Dilemmas of Combatting Corruption; Afghan and Dutch Perspectives

Dutch troops in Afghanistan are confronted with situations in which the local population violates values and norms, that the soldiers themselves take for granted and/or deem essential. As a consequence they regularly have to decide whether or not to intervene and try to stop and change undesirable behavior. This is not only a matter of operational feasibility, but also and especially of cultural and moral desirability. In Afghanistan corruption is one such ingrained practice that brings with it difficult dilemmas for soldiers. 

                Corruption weakens the trust in and the legitimacy of public offices and the government. Therefore, corruption has been identified as a major stumbling block to successful peace-building. As Afghanistan ranks among the most corrupt countries in the world, the abolition of its widespread corruption has grown into a main concern of the international community.

                In principle ISAF is part and parcel of these efforts, but in practice it is not always self-evident how soldiers should act. Should fighting corruption be a priority in peacekeeping and training missions as well? Or should soldiers, in order to achieve their primary mission targets, sometimes tolerate it? How do Dutch soldiers solve culturally and morally critical situations in this particular area?  What’s more: what about their Afghan counterparts? How do they view the cultural and moral dilemmas of the foreigners? Based on recent fieldwork in Kunduz, this presentation depicts and analyzes answers and opinions from both sides.