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Thirsty to fight, hard to wake up
Long Guardian piece on the Afghan army.
Sitting cross legged on the floor of his air-conditioned quarters Major Ataullah, a burly Afghan army commander, listed the many influences of his peripatetic military career. "I've worked with Soviets, French, Canadians and, for the past year, the British," said Maj Ataullah, who uses only one name. He gestured at Major Martin David, a neatly pressed British officer sipping tea. "My third mentor," he said with a toothy smile.

There have been four attempts to forge a strong central army in Afghanistan since the 18th century. Each has failed, frustrated by war, invasions or the stubborn ways of conservative tribesmen. Now the west is making the fifth try, and the task is no less urgent, or complicated, than in the past.

On paper 46,000 recruits have joined the Afghan national army (ANA); President Hamid Karzai's government hopes to hit 70,000 by the end of 2008. America, anxious to ensure an exit strategy for its own troops, is footing the bill - $2bn (£1bn) so far with another $2bn promised for new M-16 guns, Ford trucks and bulletproof jackets.
Posted by: Steve White 2007-05-04
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=187540