Article

2008-01-31 Britain

Half-trained troops to fight the Taleban

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Posted by Anonymoose 2008-01-31 11:52|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 Half-trained to fight half-assed, Hummmm.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2008-01-31 13:26|| 2008-01-31 13:26|| Front Page Top

#2 We've been training these Afghans for quite some time (more than the Iraqis) and it's my impression that the Afghans (at least the ones on our side) simply aren't as good as the Iraqis.

Maybe living under Taliban oppression wasn't as awful as living under Saddam or Al Q but in any case, I'm disappointed that we haven't made more progress in training Afghans.

Posted by mhw">mhw 2008-01-31 14:42|| http://hypocrisy-incorporated.blogspot.com/]">[http://hypocrisy-incorporated.blogspot.com/] 2008-01-31 14:42|| Front Page Top

#3 This sort of nonsense usually comes back to bite you in the ass in the form of increased civilian casualties.

Posted by Chuck the Wide9663 2008-01-31 14:57|| 2008-01-31 14:57|| Front Page Top

#4 Can they be deployed in lower-risk areas and complete their training at a slower pace in the meanwhile?

Posted by gorb 2008-01-31 15:45|| 2008-01-31 15:45|| Front Page Top

#5 Normally soldiers being prepared for Afghanistan spend 26-28 weeks on the Armys combat infantry course, which has a reputation for producing some of the best infantry troops in the world.

However, to cope with the manpower shortages the combat infantry course would be cut to 14 weeks even though senior planning officers involved in the proposal have acknowledged that there would be risks attached.

Out of my league here, but I would imagine PT and basic discipline would be less. However, knowing where they will be deploying would allow skill specific training? Continue training upon arrival? Team of 2 experienced with a green attached for support until they get their legs under them? No training like on the job training-no unlearning?

Posted by swksvolFF 2008-01-31 17:36|| 2008-01-31 17:36|| Front Page Top

#6 Maybe living under Taliban oppression wasn't as awful as living under Saddam or Al Q but in any case, I'm disappointed that we haven't made more progress in training Afghans.

Two issues:

1. Cultural. Due to long-standing cultural practices (we're talking centuries) Afghanis tend to make good warriors, but warriors aren't necessarily good soldiers. Leadership, "code of conduct", strategy, etc. aren't of the Western variety.

2. Most foreign-led training has been short-term and didn't affect the fighting-population as a whole. Iraqis had British, and later Soviet, training.

There's no quick fix, add-water-and-stir way to instill training and a Western military ethos.
It will take time and patience.

Posted by Pappy 2008-01-31 18:57|| 2008-01-31 18:57|| Front Page Top

#7 Well, it has been 20 years since I was an Infantry OSUT training company commander at Ft. Benning, but in those days, Infantry One Station Unit Training in the US Army was 13 weeks.

More initial entry training time is better - but 14 weeks isn't too shabby. Once you get to a line unit, almost all non-fighting time is used for more training. I'm sure that the military is still full of "hurry up and wait." Any time you end up waiting, good NCO's can turn waiting time into individual training time.

Posted by Lone Ranger 2008-01-31 19:19|| 2008-01-31 19:19|| Front Page Top

#8 INFORMATIONCLEARINGHOUSE [ICH] > EX-ISI CHIEF [Paki]: WEST WILL BE DEFEATED BY TALIBAN.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-01-31 20:30|| 2008-01-31 20:30|| Front Page Top

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