of a reliable structure. In order to gain the confidence of the population within Afghanistan, they must be free to choose their voice. As an Islamic nation, the leaders of the government must respect and hold the same values of its people. In order to address individual needs it is imperative to hold public assemblies as well as meet with tribal leaders. This will help to increase the faith of the people and create an understanding with their government. This will reduce further risk of civil wars against administration. Enforcing laws and regulations against internal corruption will also bring peace within the country. With a stable government in place backed by the trust of the citizens, concentration on re-building the nation’s economy can begin. By proving to the people that in laying down their weapons and working collectively with their government they would have more to gain then continuing to fight. Afghanistan stands to be one of the poorest countries in the world. There are many levels that need to be addressed in order to work out a functioning economy within Afghanistan. Prioritizing the basic foundations such as education, medical, housing and employment will lead to the success of the economical situation and the development of the country. The majority of the population lives in rural areas without clean water or electricity. There is a shortage of housing and employment despite international aid. Due to years of destruction and draught the country’s agricultural sector has taken a sever hit. Most of the area is still filled with land minds and debris, leaving the land dangerous and uncultivable. Major cleaning and restoration is needed in order to help to farming community. There is also a sever lack of animals; the migration during the invasion of the Soviet Union resulted in the loss of most of the country’s live stock. Because agriculture is the primary source of income of most of the population, functioning strategies should be implemented to help local farmers. Working jointly in re-populating the animals and in building water wells will help to re-establish some of the country’s farming sector. Solutions also must be implemented in expanding on Afghanistan’s natural resources. By teaching them how to develop a modern legal economy, rather than one that is heavily dependent on narcotics. Deposits of colored stones and gemstones including emeralds, rubies and sapphires have been recently discovered by geologists. They have estimated approximately “1 trillion dollars worth of untapped mineral deposits” is waiting to be excavated. Work is needed on strengthening the country’s infrastructures before plans for mining can begin. However by involving the local community and keeping them actively participating in giving them training and employment within the exploration will help to diminish local opposition. Helping the country to rebuild schools, roads and affordable housing is increasingly important in the development of gaining local support. Mass destruction has left Afghanistan in ruins. In order to bring up the moral of its people, working on the foundation of basic necessities is needed. By building access roads leading in and out of the country, local farmers and other resources will be able to conduct trading with neighboring countries. There is a great need of public funded schools. The illiteracy rate of Afghanistan is considerably high, especially amongst women due to the Taliban forbidding women to work and learn outside the home. Safety with sending children to school must also be address. It is not enough to build a school and expect parents to send their children. The parents need to be assured that during school hours their children are safe from outside and inside threats. Hospitals and medical treatment facilities are also in dire need in the country. Infant mortality rate, HIV, malaria and other known diseases are substantially high within the region. The hiring of local people to operate the schools and hospitals is also imperative to ensure the functionality and continuation of growth in the health and education sectors. The overall purpose of beginning with the development of basic essentials within Afghanistan will strengthen the society providing equal opportunity for all members of the community. The biggest struggle faced is the opposing forces of the Taliban. A task force is needed to gain control over the million dollar opium traffic coming out of Afghanistan which is the source of income to the Taliban. Public hearings need to be held to deal with those who are suspected of illegal trade. In order to create reassurance amongst the people, that no secret operations are being held by the military and government. Concentration should then be made on international trading. Allowing independent companies to invest into Afghanistan’s resources and strengthening their trade economy. This would significantly turn around the structure of the country from being dependent on international government funding, to independently own funding. To help win local support the focus should remain consistent on the development of the local economy through mining and agriculture. The identity and culture of the Afghan people must be respected during the “rebuilding” process. Most strategies so far have failed because opposing forces believe the international aid is there to place “westernized” ideals on the population. Meetings between religious leaders and government agencies need to be held in order to address these issues. Changes in non-functioning systems need to be made, and replaced by the implementation of the local belief. These are not changes that can take place over-night. This must be viewed as a long term commitment one that the military alone is not equipped to deal with. Local agencies that are trained to deal with issues revolving around diplomacy, humanitarian and development should be implanted within the structure. Focusing more on the people’s needs and concerns will help gain the trust of the community. This in turn will help to diminish civil war, creating peace amongst the people, leaving room for national stability and growth. Continuously applying joint efforts between the government and its people will assist in the achievement of the common goal of having a stable local economy. In order for the system to progress, administrators need to change their focus from what needs to be built, to developing what already exists. This concept combined with the use of skills of the local people is the only way that efforts in Afghanistan will be victorious. By teaching and implementing strategies that will help to secure the society with basic necessities and adequate income to support their families. Only then will Afghanistan be successful in establishing a common national identity along with overall peace from within and outside the country. Sources: Andy Tamas, Warriors and Nation Builders. 2009 Gertrud Newrith, Afghanistan: Acultural profile. 1998 Sharifah Enayat Ali, Cultures of the World, Afghanistan. Susa Whitfield, National Geographics, Afghanistan. Michael Ignatieff, Empire Lite. 2003 Kenneth Katzman, Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security and U.S. Policy. 2011 Read More