Pentagon Pushes Afghans for Better Vetting of Recruits

Growing Number of Shootings Has US Fearing 'Bad Apples'

by Jason Ditz, August 13, 2012

Pentagon spokesman George Little reports today that the US is looking to improve the “vetting process” for Afghans looking to join the Afghan military and police force, after three “green-on-blue” shootings in the past week.

“It has been improved,” Little insisted, but he conceded that “bad apples” remained. The Pentagon is looking to have local leaders “rule out” certain recruits that are liable to be susceptible to Taliban influence.

The problem is, while some of these “green-on-blue” incidents are Taliban infiltration related, and the Taliban almost always claims that is the case, many of the attacks have actually been the result of arguments or simple resentment against occupation forces.

The question of “vetting” recruits is a long-standing one in Afghanistan, as officials try to balance recruit quality with the enormous military NATO is trying to build, and oftentimes can’t afford to be picky.

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