The Afghan Military Is Not Ready

An Afghan National Army soldier carries his rifle in eastern Afghanistan Kunar province / Reuters

Will the Afghan Army Be Ready? -- Sara Sorcher, The Atlantic

As U.S. troops draw down from Afghanistan, Afghan forces are supposed to take their place, but the training is slow going.

Nearly 10 years of training and billions of dollars spent and only two of the Afghan National Army battalions are currently able to operate 'independently' -- although they still rely on coalition partners for logistical, medical, and maintenance support.

The U.S. commander of NATO's training mission in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, defended the ability of the local security forces, in spite of recent high-profile attacks, including a 20-hour assault on the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul earlier this month.

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More News On Training The Afghan Forces

US commander says 800 more US trainers heading to Afghanistan by March -- Washington Post/AP
Cost of training Afghan forces can be cut: US general -- AFP
Caldwell: Afghan Troops, Police Make ‘Significant’ Progress -- US Department of Defense
Zero U.S.-Trained Afghan Army Battalions Can Operate Alone -- The Atlantic Wire
Not A Single Afghan Battalion Fights Without U.S. Help -- Danger Room