NATO Afghann Students Forum IV - 2nd Day
Tuesday 10th November
Today the participants on the Fourth NATO Afghan Students Forum attended their first round table at the German Chancellery where they were able to discuss German participation in NATO and Afghanistan. This discussion board was hosted by Martin Krüger of the German military Forces. After his explanation of the actual role of Germany in the ISAF, he faced the interrogation by the students of the forum. The training and preparation of NATO soldiers was questioned, as well as the success of NATO operations in the area.
After a short trip back to Hertie school by taxi. The participants engaged an intense discussion by video conference with Admiral Di Paola, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. The difficult situation for the elections and the actual relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan were discussed. The participants also inquired about the end of the war and NATO presence in the country. This took the conversation into a reminder of the objectives of the ISAF: to provide stabile conditions for the Afghani to seize complete control over the situation. When this would be, the Admiral could not answer.
The day continued with the western section of the students. In their presentation they exposed their research on public opinion about the Afghan conflict in their countries. It was a great occasion to confront the questions from their Asian colleagues and topics like the controversy created by Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons published in Danish newspapers in 2005; moving the subject to the importance of freedom of press and criticism towards present and sensible conflicts.
The second videoconference of the forum was addressed to the United States Ambassador to NATO, Mister Ivo Daalder. He explained in details the new policies of the US in the area, which are still the defeat of Al-Qaeda and also the development of a strong Afghan Government. However, the military presence will be reduced and the investment in infrastructure will reach an amount of 2,8 billion dollars. The discussion continued with questions about the reconciliation between the insurgents and the Afghanistan Government. The ambassador assured that NATO and United States can only support this process, which must be delivered by the Afghan government. The students from the areas concern about the civilian casualties caused by NATO and US attacks was also stated.
This conference put an end to the forum for the day, which held a feeling of dissatisfaction towards the eight years of external military intervention in the area, as reflected in the questions of the Forum participants in this second session of the Fourth NATO Afghan Studens Forum.
