Chapter 2: South Asia
Afghanistan: Overview
Facts
/ Geography, Climate / Cities
/ Posture Statement Excerpt
Leadership
/ System Essentials / Infrastructure
/ Population / Fielded Forces
/ Table of Contents
A land-locked country in south-western Asia, the principle geographic features of Afghanistan are harsh deserts and rugged mountains. Natural hazards include earthquakes (one measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale occurred in the Hindu Kush mountains in 1991) and occasional flooding.
Afghanistan's climate is mostly dry, with cold winters and hot summers. The temperature on the arid plains of the southwest can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. However, in the winter, the mercury can fall to -15 degrees Fahrenheit in Hindu Kush mountains of the north-east.
Afghanistan's juxtaposition with Pakistan, Iran and the new countries of Central Asia, increases the importance of returning peace and stability to this war-torn country. Political consensus remains elusive as fractional fighting persists throughout the country, hampering national and international reconstruction efforts.
The success of a consolidated central government hinges on ethnic, religious and tribal accommodation. The Peshawar, Islamabad and Jalalabad accords have each sought to eliminate fractional infighting and provide a rudimentary framework for a transition to representative government. However, pursuit of personal power by the country's most prominent leaders has precluded such a transition, and the outlook remains bleak.
The chaotic political situation provides ample opportunity for neighboring countries to take advantage of the ineffectiveness of the consolidation process. In particular, Iran is exploiting tribal and ethnic rivalries to help pro-Iranian and Shiite factions secure a disproportionate share of political power. Iran also exploits Afghanistan's precarious situation by funneling resources and ideology through its territory to opposition forces on the Afghan-Tajik border as well as to groups within Tajikistan. This Iranian interference further impedes the consolidation process in Afghanistan by driving a wedge between radical and moderate political factions.
Political stability is a prerequisite to rebuilding this country. Failure of Afghanistan's political leaders to reach accommodation will perpetuate insecurity, delay refugee repatriation, stall national reconstruction efforts, and cause reluctance on the part of the international community to increase assistance to meet other than essential humanitarian needs. We support efforts to encourage the Afghans to reach political consensus and to ensure the international community remains engaged despite a less than optimistic outlook for a near-term political solution.