3,000 newly-trained soldiers desert Afghan army - "escapes"

[donsu]

http://www.spacewar.com/2004/040111161328.y9abxko8.html

(what interested me most about this article was Azimi's use of the word escape.)

Thousands of Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers have deserted the fledgling service after completing training given by instructors from the United States, France and Britain, defense ministry officials said Sunday.

-snip-

"The defense ministry has announced that they have to come back and join the army otherwise they will have to pay for all the expenses spent on their training."

-snip-

Even though it is forecast to grow to be about 70,000-strong, the ANA's numbers are small in comparison to the 100,000 armed militia currently being disarmed and demobilised by government authorities.

-snip-

"Now it is totally volunteer soldiers and that is why in the last several months we haven't had any escapes."
-snip-
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mind bending: disarming 100,000 while attempting to arm 70,000