Rethinking Civilian Assistance in Afghanistan
With the Obama administration’s decision to begin reducing America’s military presence in Afghanistan, it is time to rethink the civilian effort there as well.
Last April, sitting in a converted cargo container at the U.S. Embassy compound in Kabul — sandbags slapped against the sides to protect against incoming rockets — I talked with aid veterans about their work. Their commitment was impressive, but so were their concerns about the constraints under which they are forced to operate.
The job of helping Afghans build a state with functioning public services and institutions answering to an engaged civil society is plenty hard.… Seguir leyendo »