Afghanistan Panel Raises Questions about Nation’s Future
Leadership Council for Human Rights
http://leadership-council.blogspot.com/
05/25/2006
The American Foreign Service Association sponsored
an in-depth Afghanistan briefing Friday; panelists included
Middle East Institute scholar Marvin Weinbaum, First Secretary
of the Afghan Embassy Ashraf Haidari, former State Department
Counterterrorism Coordinator William Pope, and current Deputy
Coordinator for Counterterrorism Tom Hastings. AFSA representative
and Minister Counselor Louise Crane spoke about the changing
face of foreign service - she retired from the State Department
following more than three decades of service.
Weinbaum discussed the perception within Afghanistan
that the US is a “fair-weather friend,” abandoning
the country when the Soviets withdrew in 1989. He said that
“the same thing could happen today,” if the US continues
to prioritize Iraq and shifts its focus next to Iran. Weinbaum
added that problems in Afghanistan are compounded by the resurgence
of the Taliban, after its members “moved in, settled in,
and married in” to Pakistan’s border communities
and returned to operating below the radar. Poppy production
is another serious concern for the country - poppy is
still the mainstay of the economy, and eradication programs
effectively take away farmers’ livelihood since poppy
is more lucrative to grow. Subsidy programs will be necessary
to combat poppy production, Weinbaum said. Security remains
the top priority for the country, Weinbaum said, adding that
if Afghanistan doesn’t succeed, “the whole region
is in trouble.” Establishing security is “not only
do-able - we don’t have a choice.”
Haidari spoke of the remarkable bravery and resilience
of the Afghan people but also of the very real fear of losing
people’s support in the South and East of Afghanistan,
where Taliban presence remains strong. “When given the
chance, [Afghan] people do embrace and practice democracy,”
Haidari said. While the people have waited patiently for help,
though, patience has begun to wane. Farmers demand alternatives
to poppy production. Refugees demand reintegration into society.
Land mine victims demand social services. Former combatants
demand jobs. The Afghan government needs $4 Billion a year for
the next five years to provide critical services. Widespread
waste has caused only 10-15 percent of aid to reach the Afghan
people, he said. Haidari said he believes microfinance is the
key to reducing poverty in Afghanistan. If these critical needs
are not met soon, he fears an emerging triangle alliance between
terrorists, traffickers and the people themselves. Haidari also
echoed President Karzai’s statement that terrorists trained
in Pakistan are coming across the porous border into Afghanistan.
Pope and Hastings discussed the ongoing strategies
to root out terrorist networks, including efforts to reduce
the silo effect that hampered government agencies from sharing
intelligence. Hastings remarked that the “war on terror
doesn’t lend itself to a military solution.”
Crane said that the biggest change she saw
during her long tenure at the State Department was the emphasis
on human rights, which began during the Carter presidency.
