Years of violent conflicts, those between warring Afghan factions, the superpowers of Cold War Russia and now the United States and its allies, have left the rebuilding of Afghanistan in political and economic limbo. Many of the physical and social infrastructures are debilitated, the economy barely functions, the population's health and nutritional status is among the lowest anywhere, and internal security is lacking. Also, Afghanistan poses a potential threat to richer countries as an exporter of drugs and terrorism. This combination of factors makes the engagement in Afghanistan a particularly fragile one. In this paper, the following points will be expounded upon: theoretical approach, in regards to international relations; an assessment of the security situation in Afghanistan and an effective approach to combat the threats; how a struggling economy can be helped that is plagued with corruption; key components of identity for this nation, ethnicity, religion and women; and finally, some recommendations on how to get this nation back on track.

There must be an investment in Afghan-led development and peacebuilding. Billions of dollars are poured into reconstruction and development in Afghanistan but have shown few results and often contributed to corruption and conflict. I remember procuring aircrafts and setting up missions to pickup pallets full of medical supplies, but days later, I tried to coordinate with my Afghani counterparts to see how their inventories of the delivered supplies are only to find out that their superiors have picked up the supplies and most times, the supplies aren’t seen again. Lack of donor coordination, large infrastructure projects, foreign contracting and labor, militarized assistance and development projects driven by a counterinsurgency effort rather than true development needs are all factors fueling the problem. Not to mention the agricultural problems like Afghan farmers feeling forced to cooperate with criminal/terrorist organizations because of the economic instability in their nation. This creates a problem because according to the U.N. website, the opium crops they grow and export is 90% of the world’s opium and estimated to be $2.4 billion. (United Nations, 2012) So some questions arises, how can the U.S. and coalition forces defeat armed insurgent/terrorist groups in Afghanistan? How can we provide alternate means of livelihood for Afghan poppy growers in order to reduce production? How can Afghans be persuaded to embrace religious beliefs that are not tied to violent extremist organizations? The theoretical approach I will take in this paper is from the realist point of view. As stated in the text, “Realists tend to hold pessimistic views on the likelihood of the transformation of the current world into a more peaceful one, emphasizing the struggle for power among political units each acting in a rational, unitary manner to advance their interests.” (Viotti & Kauppi, 2009) Also with all the struggles that our foreign policy has endured in Afghanistan, I believe our government has to take a realist approach in which their primary concern is stability, but in terms of domestic politics, its the ways and means of gaining and staying in power. (Viotti & Kauppi, 2009) Once America realized the Taliban would not cooperate with American authorities in handing over Osama bin Laden, American leaders realized they were dealing with an enemy of absolutes. Negotiations were going nowhere; sanctions were useless in this situation, so the only other option was use of military force to take out the Taliban and all other terrorist willing to stand in the way of bringing those responsible for the events of 9/11 to justice. (Aljoofy, 2009)

I believe if there had been a realist approach from the onset of the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan things may have been a little different to this day. They would have most likely launched a focused effort to destroy al Qaeda. Realists backed the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and a realist approach to the post-9/11 threat environment would have focused laser-like on al Qaeda and other terrorist groups that were a direct threat to the United States. But realists would have treated them like criminals rather than as "enemy combatants" and would not have identified all terrorist groups as enemies of the United States.

In regards to the security situation in Afghanistan, recent incidents illustrate the complexity of the situation in this volatile region, but have not changed the international community’s strategic approach. Afghanistan has become, in a sense, more tense in recent months following a series of incidents, including the burning of Korans on an American military base and the killing of 16 civilians in Kandahar by an American soldier. In the long-term approach, Afghan leadership and ownership are still central. I know firsthand from being deployed twice to this country that when the weather gets warmer, the insurgency starts to spike. With that being said, the NATO’s ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) would begin to swell in numbers during the spring/summertime in order to secure the various allied interests.

