'Civilian Surge' Part of New Afghan Plan

Hundreds of diplomats may be sent along with troops

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted Mar 18, 2009 4:52 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama’s new Afghanistan policy may include stationing more diplomats and civilians there, officials tell the Washington Post. Obama’s national security advisers are expected to present a plan next week that would send hundreds of government officials from departments like Agriculture and Justice, along with temps yet to be hired, to broaden and complement the Afghanistan-Pakistan war strategy.

The civilian surge would complement military efforts to make Afghanistan secure enough that it’s no longer a launching pad for global terrorism. Tapped to lead the expansion are Peter Galbraith, who would serve as deputy to the top UN official there, and Francis Ricciardone Jr., who would be the US embassy’s deputy ambassador. The proposal indicates that an Afghanistan exit strategy remains years away, an official notes.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

A US soldier destroys opium poppies growing in a field during a patrol with Afghan police in the Khost province of Afghanistan. The civilian surge would complement efforts by US and NATO troops. (AP Photo)

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, waves as he and Afghan President Hamid Karzai leave after a joint press conference. A surge in American diplomats to Afghanistan is being considered. (AP Photo)

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guteress, right, shakes hand with returned Afghan refugees near Kabul. A civilian surge would complement military efforts there, US officials say. (AP Photo)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

This is a big deal. The Bush administration undermined and ignored the UN, and we minimized our influence. - A senior US official

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Obama Praises Afghan, Pakistan Commitments

Delicate diplomacy ends with unified resolve to fight militants

(AP) - President Obama said he got the commitments he wanted today from the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan to more aggressively fight militants gaining power and sowing violence inside their countries' borders. The high-stakes diplomacy had Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai and Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari meeting with officials separately and together. Looming over talks was a recent bombing that killed Afghan civilians, for which Obama apologized. More»

US Maneuvers to Name Afghan Prime Minister

Part of America's 'exit strategy'

(NEWSER) - The US is planning to place a prime minister in the Afghanistan government to bypass corruption-tainted President Hamid Karzai, reports the Guardian. American authorities, backed by European allies, also plan to divert money to the provinces away from Karzai control. US officials have grown increasingly disillusioned with the current government and believe Karzai will be reelected. "Karzai is not delivering. If we are going to support his government, it has to be run properly," said an official. More»

Obama Tactic on Pakistan, Afghanistan: Fingers Crossed

Pakistan will become key to US approach there

(NEWSER) - President Obama is bringing hope to conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan—but along the lines of hoping something good happens, Joe Klein writes in Time. A policy review is underway, but it seems the administration’s approach will be to “hope that the disintegration of Afghanistan can be prevented while waiting—and hoping—for the Pakistanis to take effective action,” says Klein, though that sounds “impossible but unavoidable.” More»

Clinton Seeks World Meeting on Afghanistan

High-level conference would develop 'common way forward'

(AP) - Hillary Clinton has proposed a high-level international conference on Afghanistan sponsored by the United Nations and attended by a wide range of countries including Pakistan and NATO allies. The secretary of State presented the proposal at a NATO meeting in Brussels, where she said the session could be held March 31. More»

US Drones Return to Hit Rescuers, Funerals

Strikes occurring every 4 days under Obama: report

(NEWSER) - A few days back, President Obama said that US drone attacks in Pakistan had "not caused a huge number of civilian casualties." But a Bureau of Investigative Journalism report finds that somewhere between 282 and 535 civilians, including 60 children, have been "credibly reported" killed in the campaign. Secondary strikes target groups of rescuers shortly after attacks, while other drones have killed dozens at funerals. Obama has drastically escalated the drone program; some 260 strikes have occurred an average of once every four days under his administration. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

'Civilian Surge' Part of New Afghan Plan