Military

SHAPE News Summary & Analysis

07 August 2003

ISAF

• Ahead of NATO’s takeover of ISAF, AFP observes that NATO prepares to take over command of Afghanistan’s foreign peacekeeping force in its first operation outside Europe amid deteriorating security and warnings that the Taliban is regrouping in the country. While outgoing ISAF commander Lt. Gen. Van Heyst Wednesday described Kabul as a “safe haven,” he warned that the international community must act to address increasing attacks in the provinces, the dispatch recalls. But, it notes, Afghanistan has the lowest ratio of peacekeepers to population of any recent post-conflict country, according to a study by the international humanitarian organization CARE. While NATO’s other missions in Kosovo and Bosnia had a ratio of one peacekeeper to every 48 and 58 people, respectively, the ratio for Afghanistan is one peacekeeper to every 5,380 Afghans. The dispatch suggests that the change of command from individual nations to NATO is expected to have little impact, with some 90 percent of ISAF troops already supplied by NATO nations. It stresses, however, that NATO’s assumption of command will end the current search for a new lead nation every six months for the force.

NATO’s take over of ISAF is generating prominent interest. Media are increasingly focusing on the force’s mandate.
In Germany Wednesday, Defense Minister Struck urged the expansion of ISAF beyond Kabul after NATO takes over, saying Afghanistan was at a turning point, reports Reuters. The dispatch also quotes a government spokesman saying Germany is considering whether to allow its troops to operate outside Kabul and the cabinet is likely to agree a common position in September. The dispatch stresses, however, that in a farewell news conference Wednesday, Gen. Van Heyst said it was more realistic to expand the role of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) being deployed by the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan. “You don’t need 10,000 guys for PRTs. One of the mission of PRTs is to provide security, but that is done in a quite different way,” the outgoing ISAF commander is quoted saying and adding: “It seems to be realistic and the concept is existing and has proven to be successful…. We are under time pressure…. To start a new concept with the expansion of ISAF you need time and there is an existing concept.”
Die Welt claims meanwhile that “in NATO too, considerations to expand the mission of ISAF beyond the borders of Kabul are being intensified. This was confirmed by a NATO official in Brussels.” The article says: “The U.S. has already suggested to their NATO partners that the number of PRTs be increased. These teams do not report to the ISAF command. However, they are part of the U.S.-led operation Enduring Freedom. Currently, three such teams are deployed in Afghanistan. Washington hopes to enlist the support of other NATO countries. It is also being said in Brussels that the U.S., and also Britain are suggesting an expansion of the ISAF mandate beyond Kabul in the coming months…. NATO officials point out that the number of troops would have to be increased considerably for an expanded Afghanistan mission. According to current Alliance planning, 4,000 troops would be available for new tasks by the end of the year—when the Alliance’s SFOR mission in Bosnia is to be reduced from 12,000 to 8,000 personnel. Many in the Alliance doubt, however, whether this reduction can be accomplished by the end of 2003: The U.S. is sending contradictory signals. On the one hand, they cite the still unstable security situation in Bosnia, as they did recently at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Madrid in July, which they argue, raises questions as to the assumption of the SFOR command by the EU next year; on the other hand, they are pressing for a swift reduction in force levels.”

BALKANS

• During talks Wednesday with DSACEUR, Adm. Feist, Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency member Tihic said SFOR must remain in Bosnia-Herzegovina until defense reforms are carried out and the Dayton agreement is fully implemented, reported Bijeljina’s SRNA, Aug. 6. The dispatch quoted sources in the Presidency saying that Adm. Feist mentioned the possibility of troop reductions, as well as the military and political aspects of the EU taking over the SFOR mission.

OTHER NEWS

• According to Moscow’s Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey, Russia’s Land Forces Command is about to complete the drafting of an order on creating a permanent peacekeeping unit that will accomplish missions in trouble spots as a component of international forces. The report quotes a source in the Defense Ministry saying: “Creation of a permanent peacekeeping unit, probably a detached brigade, for accomplishment of peacekeeping missions with international forces (UN, OSCE, NATO) has been initiated by Land Forces Commander-in-Chief and Deputy Defense Minister Kormiltsev…. The process of Russia’s rapprochement with NATO and the EU has been quite active and the need for joint peacekeeping operations in hot spots may arise, and therefore we should be prepared for an effective solution.”