Afghanistan Weekly Reader: An Expensive, Ineffective Strategy
The U.S. has almost met its target number for Afghanistan’s security forces. But the limited capabilities of the Afghan army and police have many wondering why the U.S. spent billions pursuing a “quantity over quality” strategy. Meanwhile, NATO allies are seeing signs that costs of shipping equipment home from Afghanistan may be much higher than original estimates.
From ASG
The Exploding Defense Budget
Afghanistan Study Group by Mary Kaszynski
More than ten years of war helped to foster an aura of sacredness around the defense budget. Policymakers, unwilling to exercise oversight, turned a blind eye to budget gimmicks.
ARTICLES
10/20/12
Afghan security force’s rapid expansion comes at a cost as readiness lags
Washington Post by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
The U.S. military has nearly met its growth target for the Afghan forces, but they are nowhere near ready to assume control of the country.
10/15/12
Price Rises On NATO Drawdown From Afghanistan
Aviation Week & Space Technology by Francis Tusa
In 2015 or later, a logistician will place a customs seal on a container or a pallet of equipment, and it will be loaded onto a truck or an aircraft for movement to an Afghan location where it can be aggregated for shipment back to Europe or the U.S.
Signs are already emerging that the costs of this operation could well be far higher than had been expected.
10/19/12
Afghanistan Police School Tries To Fix Struggling Force
Associated Press by Kathy Gannon
The academy’s new commander wants to help turn around a 146,000-strong national police force long riddled with corruption, incompetence and factional rivalries.
10/24/12
Reporting a Fearful Rift Between Afghans and Americans
New York Time’s At War by Alissa J. Rubin
What I did learn was how much distrust has poisoned the relationship between Afghans and Americans — so much so that I realized it didn’t matter anymore that I was a civilian.
OPINION
10/24/12
Reasons are many to quickly leave Afghanistan
The Olympian Editorial Board
After nearly 11 years, the expenditure of $500 billion in taxpayer dollars and the deaths of more than 2,000 American soldiers, it’s time to end this war.
