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Summary:
U.S. and outside assessments of the effort to stabilize Afghanistan are increasingly negative, to the point where top U.S. commanders say they are not sure the effort is "winning" and some partner commanders say the effort is being lost. U.S. and outside assessments emphasize a growing sense of insecurity in areas around Kabul previously considered secure, increased numbers of suicide attacks and civilian deaths, and divisions within the NATO alliance about total troop contributions and missions. Both the official U.S. as well as outside assessments are increasingly pointing to Pakistan, and particularly the new Pakistani government, as failing to prevent Taliban and other militant infiltration from Pakistan. Although available U.S. forces are short, the Administration is conducting a review of U.S. strategy, adding U.S. troops to the Afghanistan theater, consolidating the command structure for U.S. and partner forces, expanding the Afghan National Army, and attempting to accelerate development activities to increase support for the Afghan government. The Administration also has increased direct U.S. action against Taliban concentrations inside Pakistan. The central government is relatively stable, but it is perceived as weak, corrupt, and unresponsive to core needs, causing popular disillusionment. A key component of U.S. strategy is to try to compel the Afghan government to redress these deficiencies. Yet, Afghan officials point to progress in that the post-Taliban transition was completed with the convening of a parliament in December 2005, following parliamentary elections in September 2005. A new constitution was adopted in January 2004, and presidential elections were held on October 9, 2004. The parliament has become an arena for formerly armed factions to peacefully resolve differences, as well as a center of political pressure on President Hamid Karzai. Major regional strongmen have been marginalized. Afghan citizens are enjoying personal freedoms forbidden by the Taliban, and women are participating in economic and political life. Presidential and provincial elections are to be held in mid-2009, with parliamentary and district elections to follow one year later. The United States and partner countries now deploy a 44,000 troop NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) that commands peacekeeping throughout Afghanistan. Of those, about 15,000 of the 33,600 U.S. forces in Afghanistan are part of ISAF; the remainder (about 19,000) are under Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. and partner forces also run 26 regional enclaves to secure reconstruction (Provincial Reconstruction Teams, PRTs), and are building an Afghan National Army and National Police. The United States has given Afghanistan about $30 billion (appropriated, including FY2009 to date) since the fall of the Taliban, of which about $15 billion was to equip and train the security forces. Breakdowns are shown in the tables at the end. This paper will be updated as warranted by major developments. See also CRS Report RS21922, Afghanistan: Government Formation and Performance, by Kenneth Katzman; and CRS Report RL32686, Afghanistan: Narcotics and U.S. Policy, by Christopher M. Blanchard.
