Q&A: Foreign forces in Afghanistan by BBC.

[Arbab.Danish]

Q&A: Foreign forces in Afghanistan


There are currently around 100,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, but over the next six months they will be joined by a further 30,000 US soldiers, as well as smaller numbers of additional forces from other countries.
They operate under US and Nato command and are supporting Kabul's Western-backed government against a Taliban-led insurgency that has gained strength in recent years.

Why is the US sending more troops?

After more than three months of deliberation, US President Barack Obama announced a troop surge on 1 December 2009, bringing the total number of US troops in Afghanistan to more than 100,000.
He said that the soldiers would deploy as fast as possible to target the insurgency, help secure key population centres and bolster training of Afghan forces. The existing US troops in the country lacked the full support they needed to effectively achieve these aims, the president said.
Mr Obama said the troop surge would enable the US to accelerate the handover of responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow the US to begin the transfer of its forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011.


What will they do?

Some 9,000 US Marines - a regimental combat team plus helicopters and support - are expected to deploy to Helmand province, where British troops have encountered fierce fighting. Also, some of the 21,000 additional soldiers will go to Kandahar province, to help protect Afghanistan's second city, Kandahar, and its vital road link to Kabul.
Around 4,000 soldiers, spread around the country, will boost efforts to train the Afghan Army and police.


Where do the rest of the troops come from and where are they based?

The lion's share of the troops come from the US. The remainder are from more than 40 other countries - including Canada, Australia, Jordan and New Zealand - with the UK contingent the second largest.
Troops are based in various parts of the country, but their efforts chiefly target the insurgency-wracked south and east.
In the wake of Mr Obama's surge announcement, the Nato secretary general said US allies were ready to commit to sending at least 5,000 extra troops, possibly more.


Who commands the foreign troops?

Most of the troops currently in Afghanistan are deployed as part of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf). This 71,030-strong force was established by the UN in December 2001. More than half of its personnel are US soldiers. Isaf's stated mission is to promote security and development; it is also involved in training Afghan soldiers and police. Its activities were initially limited to Kabul, but its remit expanded to all provinces after October 2006.

There are also some 30,000 US troops based in eastern Afghanistan - on the border with Pakistan - under Operation Enduring Freedom. This was originally planned in response to the attacks on the US in September 2001. After the Taliban government fell in late 2001, these forces continued operations against Taliban elements and other hostile forces.
US General Stanley McChrystal is the current commander of Isaf and Operation Enduring Freedom forces. He earlier warned that the US mission in Afghanistan was likely to result in failure unless troop numbers were increased.


Where does most fighting occur? Is the violence getting worse?

Most of the fighting takes place in the south and east of Afghanistan - especially the provinces of Kandahar and Helmand, where the Taliban are most active. Clashes tend to take place in remote and inhospitable areas where much of the fighting is at close quarters. In some areas, foreign forces are tasked with retaking areas where the Taliban have reasserted control.
Violence is the worst it has been since the Taliban were toppled, with 2009 being the bloodiest year so far for coalition troops.
Increasingly, remotely-detonated explosive devices are being used to target foreign forces across the country. The number of Afghan civilians killed as a result of the armed conflict is also rising, the UN says.
As more soldiers are killed on Afghan battlefields, there have been fierce political debates in the UK and European countries about troop commitments as support for the war declines.
Critics have also argued that communication between Isaf and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) is not as strong as it should be.
They argue this is particularly the case when it comes to civilian casualties, when Isaf and OEF have been accused of issuing contradictory accounts of the number of people killed and the circumstances of the attack.
Gen McChrystal has repeatedly said that all troops in the country must focus on protecting civilians when fighting insurgents.


Is it only foreign troops fighting the militants?

A cornerstone of Nato strategy is to boost the size and effectiveness of Afghan security forces in the hope they will eventually take over.

The Afghan National Army, numbering about 94,000 in October 2009, supports Nato operations, and there are just above 80,000 Afghan police.
The coalition aims to build and train an Afghan army of up to 171,6000 personnel and for the number of national police officers to reach 134,000 by October 2011.
US, British and other foreign forces are with Afghan police and troops every day.
However, the soldiers are paid more and are better trained and equipped - although the police may face similar risk of Taliban attacks.


Are foreign troops there only to fight?

Isaf officials often say that development without security is unachievable, and security without development is meaningless.
It says that its mission in Afghanistan is to bring lasting peace and stability, and while that primarily involves the use of military personnel to secure the country, it also requires reconstruction and development initiatives.

In some areas, Isaf troops are engaged more in peacekeeping and reconstruction than in fighting.
Activities can include rebuilding damaged schools and hospitals, restoring water supplies and damaged infrastructure and supporting mediation and local governance.
In order to do so, Isaf has deployed 26 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in different parts of the country.


How strong are the Taliban?

The Taliban and their allies have returned with a vengeance after their rout in December 2001, re-emerging as a fighting force and a major threat to the Afghan government.
The militants are thought to be only about 20,000-strong. Estimates of how many are battle-hardened are also vary. But despite their relatively low numbers - and despite the increasing size of the foreign troop presence - the militants have steadily extended their influence and rendered vast tracts of Afghanistan insecure.


Do Afghans support the foreign presence?

Most Afghans were increasingly optimistic about the state of their country, a poll commissioned by the BBC, ABC News and German broadcaster ARD in December 2009 suggested.
Of more than 1,500 Afghans questioned, 70% said they believed Afghanistan was going in the right direction - up from 40% a year earlier.
Of those questioned, 68% backed the presence of US troops, compared with 63% 12 months previously.
For Nato troops, including UK forces, support rose from 59% to 62%.


source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8388711.stm