Fragmentation is also present across NATO members. Training methods, salaries, and tactics have been presented differently throughout the conflict by each organizing entity (USAID, NGO’s. European Governments, UNAMA, etc.). The result of this has led to an ineffective government that is rife with patronage, corruption, and has the public perception as a western puppet16. Moreover, aid and governance changes have not affected the poorest and most politically and economically disadvantaged areas of Afghan society, but only created additional animosity and inequality15. As a result it is no mystery as to why the insurgency continues to thrive in Afghanistan since many do not have a democratic way to express their frustration at the lack of socio-economic alternatives available to them. This is especially true in the Pashtun areas of Southern and Eastern Afghanistan. This can be verified by numerous accounts that are not only in popular media.
VVOne account comes from Ehsan Saadat, a resident of the Pashtun areas in Afghanistan. In addition to being a project manager with a with a well respected Afghan based social research NGO, the Afghanistan Public Policy Research Organization, was a combat interpreter embedded with western special forces in the beginning of the war in Paktia province. Having contacted him, he stated that not only is security impossible to foster without development, but also there were vital errors made in the beginning of the war that explained the creation of the contemporary insurgency. Shortly after the fall of the Taliban, development aid was mainly spent on Tajik areas of the country. Pashtun regions, while being originally secure, were ignored due to ethno-political differences with the ruling elite. As time progressed, the inequality of development aid coupled with almost non-existent political representation sowed the seeds of hostility with the newly created government. Now it is seemingly too late to change this trend since these areas are the most dangerous areas in the country for development groups18.
8818. Saadat: 2013
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