Amb. Robert Hunter on Riga aftermath

Today Robert E. Hunter (RAND senior adviser and former U.S. ambassador to NATO,1993 to 1998) writes that "there is no ambiguity and there should be no ambivalence" about NATO countries "radically stepping up their collective commitment" to Afghanistan:

Europe's Afghan test
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, Outside View (UPI), Robert E. Hunter:...The good news at the Riga summit was that allied heads of state and government did focus on Afghanistan. The bad news is that they came up far short of what they have to do to reverse declining fortunes. NATO's military commanders gained a paltry number of new troop pledges. Those allies unwilling to face the risks of conflict agreed to modify their so-called "national caveats" that keep them out of harm's way, but only in an emergency, and tactical airlift will still fall far short of basic needs.

Even so, the military shortfall is a small part of the overall problem. Equally consequential are the continuing inadequacies of the Afghan government (about which outsiders ultimately can do little) and severe limitations on the non-military civilian effort that is a sine qua non of Afghanistan's future.

Allies with responsibilities for police training (Germany), fostering a viable judiciary (Italy), and stemming the renewed flood of opium poppy production (Britain) have fallen far short of what they agreed to do. Worse, there is no overall coordination of civilian activities undertaken by governments, international institutions and non-governmental organizations, and far too few resources.

It is a truism that Western drug addicts are putting more hard currency into Afghanistan than Western governments. The best that could be done by NATO at Riga was to adopt a weak French proposal for a "contact group." This is an oft-used device to advise on peace negotiations, but a non-starter for mobilizing resources, pinning responsibility and exercising leadership.

Leadership should be assumed by the European Union. Its members have all the needed resources and skills in governance, education, health, agriculture, and the like. Many have vast experience in so-called "nation building."

The EU has been demanding respect from NATO and the United States for its foreign policy and security ambitions. By assuming a greater role in Afghanistan, Europeans can show Washington that they are prepared to take on serious security responsibilities in the Middle East, not just to kibitz and criticize what the United States is doing in Iraq or not doing in Arab-Israeli peacemaking.

Action won't be cheap; and the Europeans must give authority to a first-class political personality as civilian "supremo" in Afghanistan, working in tandem with ISAF and the Afghan government.

Afghanistan is put up or shut up time for European nations in general and the EU in particular in the greater Middle East. Meeting responsibilities is in their own self-interest and is needed to forestall the first-ever failure by the Western alliance.

Comments

[bose headphones]

I like very much the writings and pictures and explanations in your adress so I look forward to see your next writings.
In the present lively world, food and clothing put on the line in our life have already to obtain the sublimation, life needs the entertainment, in the market shoe's design is all kinds, Women is Dakota and Sundance UGG Boots were the riotous multi-colors, each kinds of color and design are finitely looks like the young women's hairstyle , every day them use the ghd Hair Straightener to changes themself hairstyle,when went out they brought MP3 to wear the fashion to symbolize that Bose in ear headphones and Bose on ear headphones ,let us feel the fashionable news of life.
People to enjoy music, a need for a high-quality sound equipment to show the moving melody to enhance the music quality of life,It is the use of bose headphones.Now bose headphones for sale in hot.

[bose headphones]

I like very much the writings and pictures and explanations in your adress so I look forward to see your next writings.
In the present lively world, food and clothing put on the line in our life have already to obtain the sublimation, life needs the entertainment, in the market shoe's design is all kinds, Women is Dakota and Sundance UGG Boots were the riotous multi-colors, each kinds of color and design are finitely looks like the young women's hairstyle , every day them use the ghd Hair Straightener to changes themself hairstyle,when went out they brought MP3 to wear the fashion to symbolize that Bose in ear headphones and Bose on ear headphones ,let us feel the fashionable news of life.
People to enjoy music, a need for a high-quality sound equipment to show the moving melody to enhance the music quality of life,It is the use of bose headphones.Now bose headphones for sale in hot.

[uggs on sale]

My wife has very cute, nice and beautiful feet, and when she wears uggs boots on sale after her pedicure I go crazy. Yesterday i find a store is uggs boots on sale, i will buy one for my wife for her birthday present next week!

[nfl-jerseys]

ZSM
Now days, they also have what are called the buy nfl jerseys nfl
, and there are many teams that use these many times during the season. Most of the time, teams wear the cheap football jerseys
for a very specific reason. Most of the time, this reasons is to honor someone or something. The cheap football jerseys
can be a lot of fun, but it can be confusing for the fans. They love them, but when a game is going, cheap jerseys
might be hard to tell one team from another because you are used to the current types of uniforms that they are wearing.cheap nfl jerseys

[cheap jerseys]

ZSM
I've been looking forward to Silent Hunter 5 paul smith london for a while now as regular readers will know I am a bit of a submarine paul smith london fan. Playing number 2 and 3 to death, for those wondering Silent Hunter 4 was set in paul smith sale the Pacific and in my opinion nothing could be more boring :-) Silent Number 5 when it paul smith sale was first announced was looking fantastic.

[replica watches]

Franck Muller watch for sale

Glashutte watch for sale

Graham watch for sale

Hermes watch for sale

[replica watches]

ebel watches

Ferrari watches

Franck Muller watches

Glashutte watches

Graham watches

[Humberto]

I think, it is amazing!
http://www.rapidsharemix.com

[replica handbags]

xyy
We can feel some retro-style fashion trend of replica handbags from the past fashion week in Paris. Louis Vuitton

exhibited designer handbags its 2010 autumn and authentic

handbags winter bags in the last day of the fashion week and manifested the retro-style thoroughly with series of its

href="http://www.youknowbags.com">handbag sale.In the new season Louis Vuitton used embroider and precious matching courageously. It also paid much

attention to the designer handbags sale body proportion and strap length of simple pattern bags. Its stiff and smooth

bag shape made many customers and audiences fall in love with them.The Louis Vuitton bag above blended precious leather and refined embroidering technique together perfectly.

href="http://www.youknowbags.com/chanel-handbags-c-14.html">Chanel handbags sale There seem two layers of external surface of the

href="http://www.youknowbags.com/chanel-handbags-c-14.html">Chanel handbag online.The luxurious dark blue leather is covered by the delicate nude color

embroidering. Delicate embroidering formed classic Monogram flowers patterns matched with Louis Vuitton initials. It also enhanced the low-profile but luxurious exposure cover

made of precious crocodile leather Chanel handbag online.Delicate low and narrow purses are

also the new trend of Louis Vuitton autumn and summer 2010. What will never change is the Louis Vuitton initials printed or embroidered on the bag body. Bags in various colors

and materials manifested the innovation design and eternal pursuit of Louis Vuitton to quality and unique style.