ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the challenges involved in the military capacity building of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). Had the Afghan army possessed the capability and willingness to fight against the Taliban when international forces were withdrawing, the Taliban would not have come to power, at least not at the same pace. The developments are noteworthy as military capacity building was an area that was already identified as a central component of international involvement in 2002 but only became particularly prominent in the NATO mission in 2014. The review of the existing evaluations initiated during the process identifies a range of challenges that remained relevant from the start of the war until the Taliban regained power in 2021. From the outset, the ANDSF was structured according to the organisation, doctrine and equipment of the US Army, which Afghanistan's socioeconomic conditions, culture and traditions could not sustain. At the same time, the capacity building and the pace of the transfer of security responsibility were guided by American interests rather than the actual circumstances in Afghanistan and ANDSF competency levels.
