The failure of the Afghan government and their international partners to provide law, order and justice to ordinary Afghans since 2001 is at the heart of the current crisis in Afghanistan. The current climate of insecurity owes less to the strength of the insurgency than to the weakness of the government. Yet ultimately, the legitimacy and capacity of the Afghan government will be the foundation of our success there. As the new White House strategy on Afghanistan makes clear, the only way out of Afghanistan is through a legitimate, stable and minimally capable Afghan government. …
There are three priority areas that we need to focus on to begin to transform the situation. First, we must get serious about giving the Afghans the tools to address their law and order crisis. From police to courts, prosecutors and prisons the basis of a coherent justice system should be built, focusing on key population centers. Second, we must link the effort to build a state justice system with the non-state system that predominates throughout Afghanistan. … Third, we must tackle the culture of impunity in Afghanistan that is losing hearts and minds and corroding nascent institutions. Access the full article>>
