Afghanistan: Reinforcement of the NATO forces useless without a widening of the mandate

The sending of more troops alone is in the opinion of the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) of no use to Afghanistan. "The mandate of the peace-keeping force must be widened and a clear time plan put forward for the peace process in Afghanistan” demanded the GfbV Asia expert Ulrich Delius in Göttingen on Thursday following the announcement of the NATO General Secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on the sending of 10,000 additional soldiers.

The arbitrary rule of the warlords, who today represent a greater security problem than the Taliban, must no longer be strengthened by international peacekeeping forces, said Delius. Four years after the beginning of the US intervention Afghanistan is still far removed from the stability, peace and democracy, which was then promised. On 7th October 2001 the US American and British forces had carried out air raids on positions of the Taliban in Afghanistan, who were accused of actively supporting the El Kaida terror network. The bombing precipitated the fall of the Taliban, who retreated from the capital before the advancing troops of the opposing Northern Alliance.

Instead of just sending more troops to Afghanistan without any planning it is now time to take stock of the situation. "The mere fact of maintaining presence in Afghanistan solves none of the great security problems of the country” warned Delius. The recent strengthening of the local warlords in the parliamentary elections is alarming. The peacekeeping forces can no longer ignore the strengthening of the warlords, but must come together to discuss ways of reducing their influence and securing authority for the government in Kabul throughout the country.