Reconciliation and COIN in Afghanistan

[Steve the Planner]

From Jedburgh's post:

"Mujahid discusses the possibility of reconciling today's Taliban insurgents through a traditional Afghan Loya Jirga -- a grand assembly of elders..... "

Until we hear something on that front, the top will continue to spin.

How do you implement peace, and post-conflict stabilization/reconstruction until the majority parties reach an agreement?

Steve

[Jedburgh]

CSRC, 19 Jan 09: Negotiating with the Taliban: Towards a Solution for the Afghan Conflict

This paper discusses the debate on reconciliation and negotiations with the Taliban, its future prospects and the role of the United Nations within it. It provides an outline of the current conflict as well as a discussion of the role of the UN and ISAF within it, from both a political and a legal perspective. We argue that the very fact the conflict in its various phases has been going on for so long offers opportunities for reconciliation. The bulk of the paper is inevitably dedicated to analysing the position of the different actors vis-à-vis negotiations. We deal with both pro-Afghan government and anti-government players, as well as with international actors. We review in detail past initiatives aimed towards reconciliation and explain why they did not succeed. In our conclusion we highlight some possible future steps to be taken.

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to Zenpundit and from Col. Joseph Collins, in AFJ:

(Last paragraph) Political reconciliation, first with individual fighters and then with the Taliban factions, will be difficult but not impossible. It represents a potential way to end the 32 years of war that have beset this land. It will require great Western political, military and economic efforts during the reconciliation period and close attention to U.S.-Afghan relations in the long-term future. The cooperation of regional partners, especially Pakistan, will be critical. This process is likely to take years, but it carries with it the promise of the first peace in Afghanistan in three decades. It will be risky, but it is a chance we should take.

Link:http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2010/03/4491210