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The Public Diplomacy Blog is intended to stimulate dialog among scholars, researchers, practitioners and professionals from around the world in the public diplomacy sphere. The opinions represented here are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School.

Posts by M. Ashraf Haidari

SUCCESS IN AFGHANISTAN
NOV 6, 2007 - 12:45PM PDT
Posted by M. Ashraf Haidari
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This blog post first appeared in the International Herald Tribune.

Roger Cohen, in his column "Afghanistan at the tipping point" (Globalist, Nov. 1), clarifies a major point: "Afghanistan is not Iraq."

It's true: No peace operation is winnable without popular support. We have the Afghan public behind us, but we can lose that if we do not deliver peace.

According to recent polls, the Afghan people cite insecurity, weak governance, a poor economy and unemployment as the largest problems facing the country.

How should we overcome these and other obstacles? First, by ending regional interference as the main source of... FULL TEXT
 
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HELP EMPOWER THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN
OCT 24, 2007 - 10:52AM PDT
Posted by M. Ashraf Haidari
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This article originally appeared on Diplomatic Traffic.

The largest defeat of British-Indian forces in the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880) came through the leadership of a heroic Afghan woman: Malalai of Maiwand. Malalai courageously inspired dejected Afghan troops and carried the Afghan banner into the battle that would end her life.

A woman who rose to meet a patriotic duty during troubled times, Malalai reminds us all of the critical role women must play in securing peace and prosperity for Afghanistan. While Afghan women have gained formal political suffrage under Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution, they have yet to secure equality. According to... FULL TEXT
 
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AGRICULTURAL DIPLOMACY CAN HELP WEAN AFGHANS FROM POPPY CROP
AUG 27, 2007 - 11:06AM PDT
Posted by M. Ashraf Haidari
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After decades of violence, the opium poppy crop remains one of the few stable income sources for poor Afghan farmers, who cannot be effectively persuaded to end poppy cultivation without being granted alternative ways of making a living. In 2005, most farmers complied with the poppy ban set out by the Afghan government with the understanding that legal alternative means of survival would be provided. But when the promised aid failed to materialize, drug production quickly rose again.

Forced eradication of poppy crops merely targets the effects of poppy production, not its underlying causes. International experience has taught us that... FULL TEXT
 
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THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF NATION BUILDING IN AFGHANISTAN
JUL 2, 2007 - 4:40PM PDT
Posted by M. Ashraf Haidari
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From an online discussion at Development Gateway, Jul 2, 2007:

1. Mr. Hikmatullah Amin, Afghanistan: I wanted to ask from Mr. Haidari the stance of Afghan Government on the difference between the development projects costs versus the military costs. Last year, Germany spent 4 million euros in development and humanitarian projects while the military cost was 475 million euros. I wonder why the Afghan government cannot prioritize between various ways to fight against terror?

HAIDARI: The government of Afghanistan has been very clear on the right balance between security and development assistance, which we have repeatedly brought to the attention... FULL TEXT
 
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WHY CANADA SHOULD KEEP ITS TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN
MAY 29, 2007 - 2:26PM PDT
Posted by M. Ashraf Haidari
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This commentary was originally published by EurasiaNet on May 23, 2007

Canadians are growing increasingly jittery about their country’s military participation in Afghanistan. A majority of Canadians now wonder if the political cost of maintaining troops in Afghanistan is too high. They should realize that the cost of not being there would be even higher.

According to a recent public opinion poll, 55 percent of respondents favor a pullout of Canadian troops from Afghanistan, if the casualty rate continues to climb. Meanwhile, more Canadians oppose their government's handling of the war (48 percent) than approve of it (44 percent). And... FULL TEXT
 
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