4 Threat Matrix: Less than an Afghan Army

Written by Bill Roggio on December 22, 2009 1:11 PM to 4 Threat Matrix

Available online at: http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2009/12/less_than_an_afghan_army.php

This video, from the Guardian, comes courtesy of our friend Noah Shachtman at Danger Room. The video shows the challenge in relying on the Afghan Army to stand up quickly against the Taliban as US forces stand down. Noah's comment must be restated: "Obviously, there are plenty of units that are more professional. But this isn't the first time red-eyed Afghan troops have been caught on tape."

Of course this is all anecdotal, but still pertinent. During my time with US Military and Police Training Teams in Iraq, I never saw such behavior. Occasionally I saw troops that were green or frightened, but I never saw, or heard of, the drug use and blatant lack of discipline that were on display in this video. Yet the only time I was exposed to Afghan police in Kandahar, while embedded with the Canadian Army, I witnessed a group go up on a rooftop at a police station and smoke hashish while a major operation was underway.