Afghanistan: The Long Road Ahead

Plotting attacks against US, NATO and Afghan forces, US enemies in the war on terror continue to make Afghanistan a source of conflict. Unspoken publicly, but increasingly obvious, is that the US presence will be required in Afghanistan for years, probably long after troops leave Iraq, according to Richard Holbrooke, former US ambassador to the UN. Afghanistan’s border areas are particularly problematic, and could be the hiding place for Osama bin Laden. While Afghanis believe the US needs to exert more pressure on Pakistan to purge border areas of terrorists, US ally Pakistan insists that it is doing the best it can in the lawless area and, cooperating with the US, has succeeded in killing or capturing hundreds of terrorists. Another border nation, Iran, drives the economy of Herat, a major city, and provides more stability in the western part of Afghanistan – all part of Iran’s goal to build an extended Shiite region of power. The US and EU focus – without much progress – on removing drugs from Afghanistan, which produces nearly 90 percent of the world’s heroin. The West also hopes to improve the status of Afghan women. At the top levels of society, such as government, women hold some power. The average female citizen, however, continues to face limited education and career opportunities. Many factors converge to complicate Afghanistan’s future, and $4 million allotted by US Congress for the nation’s reconstruction is inadequate, according to Holbrooke, and could lead to resentment for the US. A stable Afghanistan is a long-term investment, and the world would be foolhardy to allow terrorism to gain a foothold in the region again. – YaleGlobal