Crs Report for Congress

The mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Afghanistan is seen by many as a test of the alliances political will and military capabilities. Since the Washington Summit in 1999, the allies have sought to create a new NATO, capable of operating beyond the European theater to combat emerging threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Afghanistan is NATOs first out-of-area mission beyond Europe. The purpose of the mission is the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan. The mission has proven difficult because it must take place while combat operations against Taliban insurgents continue. Recent assessments of the situation in Afghanistan point to a rise in the overall level of violence due to increased Taliban military operations and an increase in terrorist-related activities. U.N. Security Council resolutions govern NATOs responsibilities in Afghanistan. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) faces formidable obstacles: shoring up a weak government in Kabul; using military capabilities in a distant country with rugged terrain; and rebuilding a country devastated by war and troubled by a resilient narcotics trade. NATOs mission statement lays out the essential elements of the task of stabilizing and rebuilding the country: train the Afghan army, …