Afghan soldiers way below standard, exasperated Marines say

[unhappycamper]

Afghan soldiers way below standard, exasperated Marines say
By Dion Nissenbaum | McClatchy Newspapers
Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2010

MARJAH, Afghanistan — If the U.S. Marines at Combat Outpost Turbett have any problems with their Afghan colleagues, they're with the Afghan soldiers who followed them into battle against Taliban fighters, not with the elite police officers who've stepped in to help fill the security vacuum.

While the Marines praise the Afghan National Civil Order Police force, they can barely conceal their contempt for the Afghan soldiers who live alongside the Americans in this one-time drug den in Marjah.

The greatest concern is that the shortcomings of the Afghan soldiers could undermine U.S.-led efforts to present ANCOP as the new, more respectable face of the Afghan government.

Marines routinely disparage soldiers in the Afghan National Army as lazy and incompetent. One platoon leader recently avoided taking Afghan soldiers on patrol in favor of ANCOP officers because the soldiers were hours away from ending their tour of duty.

"I'm not f***ing with the ANA," the platoon leader said. "F*** those guys. They don't give a f***. They're leaving tomorrow." He asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.


Rest of article at: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/24/91014/afghan-soldiers-way-below-standard.html

[Therellas]

1. yeah sometimes being deployed in the army sucked too.

bring em home.

[KG]

2. think 'vietnamization' - remember how well that worked?

[Toasterlad]

3. Who Cares? As Long As They're Straight!