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Afghanistan
Afghan National Army not ready to stand on it's own
2010-10-17
A Firefight Exposes Afghan Weakness

WSJ - When Taliban militants invaded the towering Kunduz villa of an American development agency in July, employees say they were trapped, besieged and soon were dodging indiscriminate rocket fire from their would-be rescuers--the Afghan army and police.

Four of the roughly 13 staff and security guards in the compound were killed, and five more seriously injured. Survivors blame the Afghan forces, and the German military for leaving the rescue effort to the locals.

"The Germans kept saying: 'The Afghan army has the situation under control,' " one Western survivor recounted. "And I kept saying the Afghan army is part of the ...
The rest of the article is behind the subscription wall. But this and other reports strongly suggest that the Afghans will not ready to take care of themselves by July 2011, no matter how many times President Obama closes his eyes and clicks his heels together. How long, after all, did it take Iraq to be ready for self-care, once we started actively training their military and police? And don't let's forget they had a real tradition of army and police before we got there, however corrupt. Afghanistan has pretty much been starting from scratch, although apparently they have a crackerjack Special Forces unit out in the field somewhere, and I've heard really good reports about the East Point Military Academy.
Posted by:trailing wife

#2  Since Afghanistan is not a Nation, it can't have a national army.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2010-10-17 11:34  

#1   But this and other reports strongly suggest that the Afghans will not be ready to take care of themselves by July 2011, no matter how many times President Obama closes his eyes and clicks his heels together.

Teh One doesn't care if they can take care of themselves or not. It's all about taking care of himself in 2012
Posted by: Frank G   2010-10-17 10:53  

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