From Conflict to Reconstruction : the Possible of an Impossible Conflict Resolution <Article>

Insecurity in post-9/11 Afghanistan continues to be a major obstacle in achieving postconflict domestic stability and security. At the heart of this security challenge is a three-decade old intra-state armed conflict that is still battling the postconflict reconstruction strategy to deliver a "peace dividend" - one that gains the Afghan population's trust by convincing them that it is their strategy that will ultimately serve the people's interests. Understanding postconflict reconstruction as a peacebuilding strategy where most of the available resources are focused on containing violence rather than addressing the roots causes of intra-Afghan unresolved conflict, this paper critically examines the framework of Afghanistan's postconflict reconstruction strategy starting from the Bonn Agreement. Afghanistan's ability to resolve its intra-Afghan armed conflict is considered to be a crucial factor in boosting Afghan domestic stability, regional security and thwarting transnational terrorism. I have a high opinion of the conclusion of this article as follows: the driving rationale behind this background is the question over whether internationally recognized efforts to bring stability are really facilitating conflict resolution. We argue that the postconflict situation represents a unique period where the opportunity to emerge as a stable society and the danger to revert into chaos overlap. Understanding the true nature of the Afghan intra-state conflict dynamics is critical.