Security governance in Afghanistan and the role of the United StatesA critical analysis Security governance in AfghanistanI. Summary: Afghan security forces have responsibility for security throughout the country, and the United States and its allies are reducing military involvement in Afghanistan. The current international security mission will end at the end of 2014 and is expected to transition to a smaller mission consisting primarily of training the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). The number of US forces in Afghanistan, approximately 100,000 in 2011, was reduced to a “pre-surge” level of approximately 66,000 in 2012, and to approximately 34,000 in 2014 (Ellwood 2014). According to a US report, American forces will be reduced to around 22,000 by the end of October. A “residual force” remaining in Afghanistan after 2014 will likely consist of around 12,000 US and NATO trainers and mentors, of whom around two-thirds would be US forces, plus around 3,000 mostly US counter-terrorism forces. No residual force decisions have been announced, in part because President Hamid Karzai refuses to sign the necessary bilateral security agreement (BSA) before leaving office in mid-2014 (Krishnamurthy 2014). However, all the candidates in the presidential elections that have just taken place, with apparently high turnout and minimal violence, publicly support the agreement. But a successor likely won't take office until July 2014, constraining the U.S. and NATO force planning process. Fearing instability after 2014, some leaders of ethnic and political factions are reactivating their militias in case the international withdrawal leads to a strong Taliban push to regain power. The US and Afghan militaries have failed to completely eliminate the Taliban, Al Q...... half of the document ......and conditional inclusion in a new, more regionally focused structure where it has real opportunities to participate and win elections in regions such as the Kandahar metropolitan area. This, however, is only possible through the governance and reform of political parties outlined in the previous chapter. Works Cited Ellwood, Tobias. “Stabilizing Afghanistan: Proposals to Improve Security, Governance and Aid/Economic Development.” Atlantic Council, 2014: 3-28.Fluri, Dr. Phillip. The challenges of security sector governance in Afghanistan. Geneva: Dr. Antonio Giustozzi, 2013.Katzman, Kenneth. Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and US Policy. CSR Report, New York: Congressional Research Service, 2014. Krishnamurthy, Rajeshwari. “Afghanistan 2014 BSA, Internal Security, Taliban and Indian Strategy.” Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies , 2014: 4-16.