Corrupt, untrained, underpaid, illiterate: the forces waiting to take over

The Afghan police chief sat shivering at his desk, his hands in the pockets of his wool coat, as he tried to answer questions about his men. Police station three is in one of central Kabul's better districts but it had had no electricity for days. It was colder inside than out. Lieutenant-Colonel Amanullah, the acting chief, was having a tough time satisfying his American "mentors", young soldiers from Camp Phoenix. They were, in fact, being quite gentle, but the facts about his station kept eluding him. How many of his men had been trained, asked Staff Sergeant Jimmie Stokely, 30. "Ninety per cent studied, but I don't know how many passed," replied Amanullah, sinking a bit in his chair. He answered a question about staffing by saying he had 105 men on active duty. His personnel manager interjected. The station had "16 officers, 44 sergeants, and 98 soldiers". Were they all on duty? That was unclear. Amanullah slumped further down.