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Obama Goes to War; Are 60,000 of 80,000 Afghan Troops Potheads?

Juan Cole 03/27/2009

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Part I of President Barack Obama’s major policy speech on Afghanistan, Pakistan and al-Qaeda on Friday, 3/27:

And Part II:

Full text of prepared remarks available here.

A Guardian Television report suggests that 75% of the 80,000 Afghan army troops are regular marijuana users. Many are alleged to be village juvenile delinquents who were kicked out. Discipline and tactical know-how is limited. They are facing old-time guerrillas like the Hizb-i Islami of Gulbadin Hikmatyar.

Will 4,000 additional US trainers, promised by President Obama on Friday, be enough?

For background, see Chapter Six of


Engaging the Muslim World

End/ (Not Continued)

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page

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