When Nato-led combat forces leave Afghanistan, the Karzai government will need to fundamentally focus on security, the rule of law, strong governance and economic development. This will mark the beginning of Afghanistan’s challenges as it stabilises. More importantly, it will cost 4.1 billion US dollars annually to equip and maintain the Afghan National Security Forces — and with troop readiness by 2014 termed unrealistic by most western military commanders, a possible security vacuum after the Nato withdrawal could escalate a mid-level insurgency.
Afghanistan in transition
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