(DOWNLOAD) "An Elusive Quest: Integration in the Response to the Afghan Crisis (Humanitarian Aid and Intervention: The Challenges of Integration)" by Ethics & International Affairs " Book PDF Kindle ePub Free

July 13, 2021

eBook details

Title: An Elusive Quest: Integration in the Response to the Afghan Crisis (Humanitarian Aid and Intervention: The Challenges of Integration)
Author : Ethics & International Affairs
Release Date : January 01, 2004
Genre: Politics & Current Events,Books,
Pages : * pages
Size : 278 KB

Description

The UN humanitarian response in Afghanistan spans fifteen years during which humanitarianism has waxed and waned. A retrospective look at this period provides insights on an interesting range of approaches and respect/disrespect for basic humanitarian principles. Afghanistan shows, for example, that definitions of what was "humanitarian" have expanded and contracted to suit particular political contexts. During the Taliban period the definition of humanitarian action was extremely wide and covered rehabilitation and even development activities; post-September 11 we see a dangerous level of contraction that compromises the application of its basic principles for the sake of pursuing nation-building activities in the service of political agendas. Similarly "coherence" and "integration" have become loaded terms. Once used to describe the aspiration for a higher level of concern for humanitarian and human rights principles in the context of multidimensional peace missions, they have now become euphemisms for the subordination of principles to political objectives. My own perspective, having witnessed this evolution on the ground in Afghanistan, is that of a lapsed integrationist who has become a doubting insulationist. HUMANITARIAN ACTION AS A COLD WAR TOOL