David Miliband

War Child

On 19 October War Child, the international children’s charity, release a single, “I Got Soul”. The idea is to raise the issue of child soldiers, the effects of war, and the work War Child does with children in Iraq, Afghanistan, DRC and Uganda. The song is based on the memorable Killers line “I got soul, but I’m not a soldier” and all the artists recording it are big names in the UK’s urban scene. I must confess Grime doesn’t get a lot of play in the Miliband household, but I'm sure this will be a big hit and will raise awareness about these conflicts.

Posted at 10:21 14 October 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

Don't Try To Arrest The Sea

Its worth reading the article of the above name at smallwarsjournal.com by a serving Pakistan army major currently in the US on study leave. It's about Afghanistan and it's not a panacea - but it's got some useful corrective points to a lot of the debate.

Most important is that alongside military and civil effect, the two sides of the comprehensive approach, he stresses localisation of implementation. This was a theme of the PM's statement to parliament in December 2007 . And the idea of building up islands of protection, growth and service provision is evidenced in important districts of Helmand.

Posted at 12:23 13 October 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

Afghanistan Debate

The Prime Minister's comprehensive explanation of the situation and the strategy yesterday is important. Our view is that while the aim is a transition to full Afghan control, this cannot be done from thousands of miles distance. Afghans need to lead; the Afghan constitution needs to provide the framework; Afghan politics needs to take over; but all of that needs our military and civilian support.

The Government strongly welcomes more debate about the situation in Afghanistan - why we are there, what we and others are doing, how we achieve the transition to greater Afghan self sufficiency especially on the security side. There are no easy answers, but balances of light and shade in a diverse country.
      
The debate in Europe and the US does not respect traditional political dividing lines. There is a good example of this in the following articles in the US. You can judge for yourself where you stand. George Will  comes from the right: he wants to rely on drone attacks and an "offshore" strategy to defend America. The Wall Street Journal editorial of 3 September is a strong rebuttal  and explains why an offshore strategy won't work. Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations on 2 September gave further ammunition on this in the same paper.  Finally David Ignatius of the Washington Post thought there was a middle way on 2 September.

Petraeus on reconciliation

Michael Gerson's article in  yesterday's (4 September) Washington Post  has an important insight into US modern military thinking in his quotation from General Petraeus on reconciliation as a political counterpart to military attacks on the insurgency.  Worth reading to see how counter insurgency is not the same as counter terrorist strategy.

 

Posted at 19:02 05 September 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

The latest UN figures of opium production in Afghanistan are important. They show a 22 percent fall nationally in poppy cultivation (following a 19 percent decrease last year), and a 33 percent fall in Helmand for 2009. Higher wheat prices, relatively low opium prices, counter narcotics activity, and localised improvements in security have driven this improved performance. Governor Mangal has developed an innovative 'Food Zone' programme that explains a significant part of this change, comprising public information aimed at farmers, wheat seed distribution to 32,000 households, and law enforcement.

We are eight years into a programme to sustainably tackle the drugs trade. The combination of market forces and security is making a difference.

Posted at 12:16 02 September 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[9]

Afghanistan: Comprehensive approach

Today saw the end of a key phase in UK military operations in Helmand.  The bravery and skill of our forces has been exceptional.  Their aim, successfully achieved, was to allow 80000 or so Afghans to vote in the elections next month.

The new Afghan government will have big challenges.  It needs to be credible and to deliver effective governance: national, regional and local.  Because it has to start peeling away the layers of the insurgency - the bet-hedgers and the allies of convenience - from the hard core who will never enter politics. My speech today at NATO HQ sets this out in detail.

Posted at 17:37 27 July 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

United effort in Afghanistan

The Italian chairmanship of the G8 group of industrialised countries brought over 40 delegations to Trieste to forge common ideas on Afghanistan and Pakistan.  For Afghanistan, I stressed the importance of credible elections on 20 August. We do not support any particular one (of the 41) candidates but instead are working for a process that commands the confidence of Afghans.  On the civilian side I emphasised: a) governance at provincial and district level; b) reconciliation of former Taliban willing to live by the constitution; and c) the economy and especially the renewal of agriculture.
The leadership in Pakistan has succesfully reached out across the political spectrum to rally popular opinion behind a surge in military activity against the militants.  The people and government of Pakistan need our help to support and then resettle internally-displaced persons as soon as possible.
Strong and credible political leadership is the best antidote to the fear of the war-weary people of both countries. That is what we are trying to support.

