September 9, 2011

Afghanistan is headed in the right direction, but questions remain about how to sustain the country’s fledgling security forces and how much capacity there is to establish good governance, according to a U.S. senator who recently traveled to the country.

USIP hosted Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic senator from New Hampshire, on September 8 for a talk on Afghanistan and Pakistan after the senator’s recent trip to the region. Sitting on both the Senate’s Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, Shaheen is “an important voice” in foreign affairs and American policymaking, said USIP’s President Richard Solomon.

Shaheen, who has visited Afghanistan once before, said she was impressed that the military and civilian corps have a clear-eyed perspective of the mission and are focused on 2014, when security responsibility is to be transferred to the Afghans.

“As we have heard consistently over the last several months, there has no doubt been militarily significant but fragile progress on the security front, particularly in the south,” she said, noting the high number of American fatalities in August. “Despite these losses, morale seemed high among the troops we spoke with.”

But while there is a strong sense of purpose among the individuals with whom she spoke, she has several concerns about the years ahead. Chief among them is who will pay to sustain the fledgling Afghan national security forces.

“Retention in the national security forces remains a significant problem, and I remain concerned over the long-term sustainability of these forces, which cost $6 billion to $10 billion dollars a year,” she said. “We need a better understanding of how Afghanistan and the international community will be able to continue to pay this significant cost.”

And she questions whether the country can continue to build its capacity to provide good governance for its people and reduce the corruption that remains a scourge on its reputation.

“Despite massive efforts by the U.S., we have seen too little progress on improving governance and reducing corruption in Afghanistan.” She also said reconciliation and reintegration, both keys to the ultimate end of the conflict, has only been “slowly moving forward.”

Shaheen’s trip included a stop in Islamabad, Pakistan, where she met with the U.S. embassy team along with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, and the Army chief of staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The episode over CIA contractor Ray Davis, the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, and even the cables released by Wikileaks have helped sink the U.S.-Pakistan relationship to “one of its lowest points in recent history,” she said.

The senator also noted that the Pakistanis continue not to be fully cooperative in taking on the Haqqani network – a group closely allied with the Taliban and responsible for so much of the instability inside Afghanistan.

“However, it is important to also recognize that Pakistan itself remains at risk from terrorism. It has already committed significant comb at resources against insurgent threats in the country, including nearly 150,000 troops in the northwest.”

But despite some level of cooperation – a recent raid in which top al-Qaida leaders were arrested - Pakistan needs help, she said - and nudging. “We have to do more to impress upon the Pakistanis that these extremist groups – including the Haqqanis and the Quetta Shura – all represent a threat to Pakistan, and should not be seen as a hedge in Afghanistan.”

While there are many critics of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship on Capitol Hill, Shaheen said it’s important to take the long view. “Unfortunately, we cannot pick and choose our partners in this dangerous territory, and we cannot simply choose to ignore Pakistan,” she said. “Progress in Afghanistan and stability in the region will require a more constructive U.S.-Pakistan relationship.”

Explore Further

• Countries and Continents: Afghanistan
• Countries and Continents: Pakistan
• Progress and Challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan
  USIP Event | September 8, 2011