NATO secretary-general Anders Fog Rasmussen has denied reports that a decision has been taken on the future size of domestic and foreign troops in Afghanistan. Reactions in Afghanistan are surprising.
NATO secretary-general Anders Fog Rasmussen has denied reports that a decision has been taken on the future size of domestic and foreign troops in Afghanistan. Reactions in Afghanistan are surprising.Retired General Atiqullah Amarkhail insists the lack of clarity on the military situation after the withdrawal of foreign combat troops in 2014 is damaging both economically and politically.
“Insecurity has caused a rise in prices, anarchy and crime,” he says.
He believes any signs of weakness in the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) particularly in troop strength of the Afghan National Army (ANA), will be viewed as an invitation for Afghanistan’s neighbours and armed opponents to interfere and increase instability in the country.
There are two issues under consideration: the quality of troops and their numbers.
Another retired GeneralNoorulhaq Olumi believes the international community has a commitment to provide Afghan forces with arms to defend the country against both internal and external dangers. The training and equipping of security forces is important, he reiterates. “The international community should support a democratic, strong and sound regime in Afghanistan for the stability of the world,” he says. “A regime that stands by transparent votes and the trust of the people to remain stable,” he adds.
In Olumi’s opinion people have to be able to trust the political establishment and see it is doing its utmost to ensure security and stability. Soldiers along cannot ensure security in the country, he thinks.
There has been a growing, quiet confidence among Kabul residents about the capabilities of Afghan security.
Motivated force
ZakiSaidkhanifrom Kabul says, “The interception and shooting of a suicide attacker (Feb 23)who had on him the bombs that he was going to use to attack a governmental office show that the bold and brave soldiers of the country are motivated and have the ability to defend the country.”Police say the solitary bomber was targeting the National Directorate of Security headquarters in Sherpor. The man was shot dead, and the explosives were defused.
Aqela who lives in Kabul is also very impressed by the police’s successful foiling of the suicide attack. “It shows the police can arrest suicide attackers on time,” she says.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has expressed satisfaction that NATO will keep its commitments to Afghanistan. NATO defence ministers held a two-day meeting in Brussels last week.
General Dawlat Waziri, deputy defence minister,said the international community was committed to provide comprehensive assistance to Afghan security forces at the Chicago conference of NATO in May last year.
According to General Waziri, the ANSF should be at least 352,000 strong to be able to provide “necessary protection for the national sovereignty of Afghanistan”.
The general claimed President Hamid Karzai has made a similar request on his last visit to Washington.
NATO civilian spokesperson Dominic Medleytold the press the mission was committed to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces after 2014. “Afghanistan can be sure that NATO support would continue after 2014 when the process of transferring security to Afghan forces will end,” he said.
He said NATO chief Rasmussen was aware that the Afghan transfer process has had challenges and also successes in the last two years. Afghan forces who began with having to provide security cover to Kabul now have to police areas that 87 percent of the country’s people live in. By year-end, the ANSF will be leading security operations across the country.
NATO may end up keeping a small force of “8,000-12,000 troops in Afghanistan”, Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters in Brussels.
