DHAMUN XIV GA1: DISEC Chair Report
“Maintenance of International Security - Examining Foreign Involvement in Afghanistan ”
President chair: Faisal Ahmed Co-chairs: Darin Balid, Vishesh Jain
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 2
Introduction 3
Definition of Key Terms 4
Major Parties Involved and their Views 5
Timeline of Events 6
Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue 11
Relevant United Nation Documents & Other Sources 12
Questions to Consider 12
Possible Solutions 13
Conclusion 14
Works Cited 15
I. Introduction
Historically, Afghanistan has been an important country. This landlocked country connects eastern and western Asia, bordering nations include China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Its capital, Kabul, had been a trade hub for centuries that brought together merchants from the Middle East and China. As a result, Afghanistan became sought after soil. Notably, the British Empire and Soviet Union aimed to control Afghanistan in the late
19th and 20th centuries. The interests of nations in Afghanistan led to nearly constant conflict.
This turmoil escalated into a proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union, known as the Soviet Afghan War. In this war the Soviet-backed Afghan government battled the mujahideen (backed by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan), and eventually the Soviet
Union agreed to withdraw troops in 1988.
After the upheaval of the communist Soviet-backed government a number of groups emerged, all striving to seize power of Afghanistan. Out of all these groups, the Taliban emerged. The Taliban was founded by former mujahideen soldiers who sought to eliminate the corruption that ensued in the post-war chaos. By 2001, the Taliban controlled nine tenths of
Afghanistan territory. Even though many countries recognized the Taliban as the government of
Afghanistan, they were not granted seats by the United Nations, because of their harsh treatment of women, and illicit activity in general. Furthermore, one of their leaders, Osama Bin Laden, was accused of organizing the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001. The Taliban refused to extradite their leader. Thus, the United States began their campaign against the Taliban and their
mission to instate a different government that would be more responsible. Conflict between the
Taliban and the United States has been ongoing ever since.
Recently, though, the United States had initiated peace-talks with Taliban leaders in early
2019. However, these earlier talks were cut short after the Taliban took the lives of a number of
US soldiers. These talks were then reinitiated in December of 2019. These peace-talks are particularly interesting because they are not Afghan-led, which was the initial stance of the
United States regarding negotiations with the Taliban. Allegedly these peace-talks would have resulted in a ceasefire, under the condition that the United States withdrew their troops. In our committee we seek to resolve the political turmoil in Afghanistan and ensure international security.
II. Definition of Key Terms
Security - As defined by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA), has 7 categories:
1. Economic: creation of employment and measures against poverty. 2. Food: measures against hunger and famine. 3. Health: measures against disease, unsafe food, malnutrition and lack of access to basic health care.
4. Environmental: measures against environmental degradation, resource depletion, natural disasters and pollution.
5. Personal: measures against physical violence, crime, terrorism, domestic violence and child labour
6. Community: measures against inter-ethnic, religious and other identity tensions. 7. Political: measures against political repression and human rights abuses. Insurgency - “an attempt to take control of a country by force”
III. Major Parties Involved and their Views
Afghan Taliban - wants to establish a strict Shariah-Islamic government in Afghanistan, and seeks to oust US troops and other foreign influence that supports the current government. The
Aghan Taliban also has control of over 14 districts in Afghanistan which is 4% of the country. In
addition, the Afghan Taliban has influence in 66% of the country.
Afghan Government - Runs on an Islamic Republic democracy, and has been accused of corruption in their elections. They are willing to negotiate a ceasefire and end the conflict in
Afghanistan.
United States - The United States began their military involvement in Afghanistan after the events of September 11, 2001 in a proclaimed war on terror. They have remained there since as
they have tried to eliminate the threat of the Taliban. However, recently the president has
allegedly initiated talks to end the US influence in Afghanistan.
Pakistan - A bordering nation of Afghanistan, has significant stake in the conflict of Afghanistan, because an unstable Afghanistan negatively impacts Pakistan as there are similar
terrorist organization and networks in those regions. Furthermore, Pakistan seeks to limit Indian
influence in Afghanistan.
Russia - This nation has had interests in Afghanistan for a long time, but because of Western influence (British and American) they failed to occupy Afghanistan. Russia does seek to end
Western influence in the region so they can expand their own influence in the region, and
country specifically.
IV. Timeline of Events
1973- Republic of Afghanistan
With the help of the minority party “People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA)”, former
prime minister General Mohammed Daud seized power in a coup, overthrowing King
Mohammed Zahir Shah, and declared a republic. Initially, Daud was certain that ties with the
Soviet Union would help Afghanistan expand its control, but changed his mind upon noticing the
Soviet’s desire to control them, and the relations between them deteriorated.
