Afghanistan security forces report raises fears over long-term stability

[unhappycamper]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/01/aghanistan-security-forces-report-fears


Afghanistan security forces report raises fears over long-term stability
Emma Graham-Harrison in Kabul
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 November 2012 12.22 EDT

Afghanistan will struggle to maintain its security forces' buildings and equipment after foreign forces leave at the end of 2014, a US government watchdog said in a bleak report that raised serious questions about long-term stability prospects.

The special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction has also announced an audit into $230m (£142.5m) worth of repair parts ordered for the Afghan army that have gone missing, underlining problems with corruption and accountability.

The $50bn effort to train Afghan security forces initially focused on the fighting skills needed to face the Taliban on the frontline. But critics have long warned that this meant equally important capacities, including logistics networks that can get food, fuel and ammunition to soldiers out in the field, were being dangerously neglected.

The US and Nato are now rushing to correct this imbalance, but may have started too late. Afghanistan will struggle to maintain facilities that cost the US government nearly $12bn to build, the report said.