Developing a Self-Sustaining Afghan National Army

Abstract

Abstract : The United States' invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the subsequent removal of the Taliban regime are considered monumental successes. In the wake of this success remains the challenge of developing an Afghan National Army (ANA) to defend the democratically elected Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). This monograph proposes that international assistance, the development of internal Afghan industrial capacity, and improved strategic-level mentorship are the critical components in forming a self-sustaining ANA. The approach to analyzing ANA development centered on four areas. ANA logistics culture, past and present, was studied to help develop a strategic logistics model tailored to meet the specific needs of the ANA. CSTC-A has the responsibility to not only develop forces capable of conducting raids to root out insurgents, but also to create a logistics structure geared toward sustaining a fight without a foreseeable end. Regional neighbors were analyzed to identify their relationships with Afghanistan, and whether they could partner with Afghanistan to improve its internal defense capacity. The analysis then explored the role of U.S. advisors in Afghanistan, who are training and mentoring Afghan leaders so that they can plan and execute strategic-level logistics operations. Finally, the United States' success in developing a self-sustaining Greek National Army (GNA) following World War II offers some lessons learned that could be applied to the ongoing advisory and assistance effort in Afghanistan.