Afghan Police Still Largely Corrupt

NATO is investing heavily in Afghanistan's police force, which as of now is "widely corrupt and largely ineffective," reports The Wall Street Journal. Military commanders see a strong, capable police force as vital to making the country more secure for its civilians, a key part of counterinsurgency doctrine. Allies have spent millions of dollars to create the 12,000-strong Afghan Border Police, with plans to increase the force by 50 percent. But the corruption problem remains: The newspaper reports on a pincer movement meant to halt insurgents crossing the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in which American troops would narrow mountain passes while Pakistani troops would attack insurgents on their side of the border. The insurgents slipped away because the border police tipped them off. Afghanistan has 80,000 police total, and they're recruited to work in the communities they come from. A Kabul professor explains police are often unsure of who will eventually triumph in places contested by the Americans and the Taliban, so they keep ties with both sides.