2 more insider attacks on US troops add to concerns about exit strategy

WASHINGTON (AP) — One analyst in Washington says the number of attacks on U.S. military personnel from within Afghan security forces can no longer be considered isolated incidents.

In one of two such attacks today, U.S. military trainers gave a new police recruit his AK-47, to defend his remote Afghan village. He turned around and immediately used it, spraying the Americans with bullets and killing two of them.

In the other, hours later, an Afghan soldier wounded two more coalition troops.

Andrew Exum, an analyst with the Center for a New American Security, has advised the top U.S. generals in Kabul. And he says with this level of attacks, "There's no positive spin on this."

In each of the past two weeks, members of Afghan forces have turned their guns on international trainers twice in one day.

It's bad news for the U.S. exit strategy in Afghanistan, which has seen Washington spend more than $20 billion on training and equipping an Afghan security force.

Some historians say they are hard-pressed to find any similar situation in previous wars.

%@AP Links

162-a-09-(Olga Oliker (OH'-lih-kur), RAND Corporation analyst who studies the Afghan security forces, in AP interview)-"have that trust"-Olga Oliker, who studies the Afghan security forces for the RAND Corporation, says coalition and Afghan forces have to trust each other to make the training program work. (17 Aug 2012)

<> 00:09 "have that trust"

160-a-04-(Olga Oliker (OH'-lih-kur), RAND Corporation analyst who studies the Afghan security forces, in AP interview)-"can't be avoided"-Olga Oliker, who studies the Afghan security forces for the RAND Corporation, says insider attacks are to be expected during an insurgency. (17 Aug 2012)

<> 00:04 "can't be avoided"

168-w-35-(Sagar Meghani (SAH'-gur meh-GAH'-nee), AP national security correspondent, with the RAND Corporation's Olga Oliker (OH'-lih-kuhr))--Insider attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan continue going up, with 29 attacks so far this year. AP National Security Correspondent Sagar Meghani reports from the Pentagon. (17 Aug 2012)

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