Document Type : Research Paper
Abstract
The success of the European Union in the field of peace and integration in the recent decades shown this institutions as a model to be followed in order to achieve peace and security in conflict stricken regions of the world (Bindy(?) et. Al., 397: 1393). After the end of the Cold War, the European Union found an opportunity to play a greater role in international issues. This institution, with reliance on historical experience and by using liberal approaches, has tried to help a large number of conflicting communities to fight extremism and help them achieve peace. Afghanistan, as a perfect example of a community in crisis, conflicted, and a failed state, is considered one of the most important security issues that the international community has been facing over the last fifteen years. After the fall of the Taliban government, the European Union and other international actors present in Afghanistan, tried by following the principles and concepts of liberal peace theory and various financial, military, technical assistances and more, to guide this country toward peace and erase the main roots of conflict.
This article seeks to answer this question, "Considering European Union's fifteen years of presence in Afghanistan with the aim of bringing peace to this country, to what extent has it been successful in reaching its goals?" The hypothesis presented in this article claims that after more than a decade of European Union presence in Afghanistan, an assessment of the current situation in this country and international findings and statistics show that there has been no real progress towards peace, security and development in Afghanistan and the main roots of conflict still remain present and untouched in this country.
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