1978- Saur Revolution
After growing suppression and the suspicious murder of an important PDPA member, General
Daoud loses support from the party as fears developed that he was trying to eliminate them.
Shortly after, PDPA leads a pro-Soviet coup against the government, which results in killing
President Daoud, thus gaining control. However, their power was paralyzed by internal fighting.
1979- Soviet Intervention
The new government initiated radical reforms and forged close relations with the Soviet Union,
but had little public support considering the large Muslim, anti-communist population in
Afghanistan, which lead to uprisings known collectively as “Mujahideen”. As a result, in
December of 1979, the Soviet Army invaded Afghanistan to shore up their communist government amidst conflict with the anti-communist Muslim guerrillas.
1980- Money and Arms
Opposition intensifies as foreign support pours in from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, China, and the United States to back the Mujahideen in their fight against the Soviet Union.
1986- Stinger Effect
US began supplying mujahideen with Stinger missiles. After this, the Mujahideen supposedly never lost a battle.
1988 –Farewell
After a brutal nine year conflict, Afghanistan, USSR, the US and Pakistan signed peace accords and Soviet Union began withdrawing troops. The Soviet Union’s exit strategy involved training the Afghan armed forces to continue the fight against the Mujahideen on their own.
1989- Afghan Civil War
Civil war raged after the withdrawal, between the government and mujahideen, still financially supported by the USSR. Heavy bombardment and barbaric atrocities ensued.
1996- A new era
The conflict continued until 1996, when the Taliban, a militia backed by Pakistan, seized control of Kabul, established the Islamic State of Afghanistan, and introduced a hard-line version of
Islam which restricted human rights.
1998- US involvement
USA launched missile strikes at suspected bases of Osama Bin Laden, who was accused of bombing US embassies in Africa.
2001- A Northern Alliance Assassination
Ahmad Shah Massoud, commander of the Northern Alliance, an anti-Taliban coalition, is assassinated by al-Qaeda operatives, which deals a harsh blow to the Taliban resistance efforts.
2001- 9/11
Close to three thousand people in the US died in these attacks, where four commercial airliners were hijacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists and crashed. The US invasion of Afghanistan followed a month later, where The U.S. military, with British support, began a bombing campaign against
Taliban forces, who were providing a safe base for Al-Qaeda. They succeeded in removing the
Taliban from power, as they gave up their last stronghold in December.
2002- ISAF
The UN Security Council deployed the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a NATO led security mission to provide basic security for the people of Afghanistan and assist the interim administration.
2010- The Dutch Call Quits
Netherlands is the first country to announce withdrawal of its troops in Afghanistan.
2011- Osama Bin Laden Killed
Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, responsible for the 9/11 attacks, is killed by U.S. forces in
Pakistan.
2012- Kandahar massacre
US Army Sgt Robert Bales is accused of killing 16 civilians and wounding 6 others in an armed rampage in the Panjwai district of Kandahar.
2012- NATO Withdrawal Plan
Leaders in NATO summit endorse the plan to withdraw foreign combat troops by the end of
2014.
2012 – Aid
Tokyo donor conference pledges $16bn in civilian aid to Afghanistan up to 2016, with US,
Japan, Germany and UK being the biggest contributors.
2014 –ISAF is No More
On December 28th, NATO formally ends its 13-year combat mission in Afghanistan, transferring full security responsibility to the Afghan government. As ISAF’s successor, the
NATO-led Operation Resolute Support was formed the same day. Despite the official end to
ISAF's combat role, violence persisted across much of the country, with 2014 said to be the bloodiest year in Afghanistan since 2001.
2015- Postponed
US President Barack Obama announces that his country will delay its troop withdrawal from
Afghanistan, following a request from President Ashraf Ghani.
2017 -IS and US
Rise in Islamic State activities reported in a number of northern and southern provinces. The
United States drops its most powerful non-nuclear bomb, colloquially known as “the mother of all bombs,” on suspected Islamic State militants at a cave complex in eastern Nangarhar
Province.
2018- Taliban Reemerges
Bomb-laden ambulance explodes in Kabul, killing more than 100 people, one of ongoing attacks attributed to the Taliban. It is thought to be in response to Trump’s Afghanistan plan, which included deploying more troops across rural Afghanistan.
2019- Possibility of Peace
On 25 February 2019, prolonged peace talks began between the Taliban and the United States in
Qatar, aimed at finding a political settlement with the insurgent group and ending the war in
Afghanistan.
V. Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue ➢ 1988- Geneva Accords Set of agreements signed between Pakistan and Afghanistan, provided the Soviet Union carries out its troop withdrawal as promised. ➢ 1999 - Sanctions UN imposes an air embargo and financial sanctions to force Afghanistan to hand over Osama bin Laden for trial. ➢ 2001- Bonn Agreement Aimed at re-creating the State of Afghanistan after the US invasion, it brought together different Afghan groups, established an Interim Authority, and called for the UN to assist in the formation of a national army. ➢ 2006- International Conference on Afghanistan, London It centered around developing international cooperation with Afghanistan, resulting in a political commitment, The Afghanistan Compact, which advocated for increased security, drug reduction, and economic and social development among many others. ➢ 2019- US Relaunches Peace Talks with Taliban US representatives meet with insurgent negotiators in Doha, Qatar; where they are based.
VI. Relevant United Nation Documents & Other Sources ● United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
● 1951 Refugee Convention
● Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-establishment of
Permanent Government Institutions
● Declaration of the International Conference in Support of Afghanistan
● Resolution 1390 (2002)
VII. Questions to Consider
❏ Which countries have major stances on the topic and what have they done ?
❏ Why were previous peace talks seized ?
❏ Have the Taliban or neighboring organizations broken treaties ?
❏ How will Afghanistan look like after the abandonment of the US in the region?
❏ What was done previously in terror stricken countries ?
❏ How important is foreign involvement in the region ?
❏ Should foreign aid and intervention be reduced or augmented ?
❏ How can foreign involvement help Afghanistan economically ?
❏ How can foreign involvement help Afghanistan socially ?
❏ What war crimes have been committed and who should be held responsible?
VIII. Possible Solutions ● A possible solution to the problem would be to integrate Afghani military leaders in the
peace talks between the US and the Taliban so that they are well aware of as well as have
a say in the future of their country. This is very important, because currently, the Afghani
officials don’t lead the content talks between the Americans and the Taliban and this will
help start a gradual shift of power from the US and the Taliban to Afghanistan.
● Youth awareness and education programs are a good side solution. Many youngsters
throughout the nation are being attracted to the Taliban. This is a dangerous element as
this will fuel the followers of this blind faith and will not solve the problem from its
roots. New awareness programs will help teach these kids to think about their future from
an early age, and teach about the importance of life, and how they can make good and
productive use of it.
● Include the ECOSOC to help in the formation and availability of jobs in the country. One
of the reasons, the Taliban is a popular option for people is due to the lack of employment
and this act will try to weaken that factor. A safe and reliable source of employment will
lead to less dependence on these terrorist organizations. This will also help lift the
country economically and stabilize it.
● Hindering other countries to take part in these discussions and to be a part of the business
of Afghanistan. This step is very important as this will be the backbone of the solution to
be discussed. As aforementioned, many countries are being affected by the political
turmoil in the region and this step will stop them from taking any significant action.
● Another widely supported solution can be the waging of war. The Taliban has been a
major troublemaker in the region and sometimes the only solution to these problems is
war. A solution hinted towards a lot by the international committee can be the waging of
war against the Taliban where major world powers will send military and end the Taliban
once and for all.
● Stopping US interaction with the Taliban can be another way to go about the problem.
Many Afghani soldiers believe that it is important for Afghanistan to be in control and
this can easily be done if the US is substituted out of the equation. This might affect
Afghan-American relations but it may have a long lasting effect on the problem.
● A solution advocated by the other members of the UN is the participation of other
countries in the peace talks between the US and Taliban and them proposing new
solutions as well as stationing their armies in the region. As stated above, many countries
are more than eager to come and join the war zone and help eradicate the problem.
IX. Conclusion
More than 2 million war deaths have occurred since 1978 as the Afghanistan conflict
persists decades later. Delegates must devise a solution which investigates the question of
foreign involvement in Afghanistan, incriminating or absolving those responsible for war
crimes, rebuilding Afghanistan in all aspects, and dealing with the remaining terrorist
groups to finally find peace in country where it seemed impossible. The focus should be
primarily military and weapons based, seeing as it is DISEC.
Works Cited
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Atlantic Council, Atlantic Council, 20 Aug. 2019, www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/getting-peace-right-in-afghanistan-a-political-solu tion-to-a-military-problem/.
“Afghanistan: Introduction.” >> GlobalEDGE: Your Source for Global Business Knowledge, globaledge.msu.edu/countries/afghanistan.
Felbab-Brown, Vanda. “Pakistan's Relations with Afghanistan and Implications for Regional
Politics.” Brookings, Brookings, 28 July 2016, www.brookings.edu/research/pakistans-relations-with-afghanistan-and-implications-for-re
gional-politics/.
“MMP: Afghan Taliban.” FSI, cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/mappingmilitants/profiles/afghan-taliban#text_block_16833.
“National Security versus Global Security | UN Chronicle.” United Nations, United Nations, unchronicle.un.org/article/national-security-versus-global-security.
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