Abstract
Any meaningful study of the current situation in Afghanistan requires a critical assessment of the realities on the ground, the aspirations of the Afghan people, the country’s national interests, and the role it should play on the international stage, so that it does not become a safe haven for terrorist organizations in the future. Based on such an assessment U.S. policymakers need to formulate a new direction for conflict resolution in Afghanistan, to make it a progressive and stable democracy. For a candid appreciation of the situation, it is essential to take into consideration the characteristics of the Afghan people, their customs and traditions, the peculiarities of their different tribal languages, and other sensibilities and sensitivities such as intense religious faith and code of honor in respect to guests and elders. The cultural dimension has a very important bearing on the conduct of operations as well as on the rebuilding and reconstruction effort, which has been all but absent for many years.
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Notes
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© 2011 Brigadier Mohammed M. Zaki
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Zaki, M.M. (2011). War in Afghanistan: Need for New Direction. In: American Global Challenges. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230119116_5
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