Posted at 19:44 27 June 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

Armed Forces Day

The bravery, intelligence and sacrifices of our armed forces have been given appropriate coverage this week through the media's focus on Afghanistan.  Armed Forces Day gives official recognition and hopefully raises understanding and pride.  It is also a chance to raise extra money for the Help for Heroes charity - the attached link gives details of the run along the Kabul Wall by the British ambassador and the leading British officer, General Dutton. http://www.justgiving.com/H4H-Ambassador-General.

Posted at 19:37 27 June 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[3]

Afghanistan & Opium

Encouraging news from Afghanistan:  farmers are switching from poppy cultivation to other crops.  Economics, better security and access to markets are helping them make this choice.  The high price of wheat - driven by international markets, local shortages and a Pakistani export ban - has been a strong incentive for farmers to grow food crops for their own needs and for trading.  Meanwhile years of over-supplying opium, together with its high labour cost, has made poppy cultivation less attractive. 

And it's encouraging that the Afghan government - with international support - is working to strengthen licit rural markets.  Most of the north and east of Afghanistan has now been declared 'poppy free' by the UN's Office of Drugs and Crime. 

What we need to do now is to sustain this progress while the economics are in farmers' favour.  Wheat prices are starting to fall from their 2008 peak.

It is urgent that agricultural development continues - and the UK is stepping up its support.  But there's still a long way to go in the insecure south, especially Helmand, where farmers continue to grow poppy because they cannot access markets for legal crops.  With the insurgency tapping this illegal crop for its own ends, and inadequate law and order, a vicious circle has been created - which we are working hard to break

Posted at 13:46 27 May 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

A way forward in Afghanistan

There has been much talk recently about whether we are 'winning' in Afghanistan. The question isn't as simple as it might seem, some things go well, others less so. As I've said before defeating the insurgency will not be achieved by military means alone. Renewed US focus on Afghanistan, and their commitment of 17,000 additional troops, is very welcome. But troops alone will never be enough.

As ISAF Commander General McKiernan said on Radio 4 this week, to achieve lasting stability, military efforts must be matched on the civilian side. Economic development and a workable reconciliation strategy are as crucial as boots on the ground when it comes to dismantling the insurgency.  He also went out of his way to praise British efforts in Helmand. 

The way we and our international partners work in Helmand - drawing together contributions from both military and civilian experts - is increasingly seen as a offering insight into the way ahead, despite the ferocity of insurgent attacks.
                                                                                                                                                      
We are encouraging others to do more where they can, whether in military or civilian terms. But the two have to go together; allied to the recommendations President Obama has advocated.

Posted at 16:38 13 March 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[10]

Reviewing the Mission

I am on my fourth visit to Afghanistan.  This country of extreme poverty and danger now has 41 nations contributing military support to the government - I was told Italy added 500 troops today, and President Obama  announced 17 000 more. Over sixty are contributing to the civil effort - aid, economic development, social and governmental capacity.

I flew into Lashkar Gah on Tuesday.  This is the heart of the Helmand Valley, one of the targets of the insurgency, home of the integrated civilian/military headquarters of British operations in the South.  The announcement of further deaths of British soldiers brings home the sacrifice and the bravery of what is being done here.  Every single person I talked to said that without outside help the place and the government would be overrun.  The Dutch Commander of the whole of the coalition's effort in the South told me that people underestimated the scale of what was being achieved by the intelligence and dedication of British troops.  And the relief and turnaround of Nad Ali  is a major achievement.

I have been asked if American reinforcements are a sign of failure.  This is rubbish.  They are a sign of the scale of what is being done and its importance. Americans cleared Garmsir where I walked through the bazaar in November and now British troops work with the Afghan National Army.  British troops are not in competition with American troops; they are working together with Afghan troops in competition/combat with a determined insurgency that is umbilically linked to the drugs trade.

