As the Afghan Regional Security Integration Command-West (ARSIC-W) CSM in 2008, I would best describe the Italian commanded Western Afghanistan as a chicken wire canoe. Built quickly and on the cheap, even though it may have slightly resemble a canoe, it was never meant to float, let alone be a showcase example of modem military strategy designed to defeat global terrorism and train Afghan Security Forces. Every day the US Service Members of ARSIC-W had to apply layers of duct tape and bail water profusely to keep the chicken wire canoe afloat. Significantly undermanned and under-resourced, US and Afghan Service Members spilled blood due to US under-resourcing and TSAF's incompetence and abject failure to live up to their national obligations.

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