It may be difficult and dangerous to train Afghan men to be part of national police and military forces

One of the principal reasons for the escalation of US troops to Afghanistan according to the Obama administration is that it will provide a greater number of military advisers to help train an Afghan police force and army. The idea is that the sooner Americans can train enough Afghan police and soldiers, the sooner the US troops can be drawn down. Other posts on this blog indicate that Afghan recruits often leave such training after they have been paid. In the following commentary, Brian Cloughley identifies other difficulties related to cultural differences that may make the American training efforts ineffective and even dangerous. You may recall that there were similar efforts in Vietnam back in the late 1960s and early 1970s that ultimately failed. Cloughley statements are quoted on Juan Cole's blog, Informed Comment, this morning (11-26-09).

Bob Sheak
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Juan Cole writes: Brian Cloughley warned last September [9-17-09 in the Dailey Times of Pakistan]. Cole makes some statements, while quoting directly from Cloughley's article.

'In Kabul last week, “an American service member and an Afghan police officer got into an argument because the American was drinking water in front of the Afghan police, who are not eating or drinking...because of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan...[The policeman] shot the American and seriously wounded him, while other American troops responded and seriously wounded the [policeman].” This depressing cameo encapsulates the problem for foreign troops in Afghanistan. And it shows the problems that Afghans have with ignorant foreigners whose boorish insensitivity would be laughable were it not so dangerous. . . . In Afghanistan the training course is ten weeks, and 90 percent of recruits are illiterate and language-incompatible with their peers, let alone the foreigners. Afghan instructors are keen but barely effective and the logistics system is a tattered joke. Some foreign instructors may be good, but most are depressingly ignorant of language, culture and customs. It is reported that “As part of the Obama administration’s surge, the 4th Brigade of the 82nd Airborne is being deployed to serve as trainers. This brigade is a regular Army brigade not specifically structured for the advisory mission.” My case rests.'