on literacy training, development and discipline, it is incredibly difficult for the 171,600 soldier-‐strong ANA to be an independent functioning body. Ethnic issues are also prevalent in the ANSF, with strong ethnic representation among soldiers in the ANSF: Ethnic Breakdown of ANSF Soldiers109 Ethnicity
Percentage of the ANSF
Pashtun
44%
Tajik
25%
Hazara
10%
Uzbek
8%
Other
11%
Total
100%
Thus, at 25% of the ANSF, the Tajiks have disproportionate representation in the ANSF, comprising 40.98% of all security forces. Even more shocking is that 90 of the first 100 commissioned Generals in Afghanistan were of Tajik ethnicity and were all from the Panjshir Valley. This places Tajiks as a disproportionate majority of the ANSF, and while this is not a slight to the skill, patriotism or pride of the Tajiks, it does raise questions about outside influence. As the US, Germany and UK oversee all military training operations, it does raise the question of whether or not Tajik favoritism is 109 “A Force in Fragments: Reconstituting the Afghan National Army,” International Crisis Group, Asia
Report No. 190, May 12, 2010, p. 11.
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