Editorial: All eyes on ANSF

10 years ago | Posted in: Afghanistan, Latest Politics News | 636 Views

With the US likely to withdraw its combat troops, Afghan National Security Forces – which will be the main buttress against foreign aggression – will face a tougher challenge to reinforce their defensive and counteroffensive capacities to keep the enemy at bay to sustain their decade-long gains. Afghanistan’s security forces still need more training to fully grow. But that is expensive and Afghanistan still swamped in conflict is way too poor to pay billions of dollars to keep its forces in motion. Once America’s troop withdrawal happens, and the war essentially ends, a nonstop flow of money to support Afghan forces will be extremely vital. Riddled by endemic corruption, Afghanistan’s economy is very much dependent on foreign aid. And unsurprisingly, ANSF forces would need 373,000 personnel which would cost almost $6 billion annually. This is a huge burden on Kabul, which is able to raise only $2 billion annually.
Currently, the US and ISAF supply most of the ANSF’s combat support functions. Special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, John Sopko, has said even with the US war winding down, US spending in Afghanistan is likely to continue at a pace of $6 billion to $10 billion a year. He said $18 billion has been appropriated for Afghan projects and not yet spent.
It’s while ANSF has limited time and resources to build its own capability. And since Afghanistan’s air force is not fundamentally equipped, ANSF will have to rely on ground transportation and facilities. Combat support units including armored transport vehicles, logistics and transport helicopters, should be built to ease military operation after US-led troops withdraw.
Afghan forces embody excellence and tactic. They are becoming stronger. Their ability was demonstrated well during the elections. The Taliban’s ploy to sabotage April 5 elections foundered and millions of Afghans swelled on that very historic day to polling stations despite Taliban threats to cut off any ink-stained finger. The Taliban lost the ground not for lack of trying but because Afghan security forces have finally gotten good enough to stop them.
Despite high hopes, substantial work still remains. Building a force that can survive terrorism after ISAF and NATO withdraw as their war apparatus in 2014 is a vexing and challenging task at hand. ANSF will be substantially on its own after 2014. It will have to live with whatever it can build by then. The good news is that the potential presidential candidates to succeed President Karzai have agreed to sign a bilateral pact that would allow a small US force of advisers to remain past 2014. It’s while the Taliban have made it quite clear that peace requires a willingness by the US to leave, but the US military has done just the opposite through its negotiations with the Afghan government to keep a residual US force in Afghanistan indefinitely. Afghanistan has become America’s longest war, stretching over 12 years since US military forces were first sent in 2001, with well over 30,000 troops still here.
One of the most important reasons to support Afghan troops is that a formidable indigenous force will weaken unwavering scourge of insurgency and guarantees success against the neighbor’s sporadic and unprovoked attacks. However, a residual US force and continuous aid will hinge on penning a Status of Forces Agreement by President’s successor. Controversy and tension surrounded the agreement on a limited US presence after Afghanistan demanded that the US commit to defending the nation against terrorists hailing from Pakistan. Afghan security forces can resist the enemy and inhibit the sieging insurgency if the US-led international troops continue their supportive role and provide

Afghanistantimes

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