Watchdog: U.S. Has No Way to Evaluate Effectiveness of Afghan Forces

[txradioguy]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pentagon lacks a reliable system to gauge whether the Afghan security troops are an effective fighting force capable of holding its ground against the enemies of Afghanistan, such as the Taliban and the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), reports a congressionally appointed watchdog agency.

That revelation comes on the heels of the United Nations declaring that “the intensity of conflict in Afghanistan shows no signs of abating and the security environment has become more fragile and dynamic” less than a year after President Obama declared an end to the U.S. combat mission, notes the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), an independent watchdog agency, in its 29th quarterly report to Congress.

A capable and self-sustaining Afghan National Defense and Security Force (ANDSF), which includes army and police units, is vital to preventing Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorists who can launch attacks against the U.S. and destabilize the region.

The ANDSF took over security operations when Obama and NATO ended their combat mission in Afghanistan in December 2014, withdrawing most of their forces at a time when Afghan civilians and security forces were suffering a record number of casualties.

The number of Afghan civilians and security forces killed and wounded by the Taliban remains at historic levels.

SIGAR notes that the tool used to assess the ANDSF does not “provide a clear picture of ANDSF capability.”

“One of the most important questions facing Afghanistan has long been whether the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) can maintain security following the U.S. and Coalition military drawdown,” reports SIGAR, later adding, “SIGAR and other organizations have long voiced concern about the ANDSF’s capability to counter the threats facing them in the foreseeable future.”

The current capability rating tool is officially known as the Monthly ANDSF Assessment Reports (MAAR).

This quarter, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) informed the Special Inspector General that MAAR was “not intended to be used as an assessment or evaluation [of] the entire ANDSF.”

The U.S. military’s evaluation of MAAR “raises a serious concern that the United States does not have a reliable system to actually rate the capability of the ANDSF [at an operational level] and, by extension, the effectiveness of the United States’ $65 billion investment to build, train, equip, and sustain them,” notes John Sopko, the special inspector general, in the report.

“Under the circumstances, SIGAR cannot evaluate the progress of ANA [Afghan National Army] corps or police units and their operational capabilities this quarter,” adds Sopko.

The inspector general included ANDSF capabilities in SIGAR’s High-Risk List back in December 2014, urging attention to areas susceptible to waste, fraud, and abuse.

http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/11/03/watchdog-u-s-no-way-evaluate-effectiveness-afghan-forces/

[DumbAss Tanker]

There actually is one way to measure it, and they're getting a C- or D+ in that.