The policy of the United States against the Afghan crisis

Résumé du document

At the time of writing this dissertation, a native of Dubuque American soldier has died in Afghanistan. This brings the number of soldiers killed to 1747, and the statistics continue to increase. Afghanistan is geographically situated in Asia; it shares the biggest part of its borders with Pakistan (1468 miles), Tajikistan (724 miles) and Iran (562 miles). Most of Afghanistan's current problems are probably because of its geography. Its location between empires with conflicting strategic interests made it a battle ground for proxy wars. Its proximity to the rich resources of Central Asian republics increases its strategic value to various global and regional actors. The sanctuary its government provided to Al Qaeda is the source of its present troubles. In this thesis we shall attempt to study the American policies in the resolution of this Afghan crisis. It is completely understandable that the committed countries do not want to get stuck in the mud in this fight, and to make a new Vietnam of Afghanistan. 71 000 American soldiers are at present enrolled in Afghanistan, and it became an obligation to find adequate solutions not to weigh down the balance sheets already importing deaths on that foreign ground. Furthermore, the public opinion which was widely favorable to the launch of the operation seems increasingly reluctant to the continuation of this war. My work does not claim to be able to find a unique strategy allowing to sort out a complex crisis, but to analyze the former and new civil and military American policies to advance their weaknesses and their strengths. This will lead us inexorably in search of the best solutions to answer the Afghan major stakes. For eight years, the international powers, more particularly that of the Americans, have taken into account the evolutions of the Afghan society and the military Taliban's strategies to adapt itself as well as possible to the transformations and answer the difficulties with suitable means. There is still a long way to go but the Obama government has shown its will to pursue the fight and the reconstruction of the Country, and to make Afghanistan the major target of the American efforts against the international terrorism. The beginning of the progressive withdrawals of military contingents from Iraq towards Afghanistan last year is a blatant example. In this report we are thus going to deal with a current and crucial subject, the concrete problem will be: to what extent can the American policies lead to a resolution of the Afghan crisis?

Extraits

[...] The United States has been known for nearly a century as one of the most powerful military in the world. The evolution of military means in the Obama has to have some material adapted to the war in Afghanistan. However we must know to make a compromise between firepower and information. The examples of Vietnam and Iraq have shown that military power is not necessarily synonymous of total victory. If Obama presidency was the birth of new hope in Afghanistan, the situation remains problematic, worrisome. [...]

[...] Europe also has energy interests in Afghanistan. The country remains the way for one of the largest pipeline which crosses through Georgia to the Black Sea. The pipeline reduces the energetic dependency of Europe on Russia. not give is the motto of all time for the Afghan crisis: "There has been speculation that the United Nations would leave Afghanistan. ( . ) We will not let ourselves be discouraged, we cannot be discouraged and we should not be discouraged, and the work of the UN will continue, "said the secretary general of the UN and Catherine Mbengue, UNICEF representative added," It [the Afghans] will hear the result of efforts made, it must believe in this alternative to violence. [...]

[...] The willingness to privilege other than poppy crops has been a failure. The poppy is the traditional agriculture, and in some provinces, it has even become a bargaining chip. If it withdraws to farmers their only wealth, by offering a production with lower benefits, this is absurd. Develop alternatives to culture also means the gift of fertilizers, irrigation facilities and to train farmers, which has not been done. For a part of the population, the poppy is their only income, and a prerequisite for improving the "well-being" of Afghanistan. [...]

[...] Of course, it remains inconceivable to think violent acts so that the Afghan people join the camp of fighters. But this shows that without a military victory, the road is still long and winding. According to a report by the General Assembly Security Council (published in March 2009) Security has continued to deteriorate. The international and national aid effort is not sufficient, Afghans are still suffering the consequences of drought and the growth of food price. The law is insufficiently institutionalized, and the respect for international humanitarian law, human rights have continued to be abused. [...]

[...] The meeting of political and social factors with the economic-technical component is also a feature. It's during the American Civil War that this fact was noticed for the first time. Specifically, the political, economic, media, public and private spheres are useful in order to manage the war that was once reserved for the military. We remember the battle between Taliban and French media in summer 2008 after the ambush that claimed the lives of nine soldiers from the 8th RPIMA. [...]