U.S., European Military Advisers Work to Boost Lagging Afghan Combat Readiness by Pamela Constable, Washington Post
… It was a small victory in a war that is being fought on two fronts, sometimes pulling in two directions. One is the ongoing conflict between Taliban insurgents and Afghan forces, which have been abruptly weaned from 15 years of Western funding and combat support while facing a fierce, persistent enemy.
The other is an ambitious effort by U.S. military officials and several NATO partners to create an independent, professional Afghan defense force. This includes training military fighter pilots, establishing rest and training rotations for infantry troops, and making sure administrators can deliver fuel, uniforms and bullets when they are needed.
“We are trying to build a plane while flying it,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. David W. Hicks, senior commander for the U.S. Air Expeditionary Wing based in Kabul. His metaphor applies to almost every aspect of the U.S. mission to “train, advise and assist” Afghan forces since the withdrawal of most NATO combat forces in 2014…
Decentralizing the military bureaucracy and teaching Afghan forces to survive without the Western largesse have been a constant challenge. Both encouraged dependence and fostered corruption, which is viewed by many as the single largest obstacle to effective Afghan military performance in the war.
Military supplies often vanish and end up in markets. Fuel coming by truck from Pakistan passes through many hands and can easily be siphoned off. Local commanders exaggerate how many bullets they have used and sell the replacements. Humvees with broken axles sit for months without being repaired. Fighting units run out of supplies because they are not ordered in time…