Desertions undermine Afghan army (VIDEO at link)

[IndianaGreen]

Desertions were also a problem in the ARVN (South Vietnam's army for you young ones).

Desertions undermine Afghan army (VIDEO at link)

An exclusive Al Jazeera investigation has found that the number of existing security forces in Afghanistan has been greatly exaggerated with widespread desertions by members of the army and police.

Senior officials in the Obama administration say US troops will start to return home from July of 2011.

That is when Afghan forces are supposed to be ready to take over.

But an investigation by Al Jazeera's James Bays shows that may not be feasible.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/12/200912123265842619.html

[dred654321]

1. kicked and recommended

and shows the folly of this escalation, among many other reasons.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Too many people in denial in DU

The MSM is selling the war, as they did Iraq. Same old shit.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. That's okay, we can always send more americans there to make up for it.

We're more brave & more willing to fight for their freedoms anyway.

[JonQ]

4. Historically desertions have been a major problem for all large armies

That was a big reason you put your soldiers in bright, distinctive uniforms, to catch the runaways. Often desertion and disease was a bigger problem than the enemy.

That was reduced with the advent of the modern nation-state, rise in nationalism and a belief in fighting for a nation, rather than for pay, out of coercion, adventure, whatever.

I would imagine in afghanistan the idea of being a member of a nation of afghans is a distant second to tribal loyalty and being a member of which ethnic group. So it would be hard to maintain a national army with that to start with.

Of course painful, bloody wars requiring universal sacrifice are a great way to unify a nation and undermine local loyalties.