The legitimate grievances of the Afghan people are successfully maximised by the Taliban in their propaganda campaign. Critically, this could allow the Taliban to progressively become a legitimate political movement in the southern part of the country. The United Kingdom and the international community risk losing what has been achieved so far in Afghanistan.

Decades of internal fighting and foreign intervention have disrupted the rule of law and allowed for illegal activities and corruption to flourish. At present, the reality in Afghanistan is that of three interacting crises - security, poverty and narcotics. Peace and stability in Afghanistan will not be achieved by military means alone. Lagging development, a booming illegal drugs trade, widespread corruption and the steady increase in civilian casualties are challenges that the UK is called upon to urgently address. Public resentment towards the Karzai Government and international forces are on the rise, with violence now spreading across Afghanistan’s relatively secure areas and the capital Kabul.



The British presence in Afghanistan is under threat. To gain the trust and support of the local population and achieve its mission in the country, the UK must define a new coherent strategic course. Without a clear articulation of well-defined objectives and course of action, the UK will fail Afghanistan and the British public back home.

A List of Unremitting Challenges

• Taliban politics causing an upsurge in violence and insurgency: Afghanistan is ravaged by a huge increase in violent attacks in recent months. Critically, violence is now spreading geographically to the relatively secure northern and western parts of the country. The legitimate grievances people hold in the country are benefiting the Taliban and threaten to turn the Taliban into becoming a legitimate political force.



• More and more civilian casualties: As a result of intense fighting and the extensive use of aerial bombing, large numbers of civilians have been killed. The steady succession of civilian casualties fuels increasing local distrust of British and international troops.



• Misguided counter-narcotics operations: Insisting on forced eradication operations has proved to be both ineffective and counter-productive. In the absence of immediate alternatives, the livelihoods of rural communities are being destroyed, fuelling further public disillusionment towards the UK, international forces and the Afghan Government. This has crucially led to increased violence and lawlessness. The US pledge to implement chemical eradication by aerial spraying of poppy crops for the next planting season will be disastrous. Such ill-advised policies put the British military mission at grave risk.



• Lack of vital development aid: Living conditions in Afghanistan, particularly in the south, remain appalling. The lack of essential aid relief and development infrastructure is maximised by the Taliban to gain local support and undermine the counter-insurgency mission of British and international forces. The UK is progressively losing the battle for the hearts and minds.



• Effective Grassroots politics: Public information warfare is Afghanistan is key to winning the support and trust of the local population. At present, psychological operations are lacking the coordination, means of communication and clarity necessary for a successful planned information campaign. Instead, the Taliban has employed a winning propaganda, building on the international community’s failure to improve the lives of the Afghan people in the south.



• Distant neighbouring relations: The relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are critical for the stability of both countries and in evolving regional dynamics. The porous border is a major source of instability for both Afghanistan and Pakistan – by exploiting the illdefined border, the Taliban is regrouping and gaining more power.



• Karzai Government under threat: Instability and corruption within the Government are effectively leading to a governance crisis. The deterioration of the security situation, lack of provision of urgent development and the support of aggressive counter-narcotics operations have led to widespread resentment towards the Afghan Government. Karzai is losing the support of his own people.

The Way Forward: Balancing Objectives and Strategies