The $60 Billion Question: Can Afghanistan Take The Taliban And ISIS On Its Own? - HuffPost

WASHINGTON -- American taxpayers have spent $62.5 billion on Afghanistan's military and police forces since the U.S. invaded that country in 2001. It could all go to waste -- or, worse, to extremists -- if the Afghan and U.S. governments don't increase their vigilance, according to the top watchdog for U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.

"The evidence strongly suggests that Afghanistan lacks the capacity -- financial, technical, managerial or otherwise -- to maintain, support and execute much of what has been built or established during more than 13 years of international assistance," said John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, in an address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday.

Sopko described himself as "more optimistic" about the situation in Afghanistan than he has been since he became inspector general three years ago. He pointed to innovations by the U.S. military and the fact that the new Afghan government has proved to be less antagonistic to Washington -- and to its important neighbor, Pakistan -- than its predecessor was.

But he underscored that he has serious doubts about the Afghan army, which is central to President Barack Obama's plan to end the U.S. war in Afghanistan by 2016. The Afghan army is the chief line of defense in that country against the resurgent Taliban and a deadly Islamic State offshoot.

“Developing a capable [Afghan National Defense and Security Force] is essential to the success of the reconstruction effort and to the Afghan government’s prospects in any peace talks [with Taliban militants]," Sopko said. "Considering the effect a lack of security has on good governance, rule of law, and economic and social development, it may be the most important issue." (The Afghan National Defense and Security Force is the umbrella term for the country's army and police.) 

Sopko said Wednesday that he is not confident about the current capabilities of the Afghan troops, which face what experts describe as a Taliban growing increasingly confident as the U.S.-led coalition departs.

He added that it is difficult to assess the capacity of the Afghan forces because the U.S.-led coalition has changed its measurement methods numerous times. Moreover, last year the new NATO support mission said it would be classifying the executive summary of its Afghan force assessments, previously provided to the inspector general. Sopko blasted the move, as did such lawmakers as Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and an advocate for broader accountability on U.S. money spent abroad. - Read More about the The $60 Billion Question:

The $60 Billion Question: Can Afghanistan Take The Taliban And ISIS On Its Own?

Securing Afghanistan Means Relying On Difficult U.S. Partner -- Pakistan's Army