Why President Obama's Push To Train The Afghan Army And Police Will Fail

Afghan National Army soldiers march during a ceremony in Herat province on July 6, 2009. US President Barack Obama said Saturday he wants a new push to train Afghanistan's army and police after the country's August elections, in an interview with Britain's Sky News television. (AFP/File/Reza Shirmohammadi)

Obama Wants New Push To Train Afghan Army, Police -- Yahoo News/AFP

LONDON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama said Saturday he wants a new push to train Afghanistan's army and police after the country's August elections, in an interview with Britain's Sky News television.

Obama said the international community would have to start focusing its attention on developing Afghanistan's capabilities so that Afghans could take greater responsibility for controlling their own security.

He was speaking during his visit to Ghana, his first trip as president to sub-Saharan Africa.

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My Comment: When the decision was made to train and arm Iraq's military .... the U.S. had over 125,000+ soldiers in the field, cooperative allies and bases in neighboring Arab states like Kuwait and Qatar, and an Iraqi population that had some semblance of a military history and culture. In addition .... hundreds of billions of dollars were made available to fight the insurgents/ provide aid to the country/and to start a new Iraqi Army. Other assets included a highway infrastructure that was extensive and reliable, the loyalty of the Kurds in the North, and (for the most part) a Shiite population that were more focused on fighting the Sunni population than the Americans. In addition .... the Shiite's senior religious leader was more focused on Iraq's political and economic future .... than to embrace the more radical tenets of Islam.

Afghanistan's situation is the complete opposite. Only 56,000 U.S. soldiers are "in country", with replacements thousands of miles away. There is no infrastructure. Budget limits in the U.S. translates into money shortages for Afghanistan. Numerous Afghan tribes, sects, religions, and ethnic groups exist .... and they are all in conflict with each other. Religious leaders are openly hostile, and represent most of the Taliban leadership. No military culture or traditions exist in the country. Widespread corruption that is regarded to be the worse in the world. Existing military and police forces are underpaid .... coupled with some of the worse addition rates to opium that one can imagine.

President Obama may want the Afghan Army to stand up .... but unless he shows the money (and the necessary patience) .... this is not going to happen.