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US touts Afghan 'Guardians' program
An effort in Afghanistan to pay villagers to protect their neighborhoods loosely resembles the Awakening Councils idea used in Iraq, officials say.
Like the Iraq program, which has been credited with helping to defeat insurgents there, the U.S. effort in Afghanistan, called the Guardians movement, aims to recruit tribal elders to help police bring security to areas troubled by Taliban insurgents, USA Today reported Monday.
Top NATO and U.S. military officials recently visited the Afghan village of Wardak, about 20 miles southwest of Kabul, to see the program in action, the newspaper said. Officially called the Public Protection Program, it so far includes 537 participants with plans for up to 1,200 and is funded by the U.S. government. Each recruit is reportedly paid about $124 per month through the Afghan government.