The neighboring countries of Afghanistan realize that the Taliban are gaining and NATO is losing, said today in Madrid, the Pakistani journalist and writer Ahmed Rashid, who advocates a change "serious" in Western strategy in this Asian country.
"The tragedy is that the perception among the Taliban and the region, is that the Taliban are gaining and NATO is losing," said Ahmed Rashid, one of the world's leading experts on Afghanistan and which now receive in the Spanish capital Casa Asia Award 2008 by his knowledge of Central Asia.
"The perceptions are sometimes more important than the reality. If the people believe that you lose, you will not support," he added.
In an interview with AFP, the expert argued that the real situation is "very close" and held perception that needed a major shift of strategy in Afghanistan, including a greater commitment on the part of States military presence in this Asian country.
In that sense, emphasized that the United States, which want to send 20,000 new troops to Afghanistan in the spring, also ask their partners a larger war effort.
Rashid argued that the "main message" of the vice president-elect of the U.S., Joseph Biden, who plans to travel Europe carried out after assuming the office will ask for more troops to Afghanistan.
In addition to the troops, the reorientation of strategy in this country is to negotiate with neighboring states such as Pakistan or Iran, establish better coordination of aid and greater demands for the government of Hamid Karzai on issues such as combating corruption or the drug trafficking, he stressed.
Such a strategy should, in his opinion, be carried out in a joint fashion by the United States and Europe and should have a regional focus, because "the Taliban are an Afghan phenomenon, but regional" since has become "a model of extremism throughout the region "and a danger" enormous ".
Faced with this demand for a greater military effort in Afghanistan from the North American elected president, Barack Obama, Spain "can not afford to" say no ", according to Pakistani journalist and writer.
The Nato Force who directs the International Security Assistance (ISAF) in Afghanistan demanded an expansion of multinational troops in the Asian country in the face of increased Taliban attacks.
Since the early presence Spain in Afghanistan, 87 soldiers died, including 62 who died in a plane crash in Turkey to return to their mission.
For Rashid, this is an issue "critical" and crucial for Spain in its foreign relations.
In his view, the Spanish government has several options: one, you can remove the current restrictions so that its troops participating in combat operations, and the other, send more equipment for troops, out that what is required is "equipment for the fight, not to keep the peace."
The third option would send more troops, although Ahmed Rashid insist that what is needed are troops for the fight.
"The tragedy is that the perception among the Taliban and the region, is that the Taliban are gaining and NATO is losing," said Ahmed Rashid, one of the world's leading experts on Afghanistan and which now receive in the Spanish capital Casa Asia Award 2008 by his knowledge of Central Asia.
"The perceptions are sometimes more important than the reality. If the people believe that you lose, you will not support," he added.
In an interview with AFP, the expert argued that the real situation is "very close" and held perception that needed a major shift of strategy in Afghanistan, including a greater commitment on the part of States military presence in this Asian country.
In that sense, emphasized that the United States, which want to send 20,000 new troops to Afghanistan in the spring, also ask their partners a larger war effort.
Rashid argued that the "main message" of the vice president-elect of the U.S., Joseph Biden, who plans to travel Europe carried out after assuming the office will ask for more troops to Afghanistan.
In addition to the troops, the reorientation of strategy in this country is to negotiate with neighboring states such as Pakistan or Iran, establish better coordination of aid and greater demands for the government of Hamid Karzai on issues such as combating corruption or the drug trafficking, he stressed.
Such a strategy should, in his opinion, be carried out in a joint fashion by the United States and Europe and should have a regional focus, because "the Taliban are an Afghan phenomenon, but regional" since has become "a model of extremism throughout the region "and a danger" enormous ".
Faced with this demand for a greater military effort in Afghanistan from the North American elected president, Barack Obama, Spain "can not afford to" say no ", according to Pakistani journalist and writer.
The Nato Force who directs the International Security Assistance (ISAF) in Afghanistan demanded an expansion of multinational troops in the Asian country in the face of increased Taliban attacks.
Since the early presence Spain in Afghanistan, 87 soldiers died, including 62 who died in a plane crash in Turkey to return to their mission.
For Rashid, this is an issue "critical" and crucial for Spain in its foreign relations.
In his view, the Spanish government has several options: one, you can remove the current restrictions so that its troops participating in combat operations, and the other, send more equipment for troops, out that what is required is "equipment for the fight, not to keep the peace."
The third option would send more troops, although Ahmed Rashid insist that what is needed are troops for the fight.
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