Canada Must Change its Afghanistan Mission Now

Canada cannot wait until 2009 to change policies on Afghanistan. Its reconstruction and diplomatic efforts are falling far behind its aggressive military stance, World Federalists have told a federal panel set up by Prime Minister Harper in October to review Canada’s future role in Afghanistan.

The panel is chaired by former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley. He is to report by the end of January 2008.

WFM–Canada, as host agency of the NGO network Peace Operations Working Group (POWG), coordinated a large delegation of civil society organizations that met for half a day with the Manley panel.

Canada’s leading peace, development, human rights and humanitarian assistance organizations, many with staff and programs on the ground in Afghanistan, provided the panel with first-hand accounts of the need to refocus the international effort in Afghanistan away from combat and counter-insurgency and toward development and nation-building.

The choices for Canada mirror a wider debate within NATO. Some see the mission in Afghanistan as part of a wider ‘war on terror;’ others see the mission as primarily an exercise in development and reconstruction.

WFMC’s brief, Our Afghanistan Mission: Canada can do better, was prepared by political scientist John Trent and WFMC president Warren Allmand. (The entire document is available at www.worldfederalistscanada.org.)

The WFMC brief argues that Canada’s reconstruction and diplomatic efforts “must be rebalanced as soon as possible.

“We need to renegotiate our military role with NATO to ensure the operation is part of a multilateral UN endeavour in the framework of an emerging global community where national boundaries no longer limit responsibility and compassion. Canada can help the Afghan people and at the same time help develop a new comprehensive process by which the United Nations can assist failed states and people in distress around the globe."

Key points in the brief include:

• The UN and NATO, with Canadian participation, have a responsibility to help the people of Afghanistan with their protection and reconstruction.

• A strictly military solution is not possible in Afghanistan. A change of policy toward a comprehensive peace negotiation is the most viable solution. Canada should encourage the UN Secretary General to name a new high-level representative to organize a peace dialogue.

• Sustainable peace includes disarmament, demobilization, reconciliation and reintegration, strengthening of the rule of law and human rights (police, judges and courts) and technical assistance for institution building, democratic development and economic infrastructure. Canada and the international community must provide more focused resources toward these goals.

• Canadian contributions toward the goal of long-term peace and reconstruction for Afghanistan requires a comprehensive, multi-departmental approach, preferably backed by all parties, after thorough discussion and planning. Canadian governments must no longer make last minute, ill-prepared, un-debated decisions on issues as fundamental as our Afghanistan mission.

According to Trent, “it is not sufficient to continue the inherited U.S. policy of a war on terrorism in Afghanistan, quarter-backed by part-time decision-making in the prime minister’s office (Liberal or Conservative).”

Regarding the prospects for renewed peace negotiations, Allmand states that “One never knows when, exactly the time will be ripe. But the government and the Taliban may be arriving at a stalemate, where they recognize a simple military victory is not possible. However, there are three key elements here: the consent of the parties, a comprehensive framework and coherent international assistance.

“All this indicates there is an urgent need for a UN-led, broadly-based political dialogue in Afghanistan. Canada has a key role to play in securing support from its UN and NATO partners for this new, overarching strategy.”

Canada must deploy all its diplomatic capacity behind demands for coherent strategies from the UN and NATO in Afghanistan aimed toward peace negotiations and not just punitive actions or piecemeal relief.

The WFMC brief also suggested that over the next few years Canada should increase aid to Afghanistan and remind its partners in the Afghanistan Compact of 2004 of their financial obligations.

The Canadian government should mobilize and directly support Canadian, Afghan and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to aid in Afghan development. And its aid should not simply be concentrated in Kandahar and Kabul but the rest of the country as well.

For more information on Afghanistan, see the “Peace Operations Monitor” at: http://www.pom.peacebuild.ca