Building Police Capacity in Afghanistan: The Challenges of a Multilateral Approach, National Defence University // Center for Complext Operations // PRISM, December 2010

EXCERPT: "An effective police force is critical to achieving Afghan aspirations for stability and U.S. strategic objectives in Afghanistan. As the most visible representation of the government in towns and villages across the country, police capacity must be the highest priority of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) and international community. When a sufficient and sustainable Afghan National Police (ANP) is built and employed, it will help assure the people that the GIRoA is committed to their security and prosperity, serving as a shield to protect them from malign actors and insurgent forces. The acquisition of this legitimacy is the primary objective that will help defeat the insurgency and bring enduring peace and stability to Afghanistan. From the Bonn Agreement in 2001 to today, at least seven non-Afghan organizations have been created by the international community to support the reconstruction of a police force. The lack of unity of effort among these organizations created obstacles to developing this necessary force. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Training Mission?Afghanistan (NTM?A) was activated in November 2009 to overcome this lack of unity of effort, as well as attempt to bring greater coherence to the generation, development, training, and sustainment efforts for the ANP. Since its establishment, NTM?A has embarked on a new approach that includes greater synchronization of efforts with partner nations and organizations."

Read the full report.

Related articles and media:
, The New York Times, 30 November 2010
Afghanistan: Good cop, bad cop [video], CBS News // 60 Minutes, 28 November 2010

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Afghan National Security Forces: What it will take to implement ISAF strategy?, 18 November 2010
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