Mennonite Weekly Review

The debate is on. The public, the media and politicians are expressing their opinions on what must be done to bring peace and security in Afghanistan.

Theo Sitther is a legislative associate for international affairs at the Mennonite Central Committee Washington
Office.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, has requested at least 40,000 additional U.S. troops in order to quell an insurgency. The Obama administration is weighing its options, while many politicians and the U.S. public are wary about committing more resources to a war that has dragged on for more than eight years.

Much of the public debate, however, has centered on U.S. national security rather than the needs of the Afghan people. U.S. engagement in the country over the last eight years has heavily focused on the military, while largely neglecting the basic human needs of Afghan citizens.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, with much of the population lacking access to basic health care, education, food and other needs. And decades of conflict have left much of the countryside in shambles.

Peace is possible. The United States must make genuine efforts to address the underlying causes of poverty, conflict and insecurity. Mennonite Central Committee partners in Afghanistan are clear in saying that sustainable economic development can mitigate conflict and bring peace. The United States must work to prioritize these efforts.

Unfortunately, even small U.S. efforts for economic development have been militarized through the use of Provincial Reconstruction Teams.

A PRT is a military unit with embedded civilian personnel that is responsible for development and reconstruction efforts. The use of PRTs in Afghanistan has become widely accepted as the new model for civil-military cooperation and an interagency approach to economic development. This, however, presents some serious problems and concerns.

MCC’s analysis of the use of PRTs has shown that the military is, in fact, the wrong tool for the job. Using the military in this way undermines long-term sustainable development efforts.

The military lacks the training and expertise to carry out development projects, just as a non-governmental organization is not equipped for counterinsurgency operations. This has often resulted in unneeded projects and unsustainable efforts.

The use of PRTs is also a huge drain on resources and blurs the line between the role of the military and the role of non-governmental organizations. Confusing messages are sent when the military engages in development projects while carrying out bombings and raids at the same time. Non-governmental workers and civilians have come under attack as a result.

The lack of genuine, civilian-led development efforts in Afghan­istan is largely due to an imbalance in U.S. policy. The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development are underfunded and understaffed. President Obama has vowed to increase the number of civilian experts, but no administrator has yet been appointed to lead USAID.

The prophets looked ahead to a day when tools of war will be converted to tools for peace and prosperity. “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4, Micah 4:3). Peace is possible in Afghanistan, but only through genuine efforts that address human needs rather than an escalation of war.

Theo Sitther is legislative associate for international affairs in the Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office.