From Venus to Mars?

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The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) began its mission in Afghanistan in 2001, initially focused on aiding Afghan Security Forces in Kabul. By October 2003, the UN expanded ISAF's responsibilities beyond the capital, leading to the deployment of civil-military Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) across various provinces. These interdepartmental teams aimed to help the Afghan government establish effective state structures, typically staffed by hundreds of military and civilian personnel, though predominantly military. European nations, including Germany, Italy, and Nordic contributors, framed their involvement in the Afghan state-building initiative within a humanitarian context. However, by 2006, a worsening security landscape and intensified conflict with the Taliban shifted public attention to the military dimensions of the mission. PRT contributors adopted different national strategies for stabilization and reconstruction, confronting escalating violence that challenged their pacifist ideals and sparked a critical debate on Afghanistan's future. This work explores the multifaceted operations of the ISAF mission at various military levels, assesses the effectiveness of the PRTs in diplomatic and political contexts, and evaluates how the Afghan experience transformed European armed forces.