Unfortunately the latest report from Canada's Deputy Commander is not good. He says that the areas turned over to Afghan Police are slowly returning to Taliban domination. As in any poor country the police services are corrupt due to lack of funding and or tribal affiliations.
Canada is sending even more Canadian police over to train these Afghanis. I have one word of advice told to me many years ago in Azerbaijan by a British Customs Officer. The Brits were there to teach the local customs procedures and honesty in their dealings with the public. he said quote The first thing we tell them to do is sew up their pockets this may sound funny but it gives them less of an opportunity to stash bribes etc.
Our Canadian Police are well paid and the Afghanis are not, this is a basic truth. In countries where there is so much violence and hardship it is extremely difficult to police in a civilised manner. Perhaps as some have said a joint policing initiative involving our infamous Blue Berets may help. The blue berets are highly visible and well respected in most areas of the world. There is no lack of young Afghans volunteering for the national police force, but they must be paid a decent reasonable wage to do their duties without the worry of how they are to feed their family.
I have no doubt that our police trainers feel exasperated when the training goes awry. They are professionals in a difficult area and they are sharing all their policing knowledge in order to assist the Afghan people as a whole.
Please remember our police as well as our troops as another RED FRIDAY looms.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
