National Caveats - Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is NATO's greatest test as to national caveats. The 28 nation alliance is now leading the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Mission in Afghanistan, with some forty-eight diverse nations engaged in the nation building operation. Adding to an already complex task, many of the nations in the mission, whether NATO or not, have attached national caveat restrictions on their forces. This has created opportunities for the insurgents in parts of the country, whilst also causing no small degree of friction within the NATO Alliance proper between those nations willing to send their soldiers to the dangerous parts of the country (to fight), and those not willing to do so.

US Army Colonel Douglas Mastriano, in a research project at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, discussed the challenges that this dilemma poses to the alliance, and although daunting, argues that one should expect this from a system of independent nations that have divergent interests and political will in regards to Afghanistan. He argues that strategic leaders have to operate with what nations are willing to give and thereby leverage NATO's troops where they can do the most good. Despite the difficulties, Mastriano says, "When one looks at the ISAF mission holistically, Afghanistan has been good for the alliance. It has expanded its global role, demonstrated that it can conduct a sustained out of area mission, NATO can operate with coalition partners from around the world, it has endurance (now ten years in Afghanistan, and counting) and that it is not easily be intimidated. Despite the Taliban's efforts otherwise, NATO has endured relatively high casualties (higher than many nations anticipated), and despite this, none of these nations have retreated in the face of it."

As to the Afghan mission, Mastriano says, "Nine years after the 9/11 attacks, things look grim in Afghanistan, but it is not too late. NATO, and her strongest partner, the US, possess both the initiative and ability to turn things around... They simply must do the hard work to create unity of effort and unity of command through capable leadership because losing is not an option."