PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAMS: A FACE OF FOREIGN POLICY

Abstract

The author examines Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) as a face, or tool, of foreign policy used by governments. PRTs are unique organizations that have been created to specifically satisfy the security and development requirements of failed or fragile states and in the context of this study, specifically Afghanistan. The essential questions are: how do PRTs meet the objectives for which they were organized and how effective are they at the job? This study seeks to answer these questions and to determine the motives for this type of international involvement from the perspective of contributing states that form the 26 PRTs that are part of the NATO/ISAF organization. This crisis has presented new challenges to governments at home as they attempt to design and field a group of military and civilians that are equipped and trained to meet the demands placed upon them for security and development in Afghanistan.