U.N. sees progress for Afghanistan in 2009; Awakening tense in Iraq

2009 a turning point for Afghanistan

This year could be a turning point for Afghanistan as the country moves ahead on several fronts overshadowed by the looming insurgency, U.N. officials say.

Kai Eide, the U.N. special envoy to Afghanistan, spoke to NATO officials in Norway on developments in Afghanistan, saying 2009 was a crucial year for the war-torn nation.

"If we can manage to strengthen the positive work now under way, and implement what we have agreed on, if additional troops can bring the insurgency on the defensive and if we can hold elections that have the credibility required to be accepted by the population at large, then 2009 could well be a turning point," he said.

He hailed what he called "new energy" from U.S. President Barack Obama to tackle the Afghan situation as Washington embraces a counterinsurgency strategy there that couples military operations with state reconstruction, a strategy modeled after the so-called surge in Iraq.

Eide, however, called for "broad" engagement from the international community while urging Afghans to participate fully in the development of their country.

"That sense of ownership is critical," he said.

He went on to highlight Afghan developments overshadowed by the regional conflict, notably in the agricultural sector and in police reform.

On poppy cultivation, Eide said the problem was isolated to areas in the southern provinces and no longer "an Afghanistan-wide phenomenon."

He made special note of warning international forces to avoid civilian casualties or risk losing the support of the Afghan people.

Al-Qaida strong in Helmand province

An al-Qaida paramilitary force in Afghanistan is using training camps in Helmand province to carry out attacks against U.S. and Afghan forces, sources say.

A paramilitary force known as the Shadow Army, or Lashkar al-Zil, is training in Taliban-controlled areas in the north of Helmand province. Fighters are then sent on missions targeting U.S. and Afghan forces in neighboring provinces, military and civilian sources told The Long War Journal.

Helmand province has seen intense fighting in recent weeks as U.S. and international forces plan to inject thousands of additional troops into southern Afghanistan as part of a revamped effort to turn the tide there.

The mountainous regions of northern Helmand, however, lack any significant military presence, creating an isolated stronghold for al-Qaida and Taliban militants.

Though Afghan and U.S.-led forces have carried out raids in the north of Helmand, reports say insurgents are able to move back into the region once military operations have concluded.

Fighting in the southern Helmand province is expected to increase as U.S. military forces deploy to the region.

Iran expects more trilateral AFPAK meetings

Afghan and Pakistani leaders agreed to hold additional trilateral talks with Iran and expressed support for including Tehran at a regional summit.

Tehran hosted Afghan and Pakistani leaders during the weekend for a trilateral summit concerning regional stability. Iran has moved independently to help tackle looming issues in Afghanistan, notably the drug trade.

Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta told the Fars News Agency that Iran was welcomed at a G8 summit in Rome scheduled to weigh in on the security challenges in Afghanistan.

"I hope Mr. Mottaki (the Iranian foreign Minister) finds time to attend the meeting," he said.

Meanwhile, the interior ministers of the three countries agreed to hold further talks in Islamabad to discuss the sharing of intelligence to coordinate counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics efforts.

Afghan government spokesman Mohammad-Homayoun Hamidzadeh, for his part, said Kabul was interested in additional meetings between Afghan, Pakistani and Iranian intelligence officials to tackle regional issues.

Tehran has moved aggressively to stem the tide of illicit narcotics crossing its border from Afghanistan. Iran struggles with a growing number of heroin addicts and rates of HIV infections related to drug use.

U.S. officials, meanwhile, claim Iran is supplying Taliban insurgents with materials used to manufacture improvised explosive devices for use against international forces in Afghanistan.

Sunni groups grow weary with Baghdad

The Sunni-led Awakening Councils and their Sons of Iraq forces risk fracture as the Iraqi government struggles with payments and support for the groups.

The Awakening Councils emerged from Sunni tribal leaders in the restive western province of Anbar as al-Qaida gained power in the wake of the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. The U.S. military embraced the former insurgents in the Sons of Iraq as a paramilitary force employed as part of the counterinsurgency strategy dubbed the surge.

The U.S. military handed over responsibility of the SOI last year to the Iraqi government, though Baghdad struggled with payments amid budget cuts. Meanwhile, distrust and allegations of criminal ties prompted the arrest of several leaders in the Awakening Councils.

With Baghdad embracing its autonomy, however, Awakening elders say they fear the Shiite government is targeting the Sunni group as its leaders express mounting frustration.

"The heads of (the group) are beginning to feel it would have been better to stay with al-Qaida," Awakening leader Ali Hatem Sulaiman told USA Today.

Iraqi and U.S. officials, however, say Baghdad has improved its management of the Sunni-led group. U.S. military reports say some districts in the capital have reduced the number of payment delays by 90 percent in the past month, adding budget and bureaucratic problems have been resolved.

Diyala government resumes operations

The government in the eastern Iraqi province of Diyala returned to work following the arrest of a Sunni lawmaker on terrorism charges.

Iraqi security forces last week arrested Abdul Jabar Ali Ibrahim al-Khazraji, the head of the Sunni Accordance Front in Diyala, on charges of terrorism.

The Accordance Front took control over the Diyala government with a victory in the January provincial elections, taking more than 30 percent of the council seats.

The Diyala government decided on May 19 to suspend operations until Khazraji was released from custody. Though it was unclear if the Sunni leader was freed, the Diyala council returned to work earlier this week.

Provincial leaders, however, said the government in Diyala is still handicapped over a variety of disagreements between various ruling factions, the Voices of Iraq news agency reports.

Diyala province lies at the heart of the so-called disputed Kurdish territories. Clashes over authority in the northern city of Khanaqin pitted the Kurdish Peshmerga unit against Iraq forces last year, though the disputes fell just short of conflict.

Meanwhile, Peshmerga leaders say they were tasked with securing the borders of the three Kurdish provinces -- Erbil, Dahuk and Sulaimaniya -- for the July 25 parliamentary elections for the Kurdistan Regional Government.

EU, Iraq move on formal ties

European and Iraqi leaders expect to emerge from bilateral discussions this week one step closer to the conclusion of a partnership and cooperation agreement.

Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Haj Hammoud met with Hugues Mingarelli, deputy chief of external relations for the European Commission, for two days of negotiations that concluded Wednesday.

The aim of the bilateral negotiations, launched in November 2006, is to formalize trade agreements between Iraq and the European Union and bring Iraq into the international economy.

The European Commission has committed $1.3 trillion to Iraqi reconstruction since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, focusing on democratic development and basic services.

The agreement on bilateral political and economic dialogue will be the first such agreement reached between the European Union and Iraq.

Previous negotiations included provisions related to counter-terrorism and the control of weapons of mass destruction.

The meeting is the eighth round of bilateral talks.

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(dgraeber@upi.com)