 Nothing is more critical to the success of the mission in Afghanistan than an Afghan National Army which can provide security for its citizens. After the ouster of the Taliban in late 2001, the Afghan National Army (ANA) was formed with support from the United States and the other NATO nations. Since 2002, billions of dollars worth of military equipment, facilities, and other aid has been delivered, and more than 4,000 US and other NATO military trainers have been providing advanced warfare training to the Afghan National Army, National Police and Provincial Reconstruction Teams. To dissolve the anti-government militant groups, the Karzai administration has offered both cash and vocational training to encourage fighters to leave the insurgency and join the ANA.
As of July 2010, the Afghan National Army consisted of 134,000 active troops, a number expected to double over the next 2 years, as the goal of the Afghan Ministry of Defense is an army of about 260,000. Although 70,000 new Afghan soldiers and police have been trained over the past 18 months, efforts continue to build more literacy and leadership capability in the forces, which have already established a stronger presence in combating the insurgents
This spring, the Taliban are expected to attempt forceful disruption of plans to put Afghans in charge of national security, a process which President Karzai hopes will be completed by the end of 2014. Afghan forces must be able to provide security without the ISAF before there can be any significant draw down of coalition troops, however, so there is much work yet to be accomplished.
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