Afghanistan needs military and civilian plan: Tanin

Noting that the sole strength of the Taliban is in its brutality, the Afghan Ambassador to the United Nations, Zahir Tanin, told the UN General Assembly that his country needed a military and civilian strategy.

Afghanistan needs a military and civilian strategy that centers on the security of the Afghan people, and offers them real protection from the threats of the Taliban and the unintended consequences of counterterrorist operations, Tanin said in his speech in the General Assembly during a debate on Afghanistan.

“NATOs new strategy is a promising and responsible step in this direction,” the Afghan envoy said.

Tanin told the General Assembly that over the next five years, the new Afghan government will create and maintain two compacts: one with the Afghan people, and one with the international community. Together, these pacts will help forge strong, constructive partnerships and will lead Afghanistan to sustainable progress, he said.

The first international “compact” with Afghanistan was agreed at a conference in London in 2006. That pact called for “good governance” in Afghanistan and other commitments on both sides, many of which remain unfulfilled.

The principal Compact with the Afghan people will be based on a continuing commitment to ensuring the physical and economic security of Afghans, providing good governance and rule of law, and encouraging economic development, he said.

Central to this Compact, he said, is the need for Afghans to take control of their destinies. In an ongoing effort to build capacity and clean the stain of corruption, Afghans should increasingly bear the responsibility for governance, rule of law, and the protection of human rights. In training the army and police, Afghans can take a greater role in ensuring security, law enforcement and leading counter-narcotics efforts.

Observing that the Karzai Government is committed to greater national participation in the political and reconstruction processes, he said: We will continue to welcome any Afghan who is willing to join the peace process and respect the Afghan Constitution. In undertaking these commitments, the new Government of Afghanistan will work actively and constructively with both the region and the international community.

The Ambassador, however, cautioned the international community not to set any unrealistic deadline for his country and the government. The Governments tremendous objectives will not be achieved in one day. We will achieve nothing through premature deadlines. We will achieve nothing without the consistent political, military and financial support of the international community. Most importantly, we will achieve nothing without mutual understanding built on trust and cooperation, he argued.

Recent public debate about Afghanistan has strained this understanding. Afghanistan both respects and understands the legitimate concerns of the international community. We ask the world to respect and understand the views and concerns of Afghans. All stakeholders deserve sincere, credible partners. We need a partnership built on real solidarity, Tanin said.

Asserting that the key to the future of Afghanistan is in the hands of the Afghan people, Tanin said: They are the masters of their destiny. The Taliban do not represent Afghans. Their power is the power of destruction. Their strength lies only in brutality.