Why U.S. Policy On Afghanistan Cannot Rely On The Afghan Army

The U.S. hopes to double the size of the Afghan national army within the next two years. Above, Afghan recruits shortly before graduation from the Kabul Military Training Center. Yochi Dreazen/The Wall Street Journal

Here Is Your Afghan National Army -- The Captain's Journal

General McChrystal’s report to Secretary Gates lays the groundwork for a request for 40,000+ more U.S. troops. The actual need for troops will be higher than that. McChrystal’s report relies heavily on Afghan National Security Forces (Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police), closely following the strategy laid out by CNAS to ramp up the readiness of ANA. But the left side of the isle doesn’t have the sole claim for plans to rely heavily on ANA. Kimberly and Frederick Kagan also recommend a similar reliance on a rapid increase in the size of the ANA to provide the necessary troops for population security.

But recall the problems that we have documented concerning the ANA.

We have watched the ANA engage in drug abuse, smoke hashish before patrols, collude with Taliban fighters to kill U.S. troops, themselves claim that they cannot hold Helmand without Marines and fear being killed if they even go out into the streets, be relatively ineffective against Taliban fighters, sleep on their watch, and claim to be on vacation in the Helmand Province.

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My Comment: This is a depressing report. It is also something that my Canadian contacts have been telling me for the past two years. There are some in the Afghan Army who are loyal and dedicated to a new Afghanistan .... but there are just as many who are not.

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