POST-WAR AFGHANISTAN: REBUILDING A RAVAGED NATION

Year 2002, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 1 - 11, 01.03.2002

İshtiaq Ahmad

Abstract

The post-11 September US-led war against the sources of Islamic extremism and international terrorism inside Afghanistan has been largely a success. It may be only a matter of time before the remaining Taliban and al-Qaeda pockets of resistance in eastern Afghanistan vanish. The refugees are returning home and the UN-supervised peace package is being implemented successfully. By Afghan standards, these are gigantic achievements in such a short span of time. Yet, given this war-wrecked nation’s horrendous past, the task ahead is gigantic – including the establishment of a truly broad-based government, the creation of a stable internal and external security environment, and the rebuilding of the economic and social fabric of the country, devastated by over 22 years of war. Afghanistan was the world’s worst inheritance from the twentieth century. To make it the best example of the twenty-first century world, the international community under the leadership of the United Nations, has to secure a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the people of Afghanistan.