Professional paper
BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES ANALYSIS OF THE COUNTERINSURGENCY STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN
Lana Đurkin
Abstract
When the US and the Allies started the invasion of Afghanistan with the aim of disabling Al-Qa’ida’s activities and toppling of the Taliban regime in 2001, they did not have an idea of the implications caused by inciting occupation of the war-stricken country. They particularly did not make effort to recognize support given to the Taliban regime by the local population as well as the cause for this support. The desire for achieving victory rapidly gave rise to the occurrence of insurgency, firstly in the southern and eastern parts, and later throughout the entire country. Today, the Afghan conflict is defined as a right-down counterinsurgency operation. Unfortunately, it was not until 2007 that more attention was brought to the understanding of the counterinsurgency (COIN) theory and involvement of numerous preconditions essential for success - the joint effort of civilian and military sectors, the understanding and protection of the local population and training of domestic security forces. This article analyses the basic features of NATO counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy in Afghanistan as well as the suggested solutions for success in the framework of cultural norms of the society, which are not to be enforced. As any other, this COIN strategy also presupposes political and social change, given the fact insurgency rarely occurs in stabile and effective societies.
Keywords
Counterinsurgency Strategy (COIN); Stability Operations; Asymmetric War; Winning Hearts and Minds; Population Centric Approach
Hrčak ID:
74618
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2011.
Visits: 3.011 *