In a debate article in Aftenposten, the prominent politician and current parliamentary president argued that the deposed Taliban regime in Afghanistan was one of the worst in the history of the world for its crimes against people and culture, and that on moral grounds it could not be allowed to regain power there.
Jagland outlined the argument against sending Norwegian special forces to the region - that Norway should instead support a change of strategy in Afghanistan because terrorism can not be broken by military means - as a compelling analysis, but disagreed with its conclusion.
"It is obvious that the strategy should be changed. But it cannot happen by each individual nation refusing to participate until a new strategy is found. The situation must be tackled here and now while a more robust strategy is formed," Jagland wrote.
Jagland backed sending Norway's Special Forces if a new NATO request comes, and argued that their winter expertise will prove particularly useful soon, and said that taking responsibility would also mean added influence.
Norway's left-center, Labour Party-led majority alliance recently refused a NATO request for additional forces, a decision widely interpreted as a concession to coalition member the Socialist Left Party, which opposes such participation and had recently had to swallow a setback in government environmental policy.
"This influence should be used to make the NATO assignment the one it should be, namely to protect the civilian society such that international organizations can get the opportunity to build schools, hospitals, roads and not least the civil police so that Afghans can take responsibility for their own security," Jagland wrote.
Jagland also called for the USA to consider, in cooperation with NATO, if their military campaign fought terrorism or contributed to greater recruiting to terror networks.
"The Americans have done many foolish things in the war on terror. We others should not follow through by doing other foolish things, for example, by doubting that NATO can do the job, and leaving everything to the Afghans, which will definitely lead to the return of the Taliban," Jagland wrote.
