U.S. may significantly cut Afghan aid

[Balta1701]

This WaPo piece contains 1 good piece of news and 1 potentially very bad piece of news.

 

Four years into a mammoth reconstruction effort here that has been largely led, funded and secured by Americans, the United States is showing a growing willingness to cede those jobs to others.

 

The most dramatic example will come by this summer, when the U.S. military officially hands over control of the volatile southern region -- plagued by persistent attacks from Islamic militias -- to an international force led by the NATO alliance. The United States will cut its troop strength by 2,500, even though it is not clear how aggressively NATO troops will pursue insurgents, who have shown no sign of relenting...

 

Funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which topped $1 billion for 2005 and has helped build highways, schools and clinics across the country during the last four years, will be reduced to just over $600 million in 2006, unless Congress appropriates more money.

 

On one of the biggest threats facing the country, the illicit drug trade, the United States has largely ceded leadership to the British government and is pinning its hopes on Afghan provincial governors to eradicate poppy fields. Although U.S. officials have warned repeatedly about the need to curb the burgeoning opium business, they have so far spent only modest amounts to help and now say Kabul must take the initiative.

As Professor Cole says, the pullout of troops is probably a good idea, as pulling out troops will likely strengthen the view of the national government, since it will be viewed as more of a nationalized government as the international troops withdraw. However, given that we give $3 billion a year to Israel, $2 billion a year to Egypt, and so forth...does it seem like a good idea to dramatically cut back on aid to Afghanistan, when that aid is something the national government needs to rebuild from 25 years of Civil War?

 

Hopefully Congress will reappropriate those funds. The last thing we need to do is shortchange the Afghan government so much that the drug growers and militia leaders are able to reassert power once NATO pulls out.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

This WaPo piece contains 1 good piece of news and 1 potentially very bad piece of news.

 

As Professor Cole says, the pullout of troops is probably a good idea, as pulling out troops will likely strengthen the view of the national government, since it will be viewed as more of a nationalized government as the international troops withdraw.  However, given that we give $3 billion a year to Israel, $2 billion a year to Egypt, and so forth...does it seem like a good idea to dramatically cut back on aid to Afghanistan, when that aid is something the national government needs to rebuild from 25 years of Civil War?

 

Hopefully Congress will reappropriate those funds.  The last thing we need to do is shortchange the Afghan government so much that the drug growers and militia leaders are able to reassert power once NATO pulls out.

 

 

US forces are trying to have it where they are the combat force in charge of chasing Al Quada while the UN handles the peacekeeping efforts throughout the rest of the country. I dont think its time to cut back on aid though.

[Rex Kickass]

I thought it was NATO that was handling Peacekeeping. The French and Germans and such.

 

I want to say Afghanistan is one area that has been done right militarily. Very few combat casualties and relative peace in a tenuous security situation has really made this action shine as a success.

 

I'm a little concerned and have been concerned about the aid situation. It seems like we have a tendency to pledge a lot and deliver little. (And by we, I mean the Western world as a whole.)

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

I thought it was NATO that was handling Peacekeeping. The French and Germans and such.

 

I want to say Afghanistan is one area that has been done right militarily. Very few combat casualties and relative peace in a tenuous security situation has really made this action shine as a success.

 

I'm a little concerned and have been concerned about the aid situation. It seems like we have a tendency to pledge a lot and deliver little. (And by we, I mean the Western world as a whole.)

 

 

You're right, it was NATO.