Was the NATO Afghan mission a failure? An urgent evaluation by NATO is needed

Preview

PDF, English Download (176kB) | Terms of use Download (176kB)

Abstract

Many commentators in recent days argued that the NATO retreat from Afghanistan represented a failure of Western interventions around the world and even the end of NATO – or at least the need for a European autonomy from the US. However, it is perhaps too early for such conclusions. What NATO perhaps needs most is an urgent evaluation of its Afghan mission followed by appropriate measures – that is, if it wants to remain what it has always been: a political-military alliance among free states. NATO blamed mostly Afghan leaders for the military collapse. Actually, the Taliban didn’t win a war against NATO, or against the US for that matter. They simply decided to take power by force as soon as the US and NATO retreated (and this instead of respecting the Doha accords). The Taliban preferred military conquest to negotiations with the Afghan government as soon as Western troops left the country – and the Afghan government decided to give up resistance to the Taliban insurgency so as to avoid a civil war. But to place responsibility in Afghan leadership alone is not enough. Was the NATO mission based on training, advice and assistance for Afghan security forces and institutions in their conflict with the Taliban a failure? This is what NATO now must ask itself. […]