Pentagon Report Declares Afghan Army Unprepared For Independence (VIDEO)

A Pentagon report intended for military commanders paints a dire picture of the state of Afghan security forces, particularly the Afghan National Army (ANA). President Obama is sending an additional 30,000 troops to the country in an effort to create conditions for U.S. withdrawal, but that strategy is threatened by the dismal state of the ANA.

Appearing on Rachel Maddow's show, NBC's chief foreign affairs correspondent Richard Engel discussed the report's conclusion is that, above the company level, the Afghan army is not at war.

The report also highlights the rampant levels of corruption: "Nepotism, corruption and absenteeism among ANA leaders makes success impossible. Change must come quickly."

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Comments

[ibsteve2u]

05:23 AM on 02/05/2010

One thing you can say for that last bunch of Oval Office occupiers:

If you see a news story about an event or situation in some other country and it does NOT contain the word "corruption", then you can take it for granted that no member of Bush, Cheney, & PNAC, LLP has been involved in that country's or entity's governance.

[RuleofLawNow]

11:57 AM on 02/04/2010

The legacy of the Bush Administration was very little data management on either the civilian or military side. Without a serious commitment to creating state of the art recordkeeping, monitoring, and evaluation, we will continue to shadow box about what is the real on ground reality. The locals do not have the necessary tools and resources to keep track of the basic data of government. Either the multinational forces and assistance providers step in to help, or this mess will continue. When a prison register was finally established at the women's prison in Kabul, almost 100 women were set free because they had served their sentences or were never convicted. Honestly, the emperor has no clothes here. NATO and the USG do not have a handle on the Afghan Army, Police, etc. It is time to get serious.

[NCAV2]

12:01 AM on 12/31/2009

I h@te to say we told you so but....

[R2D2-51]

10:29 PM on 12/30/2009

So what, were spending a billion dollars a month to rebuild a nation when our own nation needs rebuilding. What the heck is the matter with this picture. 1492 onwards has still not changed.

[ezeflyer]

10:16 PM on 12/30/2009

Nuts. Why would poor Afghans support invaders unless they had money to make from it?

[Hysterian68]

10:11 PM on 12/30/2009

"The report also highlights the rampant levels of corruption: "Nepotism, corruption and absenteeism among ANA leaders makes success impossible."

Oh, that's nothing. Look at the Obama White House and you'll see plenty of corruption and absenteeism there too.

[Ankle]

12:29 PM on 12/31/2009

Please understand, folks, it's not racism. It's full-blown psychosis. Projection has become my most-used word when I see these hysterics.

Interesting question is, who put this report into journalist Engels' hands? The contract researchers, or the offices of either General Petreus or General McChrystal?

[Hysterian68]

10:08 PM on 12/30/2009

It appears the CIA isn't ready for prime time in Afghanistan either.