Top UN envoy calls for 'demilitarized' international approach in Afghanistan

[bigtree]

3 January 2010 – The international community must demilitarize its overall approach in Afghanistan to ensure sustainable gains in the political and humanitarian realms, the outgoing top United Nations envoy to the South Asian nations said today.

“We have to get into a mode where our strategy is politically driven and not militarily driven, where the political and civilian components become an appendix to a military strategy,” Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, said in the capital, Kabul.

“I am deeply skeptical of a situation where we have an increase of military forces and that increase of military forces engages in political, civilian and humanitarian issues,” Mr. Eide said, stressing that an increased number of forces means that they try to demonstrate “quick results.”

But, he emphasized, “quick impact very often becomes quick collapse.”

Afghanistan's Government must initiate a peace process based on compromise as swiftly as possible, the envoy said, adding that participation by insurgents will increase the prospect of gradual troop withdrawals.


read: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33395&Cr=afghan&Cr1=

[StarfarerBill]

1. An internationalist voice of reason. K&R

Thanks for posting this, Bigtree.

[Don Caballero]

2. I am on Team Richard Holbrooke

We should listen to his analysis when it comes to Af/Pak.

[bigtree]

3. Holbrooke is a professional

. . . with an informed pov on regional issues. He's fully engaged in promoting administration policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The jury is still out on the efficacy and wisdom behind the president's strategy he's representing, however.

[blm]

5. Holbrooke and Clinton sided with McChrystal and Gates push to INCREASE military presence there.

Biden and Kerry were advising Obama to decrease use of military and increase humanitarian aid community by community, especially in the areas of jobs, education and healthcare.

Biden and especially Kerry know that region WAY BETTER than anyone else at the table.

Holbrooke has his strong qualities, but, having a full grasp of that region and its needs is not one of them. Obama should never have tapped hawks like Clinton and Holbrooke for such sensitive jobs.

[gratuitous]

4. Demilitarized? Blasphemy!

The acolytes will be along shortly to explain.

[Kermitt Gribble]

6. Just another hater.

When has this guy ever posted anything on DU in praise of Obama?? I doubt he ever supported him...

:sarcasm:

[Odin2005]

7. I agree with him.

The trick is to strip as many tribal Pashtuns away from the Taliban's grip as much as possible and used out special forces to take care of the rest.

[BeFree]

8. Peacemaker?

Not a warmonger?

I like it. Where do I sign on?

[bigtree]

9. .