With President Obama’s announcement of the accelerated schedule of withdrawal of US-NATO forces from Afghanistan, a key factor for analysis is the state of readiness of the Afghan National Army (ANA) to take over and step into the breach. Is it prepared to undertake stand alone operations in the post withdrawal scenario? It is so far a largely straight-legged infantry force. Pakistan has been insisting that it should have no armour and artillery and India should have no role whatsoever in its raising or training. The writer points out that in 2009 only 34 units of the ANA were deemed fit to operate in a stand alone mode. A very perceptive evaluation of the current state of readiness of the ANA which does raise question marks over the pace of the current troop draw down.
Aditi Malhotra 