Recent Taliban gains in Helmand Province have come in spite of an apparent significant numerical advantage among Afghan forces. It turns out that those numbers were simply not true, and indicative of ongoing struggles with the Afghan military.
Corruption’s been a problem for the Afghan military for a long time, and the “ghost troops” issue is apparently still looming large, with Helmand MPs saying that in some cases, battalions of 400 troops have only about 150 real troops. Commanders often invent fictional troops to embezzle their pay.
The chain of command also doesn’t work great, with local commanders basically running the whole show, and in many cases unwilling to commit their troops to battles going on in other regions. As one noted, he got no reinforcements when he called, so “why should we help them?”
Bankrolled by NATO nations, the Afghan military is proving to be just another cash sink, with politically connected figures getting positions of leadership and using them to leech as much money out as possible. Fighting the Taliban is an afterthought.
Just like Mary and her little lamb, wherever Uncle Sam goes, Corruption is sure to follow. Is that a "bug" or a "feature"?
nice.
Dec 13, 2015 Bush Military Official: The Empire's Ship is Sinking // Empire_File013
Abby Martin interviews retired U.S. Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former national security advisor to the Reagan administration, who spent years as an assistant to Secretary of State Colin Powell during both Bush administrations. Today, he is honest about the unfixable corruption inside the establishment and the corporate interests driving foreign policy.
https://youtu.be/zOagQ_nfCes
To reach the ultimate conclusion of human slavery — What wars are all about
We are all born with a different level of intelligence, like everything else a perfection in nature so that humans may achieve perpetual life through nature. Everyone helping the next man less intelligent, everyone giving compassion, pity and charity, everyone humbled by expressing gratitude in return and all of humanity bonded together to perfection.
So, to teach us what happens when a majority of humanity feels they deserve more, when most are striving to take all they can take from a lower class, when they all worship a higher class, surely this is what wars are all about.
150 well trained troops would be able to fight off the Taliban. If the government wasn't crooked the locals -what's left of them- might even do it.