Our objectives have always been clear: to prevent Al Qaeda re-inserting itself, to hold back the insurgency and to build Afghan capacity to defend themselves.  We don't want to be here in combat operations any longer than it takes to stand up the Afghan force.  That is the heart of the American review and we are contributing to it.

Posted at 13:13 19 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[1]

Who's in Guv'nor?

I have met two provincial governors with good stories to tell in Afghanistan in the last couple of days, one supported by British-led international forces and the other by American forces.  Governor Mangal in Helmand is working in the teeth of the insurgency to bring order and hope.  His wheat seed distribution programme is giving farmers a decent living and cutting poppy production.  His reputation for honesty is giving hope to people.  His strong political outreach programme at district level is rallying people behind legitimate government.  In Kunar, Governor Wahidi has sacked corrupt officials and driven economic development.  Construction work on the road alongside the Kunar River has driven back the insurgency - "where the road ends the insurgency starts".  

Both men give a different perspective on Afghanistan. Not one score - winning or losing - but a much more mixed picture with a very clear lesson.  Afghanistan has 34 provinces and 398 districts.  Afghan leadership means nothing unless there are strong provincial governors in every province.  They are the front line - part bureaucrat, part politician, part rallying point, part arbitrator.  They make or break the promise of Afghanisation.

Posted at 13:12 19 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[1]

From Bucharest to Brussels

I am writing this at NATO headquarters where foreign ministers are debating NATO-Russia relations as well as Afghanistan and other issues. The invasion of Georgia is raw. That rawness affects the important discussion of how the NATO aspirations of Ukraine and Georgia are taken forward.

NATO makes a speciality of the 'narcissism of small differences' as I said in my contribution this afternoon. But the differences over tactics should not obscure unanimity that NATO needs to support the capacity-building needs of potential members. Nor that there is agreement across NATO that hard headed engagement with Russia is necessary. But as one of the ministers said, "engagement is an activity not a policy". The engagement is for a purpose - and that purpose must be stability in the relations between Russia and countries on its border (and the EU).

NATO membership is a long-term prospect by any stretch; NATO's membership criteria are standards-based and those standards will be upheld. But it is right to implement the conclusions agreed by heads at Bucharest in April. That is what we are doing.

Posted at 12:29 03 December 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

En route to Helmand

Kabul now has blackberry coverage. This is written on the way to Kabul airport. I am travelling to Lashkar Gar with Foreign Minister Spanta - to meet British diplomats and military personnel as well as units of the Afghan National Army.

The news of a further British death in the north of Helmand - the victim of an explosive device - shows how much we ask of our people. This country needs us until they have security forces that can repel Taleban attacks on the integrity of the state. So the mission is clearly defined; and so is the rationale - that Afghanistan was an incubator for terrorism in the 1990s with disastrous effects. I tried to use an interview with the Today programme to set out in an open way the dilemmas and difficulties but also the forward strategy:  

Posted at 22:58 25 November 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[11]

EU and US: focussing on working together

Despite the impression given by some press reports this morning, EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Marseilles agreed our own priorities for joint work with a new US administration, including Middle East Peace Process and Afghanistan/Pakistan. Not a shopping list of asks, still less demands. The focus is on how the transatlantic alliance can work together. And that means Europe living up to its responsibilities. And we have not written an open letter.

Posted at 10:00 04 November 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

Progress, setbacks, and what counts as "winning" in Afghanistan

The attempt to twist what UK Commander Brigadier Carleton Smith has said about the situation in Afghanistan is a real pity.  His comments are an honest and compelling attempt to engage with the reality of how to deal with a counter-insurgency.  Defeating the Taleban's attempt to usurp the government of Afghanistan is a vital project; in seven years it has made real progress; but it is not the same as killing every Taleban; and it comes at a cost in human life and also setbacks.  The Taleban have suffered serious military defeats but they retain the power to attack on an insurgent and deadly basis.  These are all part of Afghanistan's complexity.  Success means the Afghan people building the institutions that will sustain themselves and preserve their (and our) security

Posted at 17:47 07 October 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]