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Updated Saturday, November 14, 2009 12:22 am TWN, By John J. Metzler, Special to The China Post

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Is Obama playing the Prince Hamlet of Afghanistan?

Pakistan's envoy stressed that “the core of the violence and conflict in Afghanistan emanate from terrorist groups, foreign militants such as al-Qaida and militant Taliban who are not prepared to reconcile and give up the path of violence. Their nexus with drug-traders is increasingly discernable.”

Given that the violence is spilling over into neighboring Pakistan, and widening the conflict into what the Obama administration views as one “AFPAK” unit, the prognosis is not very good for either country. While most countries agree that building up a credible and effective Afghan security force to confront the militants is a key to solving the crisis, this simply cannot be done overnight.

Poland's Ambassador Andrzej Towpik stressed that while his country's involvement in Afghanistan dates from 2002, “we are fully aware that the responsibility for the process of stabilization and reconstruction is not a short time commitment.” The Polish military contingent stands at 2,000 troops representing one of NATO's key long-term players.

　　Following on the need for security, India's delegate Khagen Das offered particularly poignant insight on the road ahead. He stated, “Security and stabilization of Afghanistan will remain a distant goal unless we are able to root out the elements of al-Qaida, Taliban and other terrorist and extremist groups operating from within and outside Afghanistan's borders.”

India of course has much to fear from a radicalized Afghanistan and Pakistan.

While stressing the need to strengthen Afghan security forces, Das said bluntly “There are no quick-fix solutions. In the battle of winning the hearts and minds of ordinary Afghans, we need to guard against the risk of pessimism and defeatism pervading our thought processes. Perseverance and tenacity are critical to handle the challenge.”

Importantly, regarding reconciliation with the enemy, he stressed, “It requires strategic clarity ... it is for this reason that we must go beyond the unworkable divisions between 'good' and 'bad' Taliban.”

Terrorism cannot be compartmentalized. History suggests that facile attempts to strike Faustian bargains with terrorists often result in such forces turning on the very powers that sustained them in the past.”

Now into this complex geo-political mix comes the concerns by the current U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, a three-star general and former U.S. military commander in the country, who holds serious doubts on the troop reinforcement plan, given the Karzai government's corruption and tenuous political control.

Thus the president's procrastination continues. The situation in Afghanistan begs for a solution. But is victory an integral part of the endgame?

John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. Contact jjmcolumn@att.net.

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