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Summary

The mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Afghanistan is a test of the alliance's political will and military capabilities. The allies wish to create a "new" NATO, able to go beyond the European theater and combat new threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Afghanistan is NATO's first "out-of-area" mission beyond Europe. The purpose of the mission is the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan. The mission is a difficult one because it must take place while combat operations against Taliban insurgents continue. U.N. Security Council resolutions govern NATO's responsibilities. The NATOled International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) faces formidable obstacles: shoring up a weak government in Kabul; using military capabilities in a distant country with rugged terrain; and rebuilding a country devastated by war and troubled by a resilient narcotics trade. NATO's mission statement lays out the essential elements of the task of stabilizing and rebuilding the country: train the Afghan army, police, and judiciary; support the government in counter-narcotics efforts; develop a market infrastructure; and suppress the Taliban. Although the allies agree on ISAF's mission, they differ on how to accomplish it. Increasing turmoil in Pakistan has complicated the effort to prevent the Taliban from infiltrating Afghanistan. Some allies do not want their forces to engage in combat operations. None, except the United States, wants to engage directly in destruction of poppy fields in countering the drug trade. The 110th Congress has supported most Administration policies in Afghanistan, but wishes to see a more coherent plan for integrating stabilization and reconstruction operations. In December 2007, Congress appropriated $70 billion for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. ISAF has proceeded in four stages to take control of the whole of Afghanistan. ISAF's principal mechanism to rebuild Afghanistan is the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). PRTs, composed of military and civilian officials, are charged with extending the reach of the Afghan government by improving governance and rebuilding the economy. There are significant differences in how individual NATO governments run their PRTs. Most observers predict that ISAF's efforts to stabilize Afghanistan will require five years or more. An exit strategy has multiple components: suppressing the Taliban; rebuilding the economy; and cajoling Afghan leaders to put aside tribal and regional disputes and improve governance. U.S. leadership of the alliance as well as NATO credibility are at issue. The allies are sharply critical of aspects of the Bush Administration's foreign policy, and sometimes specifically its NATO policy. U.S. leadership in Afghanistan may well affect NATO's cohesiveness and its future. This report will be updated as needed. See also CRS Report RL30588, Afghanistan: PostWar Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, by Kenneth Katzman.

Related Reports:
• RL33627

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