What role has the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) played in Afghanistan? This article from Third World Quarterly provides an overview of conditions in Afghanistan and discusses the expanding structure and function of ISAF. It argues that the ISAF has made important contributions to stabilisation and reconstruction. Yet it has also suffered shortcomings, arising mainly from tensions between the US and NATO allies. Nonetheless, the ISAF model is worth studying for future international deployments in conflict zones.
Since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, Afghanistan has made notable progress in its transformation towards a democratic future. The ISAF was established in 2001 as an international security and stabilisation force and it operates under the political and military command of NATO.
The ISAF has been instrumental in generating and maintaining security in Kabul to enable Afghanistan’s political and economic reconstruction to move forward. It has:
- Protected and empowered the Karzai government, enabling it to implement the Bonn Agreement and adopt a new constitution for Afghanistan. It also played a key security role in the 2004 general election.
- Supported specific security reform initiatives led by foreign states. These include judicial reforms, supported by Italy; building of the Afghan national army, conducted by the US; and training of police, resourced by Germany.
- Acted as a link between Afghanistan’s transformation and the international community’s contributions; providing a channel for reconstruction aid to Afghanistan through the government, the UN and non-governmental organisations.
Yet the ISAF has also experienced shortcomings, which tend to arise from political decisions rather than military operations.
- It was established with only a limited mandate and resources to operate in Kabul. This left the rest of Afghanistan wide open for takeover by non-state actors, including armed militias and drug barons.
- The US and its NATO allies have differing goals. Washington wants to transform Afghanistan into a long-term focus of American globalist interests in the region. Some powerful European members of NATO have no interest in Afghanistan other than to help it stand on its feet.
- There are command and logistical differences between ISAF and US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. The issue of unified command and operational co-operation has been discussed by the US and its NATO allies.
- Boundaries of operation between the ISAF and NGOs have become blurred. There are many NGOs in Afghanistan, some of which feel that the ISAF has taken over areas for which they are trained and experienced.
Afghanistan’s transition is still in its initial stages. The ISAF and the international community have a long way to go before they can claim success in Afghanistan.
- The long-term continuation of the ISAF will be necessary to ensure Afghanistan’s transformation and to prevent Afghanistan from becoming too dependent on the US.
- The ISAF’s size and operations should be expanded, given Afghanistan’s slow progress in capacity building so far. This requires agreement from NATO member states, co-operation with US-led coalition forces and resolution of tensions with NGOs.
- The ISAF could serve as a good model for future peacekeeping and reconstruction in other places. However, it has developed largely in response to the specifics of the situation in Afghanistan and would require adjustments for other conflict zones.
