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An Honest Transfer or ‘The Devil May Care’?

‘Transfer of Security Responsibility’ is one of the latest buzzwords in Afghanistan. It is part of the NATO strategy also sometimes described as ‘Afghanisation’. But, maybe, the latter resounds too closely with the term ‘Vietnamisation’. So, it is more probable that we will have to get used to yet another acronym: TSR. The ‘TSR’ concept […]

12 May 2010 Thomas Ruttig • War and Peace

PEACE JIRGA BLOG 2: Peace Jirga goes to Washington: whose opinions count on reconciling Taliban?

‘Peace Jirga goes to Washington,’ was the headline in Payam-e Mujahid newspaper this week. The headline sums up how politics have been on hold in Afghanistan since President Karzai was invited to Washington and also, very succinctly, where the power of decision-making in Afghanistan lies. By Kate Clark, currently engaged as Senior Analyst with AAN. […]

10 May 2010 Kate Clark • War and Peace

5 May 2010: New Publication ‘Nation-Building Is Not for All’

In this latest AAN report Afghanistan scholar Antonio Giustozzi explores the deeply political and contentious history of education in Afghanistan. The report discusses the development of state education over the last 90 years in the context of nation-building, and touches on a series of crucial issues, including the role of religion; the priority of government […]

5 May 2010 AAN • admin • Events

Nation-Building Is Not for All; The Politics of Education

In this AAN report Afghanistan scholar Antonio Giustozzi explores the deeply political and contentious history of education in Afghanistan. The report discusses the development of state education over the last 90 years in the context of nation-building, and touches on a series of crucial issues, including the role of religion; the priority of government concerns […]

5 May 2010 Antonio Giustozzi • Special Reports

22 April 2010: New Publication ‘Golden Surrender?’

The reintegration of former fighters is one of the main pillars in the unfolding counterinsurgency strategy. It is however more complex and difficult to accomplish than is commonly appreciated. In this discussion paper Matt Waldman (fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University) explores the obstacles to a successful reintegration programme. […]

23 Apr 2010 AAN • admin • Events

Golden Surrender: The Risks, Challenges, and Implications of Reintegration in Afghanistan

The reintegration of former fighters is one of the main pillars in the unfolding counterinsurgency strategy. It is however more complex and difficult to accomplish than is commonly appreciated. In this paper Matt Waldman (fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University) explores the obstacles to a successful reintegration programme. These […]

22 Apr 2010 Matt Waldman • Special Reports

Counterinsurgency in Kandahar: what happened to the fence?

A short visit to Kandahar, as it has been a while. In the afternoon there is a donkey cart bomb several blocks away. It kills three children, destroys a police post and rattles the office I am visiting. The blast of moving air tells the body something about vulnerability that it had forgotten. In the […]

22 Apr 2010 Martine van Bijlert • War and Peace

Getting ready for the next election: the IEC pushes ahead

The country is gearing up for the next election. Local notables and the ambitious young are consulting and assessing the support they can muster. The Wolesi Jirga is still protesting the adoption of the new electoral decree, but nobody seems to be listening and the candidate registration process, which starts within a few days, will […]

17 Apr 2010 Martine van Bijlert • Political Landscape

15 April: New Publication: Two Interventions: Comparing Soviet and US-led state-building in Afghanistan

This thematic report compares the current US-led intervention and the Soviet state-building intervention that took place between 1979 and 1989. It focuses on three sectors of state-building: the security sector, fiscal policy, and state legitimation, and explores how issues of ownership and sequencing have influenced the outcomes of both state-building efforts. The paper describes how […]

15 Apr 2010 AAN • admin • Events

Two Interventions: Comparing Soviet and US-led state-building in Afghanistan

Although there is a broad consensus that building a capable and legitimate state is key to success in Afghanistan, there has been little systematic comparison between the current US-led intervention and the Soviet state-building intervention that took place between 1979 and 1989. This paper aims to remedy that by analysing the trajectories of both interventions. […]

15 Apr 2010 Martin Kipping • Special Reports