Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion
Juan Cole is President of the Global Americana Institute
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday threatened to send Afghan troops on hot pursuit of Taliban readicals right into Pakistani territory.
That threat doesn't strike me as a good development for the US in Afghanistan.
posted by Juan Cole @ 6/15/2008 06:04:00 PM
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Winner, October 5, 2007, Scott Nearing Award for Courageous Scholarship (Awarded by the Graduate Students of the Political Science Department, University of Pennsylvania).
Winner, 2005 James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism, Hunter College.
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2 Comments:
As if the so-called Afghan army can stand up to Pakistan. A lot of bluster.
"Anonymous," the ANA (Afghanistan National Army) smashes the Taliban in every squad size or larger engagement. Usually 20 to 1. By contrast the Pakistani Army does very poorly against the Taliban/AQ linked networks/Pakistani resistance. The Taliban has killed 7,000 Pakistani army soldiers and Pakistani policemen.
The Afghan army is among the most motivated (maybe too motivated) armies you will ever find. They have amazing esprit de corps. Ask anyone who has ever dealt with them.
The Pakistani army on the other hand is a very different matter. Aside from its elite units—which are as good as any in the world—it doesn’t fight very well.
The ANA ran on a shoe string budget until November 2006, when Pres Bush asked Congress to give Afghanistan $10 billion in grants. As a result the ANA is far smaller and less well equipped than it should be.
Look for a new update on the ANSF in a few weeks: http://www.longwarjournal.org/oob/afghanistan/index.php
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