>>64132165
>Most of the ANA folded as soon as they saw the Taliban coming, but those were units generally assembled by telling local militias and warlords congrats, you're part of the national army now, with a little support and training from the west in the process. The units stood up and trained by the west on the other hand put up a pretty good fight, they were just way too few in number and lacking in the proper support to be able to make a proper go of it.

Problem in such countries is, that they don't see themselves as citizens of the country, but mainly part of their clan/ethnic group/tribe/local area. So when a national army in the western style is formed (i.e.mixed ethnic groups, you have to serve in any area), there isn't much loyalty towards the bigger picture (e.g. why should a Turkmen defend a Nuristani city, they are not his people; also centuries old conflicts, farmer vs nomadic herdsmen, etc). This is sometimes used by dictators to their advantage, using military units from one ethnic group to quell rebellion in another part of the country (Canada also did this with the Indian riots in the 90s, when they sent French speaking units there). But from a Western perspective segregated units by ethnic group might be a valid stopgap measure to an immediate threat, while nation building continues