Gaining people's trust important in Afghanistan

The manner in which the situation in Afghanistan is addressed today will determine the country's future. Any military operation in the country can only achieve its objectives if the overall situation is taken into consideration. The US army has launched one of its biggest offensives against the Taliban in the southern Helmand province.

The offensive involves American and Afghan troops supported by Nato planes. According to the Americans, this operation is different from any other carried out before because of its size and scale.

This is the first major operation to be carried out during the presidency of Barack Obama. With this, it is hoped that the Taliban insurgency will be brought to an end. Hence, the significance of the current operation is not limited to the goals it is trying to achieve, but also in terms of the final outcome and how this will affect the country's future.

Brigadier General Larry Nicholson, the man commanding the US Marines, has stated that one of the critical goals is to win the trust of the people. "Where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces," he said.

The problem with the situation in Afghanistan is that it has never been addressed in its totality. The danger of a large-scale spread of violence is a consequence that the international community cannot afford given the ramifications beyond the country's borders.

Hence it is crucial that the situation is not addressed only within military confines. Nation-building is a difficult task and will prove to be an even greater challenge in Afghanistan.