The Afghan National Army produced a video as part of their recruiting campaign to get additional people to join their cause due to the lack of coalition ground support.
The presence of terrorism in the Middle East is staggering with ISIS in Afghanistan as well as the resurgence of the Taliban. In order to defeat these forces, they need new recruits. What better way to get some young guys to fight against terrorist forces than creating a hot new mixtape.
An Afghan soldier atop a combat vehicle. (YouTube)
The chorus to the rap video is roughly translated to: “Love are keen to this holy slogan. God, Country, Duty. As long as we are alive, we will fight against enemy with all our strength. We are up with you to death. That’s the greatest characteristic of man. We know our lives may be in danger, but we come through without any condition.”
The Afghan National Army hasn’t had consistency in its forces, and although things are improving after 15 years into the war, their forces still have a long way to go to be able to fight the never-ending insurgency. The inconsistency in quality has claimed lots of Afghan troop’s lives, most recently in early 2016 when Afghan forces pulled out of Musa Qala province under pressure from the Taliban. There is a huge uncertainty whether or not the Afghan forces will be able to keep the Taliban at bay ever without U.S. help.
Besides, civilian casualties have also been at a record high since 2015 in Afghanistan. In 2015 alone there were more than three thousand casualties from suicide bombings and battles. Over seven thousand civilians are injured every year. Civilian causalities have also happened at the hands of the Afghan army, and it remains one of the biggest setbacks for the troops.
Afghan soldiers practicing sniping. (YouTube)
On the brighter side, more women are joining the force, with thirteen new female officers graduating from the service’s academy in 2016 and more than twenty in 2017. This is a major improvement for the Afghan army. Maj. Gen. Paul Nanson, head of the British Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which helped set up the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, said it is “good news” that more women are joining the Army.
The Afghan National Army Officer Academy has instructors from Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, and Turkey playing key advisory roles.
While the quality is improving, low morale, low wages, and the lack of basic equipment are the biggest obstacles for the Afghan Army. The Afghanistan troops haven’t been able to defend themselves against the insurgency, calling for troops from other countries.
Here is the video in all its glory:
