presidential elections in August 2009. Through autumn and winter of 2008, individual provinces began registering voters. ISAF and ANA forces, as well as the Afghan National Police collaborated to ensure the safety of voter registration. Midway through February 2009, this process ended with success: 4,365,292 voters successfully registered, and only 10 of 398 districts did not participate in the process [14].
Both NATO and the Afghan government worked together in the enlargement and consolidation of legal authority, reconstruction of the state, and ISAF led military activity on the basis of the UN mandate. From 2003 onward, NATO and ISAF gradually widened the scope of their mission. Originally focused on Kabul, the coalition eventually covered all Afghan territory [15].
Activity occurred simultaneously on many levels, and such strategy inevitably brought good results. Throughout the country, ISAF, in concert with Afghan security forces, conducted operations targeting militants and other threats from the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations. Every year these activities increased in intensity. The ISAF contingent trained and mentored the ANA through Operational
Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) embedded throughout the ANA at battalion, brigade, and higher levels. These OMLTs supervise training and act in an advisory role at each respective level. Additionally, the presence of OMLTs ensures communication among ANA units and communication with ISAF forces so that support and coordinated operations are more easily facilitated. OMLTs serve at least six months with their respective ANA units [16].
ISAF supplies support for the Afghan National Army in both funding and equipment: small arms, ammunition, individual equipment, as well as tanks and helicopters. The coordination of the NATO Equipment Donation Program comes directly from the general headquarters in Mons, Belgium.
One of the current challenges is coordination and collaboration between the Afghan National Police, the US forces, and the European Union Police (EUPOL) Mission in Afghanistan, formed in June 2007. The EU has thus far been the largest hindrance in this initiative. In December 2008, the EU decision to send a additional 400 policemen to support the program did not materialize due to a lack of volunteers. Due to this, disputes arose between the US and France over who maintains the responsibility of training the Afghan police forces; the US or the EU. France considered dispatching the gendarmerie from EU countries to Afghanistan to remedy the situation. In this situation, France's influence and veto capability regarding NATO is controversial [17].
The agreement between the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the international community became known as «The Afghan Compact,» a five-year plan to restore the country. This agreement contains the framework for defense and police force reform. It initially established the creation of 62,000 police officers, but in compliance with the Afghan National Development Strategy, created by the Afghan government, the requirement increased to 82,000.
ISAF also is responsible for the disarming of illegal groups, collecting the illegal weapons and ammunition, cataloging, and destroying them. NATO still has some management over the protection of ANA ammunition dumps as well.
Since 2006, there have been many projects within the framework of ISAF. For instance, the Post- Operations Humanitarian Relief Fund (POHRF) delivers aid immediately following a military operation. They supply the Afghan populace with food and medicine, repair buildings, and other critical infrastructure. These are voluntary gifts from ISAF countries. Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), working within the ISAF framework, support the reconstruction and the development of Afghanistan. PRTs have both civilian experts as well as soldiers working together on the expansion and strengthening of government authority and in supporting public safety. PRTs prepare projects, and ISAF engineers build roads, bridges, irrigation ditches, cisterns, wells, and schools. They are rebuilding, in many cases from the ground up, Afghan agriculture and infrastructure, both of which experienced degradation and destruction in multiple long-term conflicts. PRTs also work to improve medical availability and services within their provinces. In 2009, 26 PRTs operated throughout Afghanistan. Some teams consist of only one nation's troops while others have a multi-national character [18].
Despite numerous difficulties and struggles, ISAF and US forces have made positive steps in improving Afghanistan. Such was the conclusion at the NATO conference in Bucharest from 2-4 April 2008. After five years of operations, this was a valid test of the efficiency and cooperation of the NATO operation. One example given was the reduction in security incidents in all 398 districts in 2007 from 70% to 10%. The Afghan National Army grew steadily thanks to training developed and provided by ISAF. Through military operations ISAF gained new ground from the Taliban where they could begin further reconstruction [19].
PRTs played a special part in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, collaborating with the Afghan provincial government and the tribal shuras. Fourteen countries led PRTs
