People & Power

Marching to war

Filmmaker John D McHugh follows the Afghan army as it prepares to take over responsibility for the country's security.
People and Power Last Modified: 16 Dec 2012 14:45

Marching to war from John D McHugh on Vimeo.

For years the US has been saying that a strong and independent Afghan National Army (ANA) is the key to any exit strategy for the coalition. But the ANA has been plagued with problems, and it is very doubtful if it can indeed remain a cohesive and functioning army after it loses the support of the NATO/ISAF assistance mission. While the Afghan soldiers' bravery is not in question, their almost total lack of equipment, air support, Medevac, intelligence gathering, logistics, maintenance, and many other areas are cause for grave concern. But Barack Obama, the US president, has said the timetable for US withdrawal is "irreversible." And so, ready or not, the Afghan army marches inexorably to war.

Click here to watch Afghanistan: An Army Prepares

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Al Jazeera
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