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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. Since the Washington Summit in 1999, the allies have sought to create a "new" NATO, capable of operating beyond the European theater to combat emerging 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 has proven difficult because it must take place while combat operations against Taliban insurgents continue. Recent assessments of the situation in Afghanistan point to a rise in the overall level of violence due to increased Taliban military operations and an increase in terrorist-related activities. U.N. Security Council resolutions govern NATO's responsibilities in Afghanistan. The NATO-led 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. Since 2001, ISAF has proceeded in four stages to extend its area of responsibility over the whole of Afghanistan. Although the allies agree on ISAF's mission, they continue to differ on how to accomplish it. Some allies do not want their forces to engage in counter-insurgency operations and have placed operational restrictions on their troops. The principal mechanism to rebuild Afghanistan are the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) composed of military and civilian officials and charged with extending the reach of the Afghan government by improving governance and rebuilding the economy. However, there are significant differences in how individual NATO governments run their PRTs and little coordination exists between them. Until recently, only the United States wanted to engage directly in the destruction of poppy fields and drug facilities in countering the narcotics trade. Finally, continued turmoil in parts of Pakistan has complicated the effort to prevent the Taliban from infiltrating Afghanistan. Most observers predict that ISAF's efforts to stabilize Afghanistan will require a long-term commitment. The Obama Administration has made the conflict a policy priority, has committed an additional 17,000 U.S. military forces, is seeking additional support from the NATO allies, and is attempting to implement new, more effective strategies for addressing the conflict. U.S. leadership in Afghanistan may well affect NATO's cohesiveness, credibility and its future. In 2008, Congress appropriated $31 billion for the conflict in Afghanistan (H.R. 2642/P.L. 110-252). The 111th Congress will likely support the new Administration's policies in Afghanistan, but may seek a more coherent plan for integration, stabilization, and reconstruction operations. This report will be updated as needed. See also CRS Report RL30588, Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, by Kenneth Katzman and CRS Report R40156, War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Military Operations, and Issues for Congress, by Catherine Dale.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.2642

Related Reports:
• RL33627
• RL33627

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