BEYOND ARMED STABILIZATION IN AFGHANISTAN: POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT

There is a famous proverb that ordinary Afghans believe in: “we cannot wash blood with blood.” This takes us to see what the other side of stabilization means in Afghanistan. Historically, it is evident that the military-focused strategy by the state or any occupying power in the country has not made headway or reached the intended goal. The key questions are how and by which means the growing instability should be addressed in Afghanistan, and, will the new leading military strategy improve the situation and restore the minimum stability required for development programs in the fi eld? After eight years of international engagement in Afghanistan, many have doubts about the future of the war against terror and state-building efforts in Afghanistan. Both the government and the international community have created a perception of lack of legitimacy among the public and lack of interest for longterm investments in Afghanistan. Afghans feel that they are not part of the calculation in the development process, as the identifi ed targets are narrowed down to the war against terror or, more recently, to a counterinsurgency focus.