Post-2001 State Building in Afghanistan: The Danger of Parallel Structures

Abstract

The main purpose of this thesis is to describe and analyze the effects and emergence of parallel structures on the process of state building and post conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan. The paper argues that the existence or creation of such structures significantly undermined the post-conflict reconstruction efforts in the country and resulted in a weak, unstable, and fragile government in post-Taliban Afghanistan. However, this thesis does not cover every parallel structure such as parallel courts, parallel education structures etc, that exists in the country. But, it covers the parallel structures in security sector of the country. In the case of Afghanistan, this crucial dimension of building a strong state has been stalled, and, instead, the “nation-building” process started producing and encouraging parallel structures in society. More specifically, this paper attempts to answer these questions: How does fostering of parallel structures help or impede state-building in Afghanistan? Why were parallel structures created? What were the intentions behind creating these structures? And more importantly what did these structures lead in practice? The emphasis in this paper has been put on post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan. In addition, the evaluation of nation- or rather state-building pursued by the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan will also serve to appraise better the strategic, security, political, and economic prospects and dangers in the making of a new Afghanistan.