A human security approach in Afghanistan: can the Euro-American community benefit?

The concept of “human security” revolves around bettering overall conditions – not just security but economic conditions – for people in a crisis or post-conflict area. It demands, therefore, the setting of different priorities as regards more traditional concepts of national security, state building and nation building. In the specific case of Afghanistan, the problem of identifying priorities is complicated by the fight against terrorist cells – a battle that took front stage during the early phase of operations, led by the Americans, and which is still considered crucial by those countries involved in the Afghanistan conflict.
Since 2002, we have learned that the best results against armed groups – often organized along the lines of guerrilla warfare – are generally had by protecting and supporting local populations, even in small remote villages. Firepower must be used sparingly, to avoid civilian casualties. The delicate debates ongoing in NATO testify to the difficulty in striking the right balance.
Kabul’s weak government does not help. The current government does not have control over vast regions and enjoys limited support from its people – a crucial element if faith in political authority is to be developed. While it is generally recognized that “Afghanization” is called for – providing local legitimacy in the fight against armed groups – the government currently has few tools with which to work and its institutions suffer from easy infiltration and corruption.
As for social and cultural factors, the clearest dilemma for the international forces in Afghanistan lies in the difficulties inherent in creating a modern legal system, on the one hand, and respecting strong local traditions, on the other. Another problem is that anti-liberal forces often use religious beliefs as a means to their own ends.
On the economic side, the most urgent question remains that of defeating the narcotraffic, an aspect of the Afghan economy closely linked with difficulties in improving standards of living, the health system and primary education levels.
The regional context is also bound to heavily influence the outcome in Afghanistan: from Central Asia to Iran, from India to Russia, many international players have intense (and often contrasting) interests in the country. Pakistan currently wields particular influence: the country could well become the pin on which the entire region revolves, and it is suffering from serious instability itself.
The participants at this workshop suggested a series of proposals to rationalize international intervention in Afghanistan at all levels, especially given the ongoing coordination issues, both within NATO and among the diverse organizations at work in the country. The greatest need at this time is that of fixing past errors and adopting a pragmatic approach for the future: in a word, realism, within a general consensus over the importance of human security.