The United States is giving $2 billion worth of military weapons and vehicles to modernize Afghanistan's national army, a U.S. general said Monday.At a ceremony in Kabul, Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said about 200 Humvees and 2,000 assault rifles -- the first part of the donation -- will be arriving by year's end, as the fledgling force contends with a resurgent Taliban resistance. A total of 2,500 Humvees and tens of thousands of M-16 assault rifles will be coming in the future. About 20,000 sets of bulletproof helmet and flak jackets will also be given.
"Without the support of the international community, we cannot modernize the army," Wardak said. "NATO and the U.S. have promised to help us and we are very happy. Thanks to the United States for the rebuilding of the Afghan national army."
The $2 billion also covers the building of a national military command center.
Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin said the donation is in addition to more than $2 billion already committed by the United States for military equipment and facilities to Afghanistan. "The equipment on display today represents an additional $2 billion that the U.S. alone will provide ... to continue with the equipping and building of the proper facilities and (to) continue to enhance the Afghan National Army to build towards the 70,000 force," he said. Afghanistan's army currently has about 38,000 men, according to the Defense Ministry.
Wardak said the new equipment will help modernize a military that is phasing out Russian weaponry.
The U.S.-led coalition has been heavily involved in training the Afghan army and the end result will be an army "that will be able to stand on its own two feet," Durbin said. "After four years of effort, the Afghan people have a national army that they should be really proud of," he said.