House of Commons - Global Security: Afghanistan and Pakistan - Foreign Affairs Committee

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Session 2008-09
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Foreign Affairs Committee Publications

Foreign Affairs Committee - Eighth Report
Global Security: Afghanistan and Pakistan

Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 21 July 2009.

Contents

Terms of Reference

Conclusions and recommendations
1  Introduction

Background
Security
The UK's role
US and UK policy reviews
Our inquiry

2  The role of the international community in Afghanistan

Bonn and beyond
Key international organisations

NATO, ISAF and Operation Enduring Freedom
The role of the United Nations
The role of the European Union

The US and its policy on Afghanistan under the Bush Administration
Regional neighbours

3  Where Afghanistan is now: an assessment

The security situation
Afghanistan's struggling security sector

Afghan National Army
Afghan National Police
Afghan security forces: conclusions

Governance, justice and human rights

Governance
Justice
Corruption
Human rights

Women and their position in Afghanistan

The Shia family law

Counter-narcotics

Drugs, the insurgency and ISAF
Corruption and narcotics

Economic and social development
Assessing the international community's approach and impact

4  Pakistan's strategic importance and role in relation to Afghanistan

Pakistan's border areas
The connection to international terrorism
Recent Pakistani responses to militancy

Madrassahs

The role of the military and ISI
Pakistan's relationship with Afghanistan

5  The Obama plan: addressing previous failings?

The Obama plan

Assessing the Obama plan
Regional diplomacy

Engaging Pakistan

Key elements of the US approach
Issues not addressed in the strategy
Implementing the Obama plan

6  The UK's mission in Afghanistan

Background
The UK's expanding mission
The Helmand deployment
The role of, and impact on, the British armed forces

Resources
Learning lessons

The role of FCO staff

7  The UK's new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan: a way forward?

Key elements of the new UK strategy common to Afghanistan and Pakistan
The Government's priorities in Afghanistan
Justifications for the UK's continued presence in Afghanistan

An existing base for international terrorism?
A future base for terrorism?
Counter-narcotics
Unspoken aims: NATO's credibility and relations with the US

Assessing the justifications: mixed messages?
The UK's strategy for Pakistan

The extent of intelligence co-operation
Processing of UK visas in Pakistan

8  Future prospects: towards a political settlement?

Existing reconciliation programmes and initiatives
Challenges in realising reconciliation
Ensuring credible elections
The impact on women

Maps
Annex

Foreign Affairs Committee visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan 26 April-1 May 2009

Glossary of Terms
Formal Minutes
Witnesses
List of written evidence

Oral and Written Evidence
25 February 2009
25 March 2009
21 April 2009
14 May 2009

Written Evidence

© Parliamentary copyright 2009
Prepared 2 August 2009