Afghan Army Ambitions Meet Limits In Violent Pech Valley -- Washington Post
PECH VALLEY, Afghanistan — Long before U.S. troops departed Combat Outpost Nangalam last fall, they gave their Afghan counterparts a few words of advice: Don’t stay here.
Afghan soldiers had already failed once to secure Nangalam on their own, forcing the unplanned return in July 2011 of U.S. troops to one of the country’s most infamous insurgent strongholds. U.S. officials worried that the Afghans were about to make the same mistake again, electing to remain in a remote Konar province valley that would be difficult to defend alone. This time, there would be no backup.
When U.S. advisers shared their guidance with Col. Tarab Adel, the top Afghan commander in Nangalam, he quickly agreed. But a new, expansionist Afghan strategy left Adel with no choice. Adel’s superiors demanded that his unit take control of Nangalam after the U.S. Army’s departure, and in late 2012, he watched the last American convoy drive away and prepared for the worst.
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My Comment: The true test on how capable the Afghan army is will occur this summer when the fighting season starts. My prediction .... no air support and long supply routes has always been a prescription for disaster to these Afghan FOBs .... I expect history to repeat itself.
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