Pentagon Reports Bleak Findings In Afghanistan -- Foreign Policy
Gloomy report
A new report released by the U.S. Department of Defense on Monday finds that just one of the Afghan National Army's 23 brigades is capable of operating on its own without NATO support (NYT, Bloomberg, WSJ). The report's dismal findings continue with an assessment that violence is higher than it was before the 2009 surge, the Taliban have proved resilient, corruption continues to plague the central government, and Pakistan continue to provide support to the insurgency.
The Taliban have said that two of their members will attend a meeting organized by a think tank on the outskirts of Paris to discuss Afghanistan's future, but they will not engage in talks about peace and reconciliation (AP). Representatives from Afghanistan's High Peace Council, anti-Taliban political parties, and the militant group Hezb-e-Islami have also agreed to attend.
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My Comment: The Pentagon's report is gloomy .... in short .... there has been no progress in the past few years. The Taliban are getting stronger and are ready to move into areas that US/NATO forces are leaving. Corruption continues to plague the central government. Pakistan continues to provide support to the insurgency, and with the Taliban safe havens untouched .... it is becoming a guarantee that the war cannot be won.