Afghan Officers Often Have Drug Problems

If Western troops hope to be able to pull out of Afghanistan anytime soon, they may have to settle for being replaced by troops with a drug problem. According to a recent Reuters piece, training Afghan police is a central part of NATO’s strategy to eventually turn over responsibility for security in the country to Afghan forces.

The only problem is that Afghan recruits frequently desert soon after joining, are illiterate or may be insurgent infiltrators. One policeman in particular killed five British soldiers in November. These problems are on top of the fact that many of these policemen also have drug problems.

"So far we’ve found three tested positive for amphetamines and also opiates, approximately 15 for the use of hashish," British Army Captain Pete Alexander, a police instructor, told Reuters, looking over the results of the 25 tests.

When tests were given, the amphetamine and opiates test could only find traces of use of the drugs within the past three days. The three individuals who failed the drug test due to these traces were given a second chance. Two were able to pass the test a few days later, while a third was fired.

If an officer failed the test as a result of hashish, he was forced to stand up and be reprimanded in front of their class of 300 recruits at a parade. The drug, however, is so common that commanders see no point in kicking them out.

"At first when we understand someone is using hashish we tell them it is not right to use hashish. The second time we just give them a warning. The third time we try helping them to quit the stuff, and finally we sack them," Colonel Mahmoud Refik Sheriar told Reuters.

"When it comes to heroin we don’t want those guys, we just fire them right away. It is not only harmful to themselves, it is sort of a contagious addiction. That’s why we don’t want them."