Afghan
troops at a ceremony to take over control of security
in
the town of Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province, July 20.
Outlook
Afghanistan, Afghanistan
U.S. and NATO Prepare to 'Abandon' Afghanistan to its Fate
"Incompetent
state institutions, inexperienced elites, growing insecurity and external
intrusion are all issues that beg for a complete reversal of the decision to
hand security over to Afghan forces. ... this premature withdrawal will lead to a decline in international assistance and global attention for Afghanistan."
U.S. Marines beneath portraits of Afghan historical figures during a handover ceremony in the town of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, July 20. As the American withdrawal nears, Afghan allies of the U.S. are getting increasingly jittlery.
The country is headed into
the unknown and things may get far graver than anyone anticipated. Widespread
calls for a withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, declining aid and lost
opportunities have put the nation's future at stake. Incompetent state
institutions, inexperienced elites, ever-growing insecurity and external
intrusion are all issues that beg for a complete reversal of the decision to
hand security over to Afghan forces.
The deliberate killing of senior
government officials just as the drawdown began exposed the hard fact that the
country will either fall into a chaotic era or the wrong hands if international
forces leave the country prematurely.
Despite frequent politically
expedient and promising announcements about post-withdrawal Afghanistan, military
experts and Afghan security officials warn of the probable consequences of a
hasty exit. Recent assassinations and political instability have caused great public
shock.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
The situation has provoked
concern in neighboring countries, where there is little confidence that
Afghanistan is capable of assuming the nation's security in the absence of strong
external involvement. In an obvious expression of concern, India has appealed
to the United States to remain involved in Afghanistan.
As of now, countries that
contribute the majority of troops, the United States, Canada, Britain and
France, have set fast-impending deadlines for pulling out their forces.
In truth, the reasons for pulling
out are the appalling realities of war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, impatient
publics in NATO countries, the rising death toll and economic pain. In public, people
are feigning optimism. They reiterate that NATO and coalition forces have handled
the job appropriately and it is high time to surrender responsibility to the Afghan
government.
Attempting to make a
distinction between the withdrawal of NATO forces by 2014 and the Soviet
retreat in 1989, NATO officials like to argue that in abandoning Afghanistan, they
have left the necessary means for Afghans to pick up where they are leaving off.
While it's true that Afghan
forces will ultimately have to deal with the problem, present circumstances suggest
that this premature withdrawal will lead to a decline in international assistance
and global attention for Afghanistan.
