Insurgency and counter-insurgency in Afghanistan and the role of Pakistan

Abstract

Afghans weary of the Taliban's harsh rule were a major factor in the overthrow of the Taliban government 2001. Since then four factors have resulted in the resurgence of their ability to instigate a viable insurgency, namely the Iraq war which drew the United States' attention away from the Afghanistan; the cross-border bases which the Taliban were afforded in Pakistan; poor governance and widespread corruption on the part of the Afghan government; and an ongoing poor economy and lack of work opportunities. The Taliban insurgency in Pakistan is of utmost importance to the United States and the international community because Pakistan is a nuclear state. The United States can shift more troops to Afghanistan as they are phased out in Iraq, but Pakistan's insurgency could gain priority at the expense of Afghanistan as happened before. The United States president regards the Afghan war as of vital importance in opposing international terrorism. The safe haven used by the Taliban in Pakistan must be brought under Pakistani military control, and the power of the Taliban in the Pakistani-Afghan border areas must be curtailed, if the Afghan war is to be brought to a successful conclusion.