In the face of Taliban pressure, the Afghan military lost control of the country in a quick and devastating manner that called into question the prior accolades that American military authorities had given them.
American generals have long maintained that Afghan forces are getting better and better at fighting the Taliban for years.
“The Afghan army is increasingly effective,” Gen. James Mattis told Congress in July 2010 at his confirmation hearing when he was nominated for commander of U.S. Central Command. He added that the Afghan military – alongside U.S. forces – was “the worst nightmare for the Taliban.”
Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in December of that year that Afghan troops were “performing well” and were “responsible for security in Kabul.”
With the surge in US forces, NATO commander Gen. John Allen is confident that “We remain on track to ensure that Afghanistan will no longer be a safe haven for Al Qaida and will no longer be terrorized by the Taliban.”
In closing, Allen explained that “as the potential unifying influence in Afghanistan, the Afghan forces are better than we thought they were, and they’re better than they thought they were when tried in combat.”
General John Campbell, then the Commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, told NPR in November 2014 when asked if Afghan forces could fight on their own if they received military support that “whenever the [Afghan security forces] get involved with the Taliban, the Taliban cannot hold ground, they can’t hold terrain.”
“I’m telling you what I’ve seen; from two years ago to now, there has been a notable difference. It is a fact that they are capable of protecting themselves. Afghanistan’s most important institution is the Taliban.”
That same month, Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson touted the success and capability of the Afghan military.
“The Afghan National Security forces are winning, and this is a hugely capable fighting force who have been holding their ground against the enemy,” he said during a press briefing.
Despite these words of praise, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko told NPR on Sunday that he’s been warning the government about the Afghan military since 2012.
“I mean, we’ve been warning – my little agency – for the last almost 10 years about issues with the ANDSF, that’s the Afghan security forces’ capabilities and sustainment. All the signs have been there,” he said.