Security in this region is a must before the economy can be stabilized and prosperity can begin. According to a transcript by NATO’s senior civilian representative, he outlines how bad the situation is in many aspects of Afghani life and why security is vital to stabilizing this country. He states: Governance had flat-lined. Improvements in the economic and security ministries and some provinces were offset by endemic corruption, abuse of power by tribal warlords, and parallel governance by the international community, with 80% of our resources spent out with Afghan government systems and procurement practices which empower the empowered thus worsening the exclusion of the excluded. Last year's presidential election, in which neither the Afghans nor the international community distinguished ourselves, left a legacy of mistrust, which President Karzai's visit to Washington should finally put to rest. (NATO, 2010)
As diplomats, we must also acknowledge the importance of transferring responsibility for security and stability to the Afghan government. After 11 years from U.S. troops initially entering Afghanistan, an almost full-strength Afghan government is now in office. This government must now prioritize existing agreements on good governance, the rule of law and the fight against corruption and promote community peacebuilding. I believe if a new approach is needed towards establishing security based on this civilian rule of law rather than military force. If this happens, Afghanistan will have a stable future if people see that the government can maintain public order and respect human rights. Only then can a transfer be successful. A stable Afghanistan is in the best interests of America and its allies.
Even after years of war that ruined the public infrastructure, Afghanistan is making strides in the midst of a strong recovery. The United States along with its allies are working with the Government of Afghanistan to design and implement sound economic policies that are sustainable, transparent and predictable. Organizations like USAID aims to strengthen economic policies affecting the public sector through building the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank’s capacity and establishing an environment that enables the private sector to expand and produce jobs and income. (USAID, 2012)

Like stated earlier, the initial need for a security force will bring forth a stronger economic bearing. But stability in Afghanistan and the region cannot be achieved by military means alone. We need a political and economic approach that stabilizes Afghanistan and deals with the drug trade and massive corruption there. Only then, can a draw-down of force start once the Afghan government start to show a strong, steady economic upturn.
If the hearts and minds can be won from one village to the next, this would enable Afghans to commit to the success of their own communities. In areas like Khandahar, the once primary stronghold for the Taliban, efforts are being made to develop and/or reconstruct communities. The principle behind efforts like this is two-fold:
- Helping the Afghans develop and implement their own solutions, and
- Delivering visible and effective results to the people where they live
Other areas that can boost the Afghan economy are creating jobs for local Afghans, rebuilding roads that lead to clinics and markets, targeting small- and medium-sized businesses in hopes to gain capital, supporting the transfer of clear, marketable ownership title to

Afghan citizens in a manner that is efficient and effective, and reform the Central Bank in Afghanistan, and lastly rebuild communication networks to unite isolated villages.
Afghan identity can be broken down into two different components. These differences can be between the various ethnic groups and differences between religious doctrine. What may seem insignificant to some Westerners, the sense of belonging to one of the various ethnic groups is a big deal to Afghans. According to the Library of Congress, “the main ethnic groups are Pashtun, 42 percent; Tajik, 27 percent; Hazara, 9 percent; Uzbek, 9 percent; Aimak (a Persian-speaking nomadic group), 4 percent; Turkmen, 3 percent; and Baloch, 2 percent.” (Library of Congress, 2008)

