.
(rnw) – I also enjoyed the visit of the Dutch Internal Affairs Minister. She was here to see how the Afghan police are being trained. The motto here in Uruzgan is also: more police on the streets. Although, the challenges are greater.
Police certificates
Three years ago there weren’t any regular policemen in this province. Today there are over 1500. A third of them have been taught how to carry out their duties by the Dutch Police Training Centre.
As almost 100 percent of the students cannot read or write, this is a challenge – one Dutch, Australian and US police officers put huge effort into [this program]. Not long ago it was graduation day for a great many policemen. It was great to see the pride on their faces. For most of them this is the first certificate they have ever received in their life.
The Dutch forces did a superb job in Iraq, the province of Al Muthana was the first to handover security to Afghan forces. The task in Uruzgan was much more daunting.
(RNW) – Pakistan is in the middle of a huge offensive against Taliban fighters in the border area with Afghanistan. United States drones are supporting the operation with reconnaissance and bombing flights. The military assumption is that the war in neighbouring Afghanistan will remain unwinnable as long as the Taliban in Pakistan have not been beaten, or at least reined in.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have become one and the same issue – in international political jargon already known by its acronym AfPak. RNW spoke to senior foreign affairs analyst Bernard Hammelburg.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
