TOP INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS COMMENT ON AFGHANISTAN'S SECURITY CHALLENGES
3/14/02

EurasiaNet contributor Ahmed Rashid interviewed the UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi, and Major General Sir John McColl, the head of the International Security Assistance Force. Brahimi and McColl are the two most senior and critical foreign officials dealing with the sensitive issues of an expansion of the International Security Assistance Force, the creation of a new Afghan army and the political security situation. The text of their comments on Afghanistan's security challenges follows:

Lakhdar Brahimi, The UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan:

For a country so devastated, the first reconstruction project has to be in the security sector. … Alongside the foreign troops deployment you need a good, integrated development and employment program to help in the demobilization of Afghan troops.

The peace process stands on two feet: one is that people are fed up with the war, the other is that the international community has to translate its commitment into concrete actions such as providing security. At the moment, the peace process is crippled because it stands on only one foot.

In the Bonn agreement it was said that Afghans were to be responsible for the security of their country. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. That is the only alternative in the long term, and doable - but only if the West helps the Afghans build a national security force. Afghans can form their security forces in a short time. ISAF thinks it will take two years, but I think it can be done in one year if resources are committed to this by the international community.

Now we see that the pace of the peace process has been so fast that the Afghans are saying we need help and time to sort many things among ourselves and we need the presence of ISAF forces around the country to do that. ISAF has worked extremely well with the interim government and local authorities in Kabul, and this has clearly helped to create a more stable situation in the entire country. ISAF has been tremendously well received by the population, and even the unfortunate shooting incidents have not affected people's attitudes.

Major Gen. Sir John McColl, commanding officer International Security Assistance Force (ISAF):

We have begun training a battalion of Afghan soldiers for the new Afghan army. We have enlisted 600 men, a balanced multi-ethnic force from all regions in what will be a pilot project to demonstrate to the Afghans and the international community how a new national army can be built. … It would be more difficult to control the selection process for a new army without a significant presence on the ground of ISAF forces.

We are also looking at the arrival of former King Zahir Shah. His security is the responsibility of the Afghan interim government, but we are here to support them with advice and checking out facilities in town, but we are not involved with his security outside Kabul.

The mission has been very enjoyable and productive so far. Naturally there have been moments of wild optimism and deep frustration, but it's a real privilege to be a part of this. It has been hugely rewarding mission and we all feel we are making a difference.

Editor's Note: Ahmed Rashid is a journalist and author of the books "Taliban: Militant Islam and Fundamentalism in Central Asia" and "Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia."

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Posted March 14, 2002 © Eurasianet
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