Reintegration Former Combatants: Lessons from the U.S. Experience in Afghanistan
Reintegration Former Combatants: Lessons from the U.S. Experience in Afghanistan - Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Report
The United States and the Taliban have been engaged in talks to reach an agreement that could set the stage for a viable intra-Afghan peace process. Though the status of these talks is uncertain, the U.S. goal remains a sustainable political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban. If such a settlement is reached, a critical challenge will be the reintegration of tens of thousands of former fighters and their families into civilian life.
This report—the seventh lessons learned report to be issued by SIGAR—examines post-2001 reintegration efforts in Afghanistan, and opportunities and constraints for reintegration now and in the future. It also looks at past local security agreements, case studies of reintegration in Colombia and Somalia, and the broader literature on the topic. Through this analysis, the report identifies key lessons, makes recommendations to the U.S. Congress and executive branch agencies for how the United States can best advance reintegration goals, and raises several matters for consideration for the Afghan government, should it pursue a reintegration program…