As far as religion, just about all the Afghan population is virtually united in Islam. The differences therein, stated by the Library of Congress, are that 80-85% of the population is Sunni Muslims and 15-19% is Shia Muslim. There are few small pockets of Hindus and Sikhs that live in urban centers. The Jewish population that numbered 5,000 left the country by the year 2000. (Library of Congress, 2008) Unfortunately, the Shia are the minority group and is usually on the receiving end of discrimination while also being economically disadvantaged. There are many similarities between Sunni and Shia Muslims like praying and fasting, but there are also a few differences like:
- Shia Muslims believe that the legitimate leadership inheritance belonged only to the bloodline of the prophet;
- Sunni Muslims follow the Sunnah or Hadith, which is the practice of following the traditions of Prophet narrated by the Prophet’s companions;
- Shia Muslims lead mourning processions in the memory of martyr Imam Hussain and mourn for a period of ten days in the Islamic month of Moharum;
- Sunni and Shia populations exist all over the world whereas Shia Muslims are more significantly found in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain etc. (Shia vs Sunni) Another identity struggle in Afghanistan that has been in the media is the plight of the Afghan woman. It wasn’t until the 2001 fall of the Taliban and their oppressive methods that Afghan women were able to attend school, gain employment and have more civil liberties common to the rest of the world. Because of these new-found freedoms, as reported by the BBC, they have been the target of a recent attack allegedly by the Taliban where about 50 schoolgirls are suspected to have been poisoned in the Afghan province of Takhar. (BBC, 2012) Also, the Afghan education ministry reported that places where the Taliban had strongholds, more than 500 schools had been closed. The latest NATO conferences in Chicago brought up good points about the human rights but there were questions that were raised by Afghan women activists. A major concern, reported by Voices of America, was that “Afghan activists say they fear gains made in women's rights since the fall of the Taliban will be erased after foreign troops leave the war-torn country.” (Pande, 2012) So this is the big question for Afghan society, will things revert back to the way they were before international forces arrived in 2001? And since the announcement has been made by our administration that forces should be withdrawn by 2014, will the Taliban and other criminal elements rise again? It will be up to U.S. President Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai to ensure the safety of women after the withdrawal and with groups like Amnesty International, the situation could be monitored and reported. So what are some of the recommendations needed to change policy in Afghanistan? First and foremost, this administration needs to find a way to decrease anti-U.S. sentiment. This could be done by possibly ending aerial bombings, house raids, and other tactics in which could possibly put civilians in harms way. Next, there should be a clarification of U.S. goals. Realizing that some strategies may need to maintain some since of fluidity, the current administration should always maintain an end objective and stick with the plan. As with any civilized country, diplomacy should be exercised to the fullest extent.
As the U.S. continues to lead with military force, the current administration should utilize the Special Envoy Representative for Afghanistan, Marc Grossman, for engaging with regional neighbors and NATO on the broadest range of issues that could lead to greater cooperation on addressing ongoing conflicts, strengthening civilian rule of law, and promoting economic development. (U.S. Department of State) The U.S. should lead an effort with other international partners to better coordinate aid, with a focus on strengthening Afghan civil society and reducing the foreign footprint on development and reconstruction. Afghanistan’s UN mission should be empowered to lead the coordination of reconstruction and recovery aid in Afghanistan. The focus of assistance should be on supporting Afghanistan’s National Development Plan through Afghan-led design, development, and implementation of projects as much as possible. Local or regional materials and labor should be employed.

References
Aljoofy, A. A. (2009). Terrorism and the war on Afghanistan. Retrieved May 30, 2012, from pol.illinoisstate.edu/current/conferences/2009/Aljoofy_1978.doc
BBC. (2012, May 29). Afghan officials probe 'new poisoning attack' on schoolgirls. Retrieved June 1, 2012, from BBC News Asia: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18251142
Library of Congress. (2008, August). Country profile: Afghanistan. Retrieved June 1, 2012, from Library of Congress – Federal Research Division: http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Afghanistan.pdf
NATO. (2010). Transcript: NATO Senior Civilian Representative Discusses Approach in Afghanistan. Retrieved May 30, 2012, from Afghanistan: International Security Assistance Force: http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/transcripts/transcript-nato-senior-civilian-representative-discusses-approach-in-afghanistan.html
Pande, A. (2012, May 20). Activists Urge NATO to Protect Afghan Women's Rights. Retrieved June 1, 2012, from Voices of America: http://www.voanews.com/content/activists-urge-nato-to-protect-afghan-womens-rights/727483.html
Shia vs Sunni. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2012, from Diffen.com: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Shia_vs_Sunni
U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from U.S. Department of State: http://www.state.gov/s/special_rep_afghanistan_pakistan/index.htm
United Nations. (2012). Drug trafficking. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-trafficking/index.html
USAID. (2012, February 12). Afghanistan. Retrieved June 1, 2012, from USAID.gov: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia/countries/afghanistan/
Viotti, P. R., & Kauppi, M. V. (2009). International relations and world politics: Security, economy, identity (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.