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 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Afghan army is struggling with old weaponry, low pay and desertions, yet performs better than the troubled Iraqi army and could defend Afghanistan without U.S. and NATO support in 10 years or less, military officials and analysts say.
The fledgling force's success is viewed as critical to the Western-backed mission of stabilizing Afghanistan, which faced a record number of insurgent attacks last year. Renewed violence expected this spring threatens President Hamid Karzai's government.
Recruitment for the Afghan National Army is being accelerated, and $8.6 billion in new American funding for Afghan security needs will help equip the 32,000-strong force, which U.S. military officials say is proving increasingly resilient in battle.
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