Security in Afghanistan the Key First Ingredient to Building Peace in a Failed State

<p>Operations in Afghanistan began less than 1-month after the horrific events of 11 September 2001. Although Operation Enduring Freedom enjoys the support of over 40 coalition partners the eyes of the world remain focused on the U.S.' ability to effect real change in Afghanistan. For this reason the United States' reputation as a reliable dependable and competent agent of democratic change rests with the future success of Afghanistan. If the United States is willing to break nations like they have in Afghanistan the US must be equally willing to rebuild these broken nations. To say that the US doesn't do nation building would be inaccurate. However many argue that the U.S. doesn't do nation building very well. In order to re-focus political attention on improving peace building capabilities across all four instruments of national power (diplomatic information military and economic) twenty-five members of Congress led by Democratic Lynn Woolsey and Republicans James Leach and Todd Russell--wrote a letter to Army Secretary Thomas White. The letter explained as our ongoing war in Afghanistan demonstrates international issues today require civil-military partnerships as never before. Whether it is called peacekeeping public security or nation-building the fact is that our success in Afghanistan will depend in part on building social and political stability over the long-term.1 This research paper will dissect the nuances of building security in Afghanistan and will answer the question of why peace operations like Afghanistan are so difficult.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>