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Thursday, August 27

Afghanistan: Sorry, Col. Kemp; the fix is already in

There are plenty of things NATO and its U.S.-led command could be doing at their current troop levels to help the Afghan army. For instance, a big driver of desertions is the wacky pay system, which doesn't allow troops or their families to collect their pay for weeks and even months on end when troops can't get to a designated ATM machine.  

Another instance: overseeing rotations to spell Afghan troops who've been under constant Taliban fire for weeks on end. 

There are numerous other important things NATO could be doing in Afghanistan to help beleaguered troops and provincial governors without getting directly involved in the fighting and which aren't costly, but isn't.   

The good Colonel Kemp needs to ask himself why.  

Col Richard Kemp: Turning our back on Afghanistan could trigger another 9/11
Former commander of British forces in Afghanistan warns there is a danger country could become a 'safe haven for terrorism' once again

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