Brodie's Public Policy and Global Governance Blog

 It seems to be really tough to get a handle on the situation in Afghanistan these days. One month violence is on the decline in Afghanistan and the next we hear of violent attacks against Coalition forces. Everytime a Coalition soldier is killed thier face graces the front page of every national paper in their home country. These sad casualties spark an outcry of sympathy and questions about why and how long forces will stay in Afghanistan.

The longer the war in Afghanistan goes on, the more the public starts to question the purpose of that mission and whether it has any credible chance of success. Taliban and insurgent forces know this and as the war wages on it seems that they are harnessing the power of Western media to generate backlash against Coalition operations in Afghanistan. France, for example, had to bear the fallout of a six page glossy spread depicting Taliban fighters wearing French military uniforms and helmets after Taliban forces claim to have killed ten French soldiers.

We want to make a difference in Afghanistan but it appears that if the mission becomes too costly in terms of human lives, Western countries may start pulling back their troops. In a sense, the media appears to be helping Taliban and insurgent forces turn public opinion against the mission in Afghanistan. We rarely hear of the success stories of Afghanistan. For example, I attended a talk with Canadian military officials who claim that since 9/11 40000 new children are born in Afghanistan each year. That is no small accomplishment. In my view, the very fact that we are in Afghanistan is a victory in and of itself. It sends a message to the thugs of the world that tyrannical rule and disrespect for human rights will not be tolerated.

In the future I hope we can focus on the lighter side of the conflict in Afghanistan. I understand that Afghanistan is still one of the most dangerous places in the world, but focusing on the successes, rather than deaths of coalition troops and firefights with Taliban forces could go a long way to reinvigorating support for the mission. We want to change Afghanistan into a better place overnight, but the reality is that in order for the mission in Afghanistan to be successful we are going to have stay for the long haul. Afghanistan has been a country of conflict for decades, and may be for perhaps a decade or so more. Giving up now will only embolden those who have dubious plans for Afghanistan's future and make solving the problem even more difficult.