Author(s): Diva PATANG
Publication name: Romanian Intelligence Studies Review
Publisher name: Mihai Viteazul National Intelligence Academy
Publication type: Journal article
Publication date: December 31, 2017
Pagination:
Issue/ Volume: 17-18/2017
DOI:
Abstract
While Romania has been restructuring its intelligence service since the
revolution in 1989, it has faced a number of obstacles and challenges to do with shaking-
off former problems associated with the Securitate. Afghanistan has faced a similar
challenge since the ISAF invasion of 2001 and has struggled with problems familiar to
Romania, such as ethnic and sectarian factors; bureaucratic wrangles; and the
continued influence of former communist actors and interests.
In Afghanistan, different political and religious stakeholders have led the reform
of the intelligence service in opposite directions. Unlike the situation in Romania, the
new NDS (National Directorate of Security of Afghanistan) lacks substantive reform and
processes of legal and political oversight. While Romania seems to be moving in the right
direction towards democratization and accountability, the same cannot be said of the
security sector in Afghanistan, where intelligence operates in a controversial
environment. On the jihadist threat, Romania has made progress, while Afghan
intelligence is largely unable to counter the Taliban insurgency due to neighbouring
countries. It seems that the key to success in Romania has been a move towards
substantial democratization and demilitarization of the secret intelligence sector, and
there may be much that Afghanistan could learn from this experience of transformation.
Keywords: Afghanistan Intelligence, Romania Intelligence, NDS, Terrorism
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