Descent into Chaos?

Ahmed Rashid a Pakistani journalist/author has a new book called ‘Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia.’ I have not read the book yet, but here is a review by Philip Bowring and an interview with the Rashid by Radio Free Europe correspondent Abubakar Siddique.

Rashid aims his criticism for the ‘failures’ to stabilize and implant democracy in Afghanistan and beyond on the Bush Administration and Pakistan's President Musharraf and his ISI intelligence agency. In the interview he lays out three major mistakes by the Bush Administration: 1. The major distraction and pulling of resources for the war in Iraq 2. A lack of an effective plan to rebuild and reconstruct the Afghan nation 3. No long term plan as to how to dismantle and defeat the Taliban. Just a couple days ago the New York Times ran a major articles about the US failures in Afghanistan and how this was currently leading to a Al Qaeda and Taliban resurgence.

Rashid is also reportedly very critical of US support of Musharraf, support of Afghan warlords, and uncomprehensive narcotics plan. Concerning the Taliban's resurgence, Rashid states ‘I wouldn't say it's winning. But it's certainly showing a huge capacity to mount ever more sophisticated attacks.’ In the interview Rashid also voices concern over Afghan President Karzai's ability to win and even hold the upcoming election, even stating ‘I don't think the country can afford an election…’ The review mentions that the ‘Descent into Chaos’ also explores how the instability and political happenings in Afghan/Pakistan have effected the smaller Central Asian states, but I am sorry I do not have more details. Here is the part of the interview where he addressed Central Asian states movement, or lack there of, toward democratic governance;

RFE/RL: Finally, given the discontent with authoritarian rule in Central Asia: do you see it moving towards a democratic transition in the near future?

Rashid: Well, there is a lot of progress in some areas of Central Asia. But, by and large, the leaders are still dictatorial, they are authoritarian. The expected political and economic reforms that should have been carried out after 9/11 and which — I think, the people of Central Asia were hoping would be carried out — was never done.
So we really do have quite a grim situation in Central Asia. And of course, in midst of this, you have much worse poverty than ever before. You have much greater repression and you really don't have any steps forward as far as the democratization is concerned.

Rashid comes across as a very intelligent and thoughtful journalist and political and geopolitical observer, but it is much easier to criticize policy than make it and implement it. The Bush Administration clearly took some of its eye off the ball and the world is paying for that right now, but as history has shown us, the Pashtun-led Taliban will not go down easy nor is it ever simple to foment or build democracy where it never existed before. I put this up about a week ago, but here are some statements by the US State Department regarding the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is in many ways a dire situation, proven by the fact that more US and coalition troops died in Afghanistan this June than in any other month since 2001, but as I have said before, definitely something worth fighting for.

(Photo: New York Times)