Roundtable Discussion with Lieutenant General Sher Mohammad Karimi, Chief of Staff for the Afghan Military

On February 8, the Center for a New American Security hosted a discussion about the future of Afghanistan with Lieutenant General Sher Mohammad Karimi, Chief of Army Staff for the Afghan military. General Karimi began the conversation with a comprehensive review of the state of the Afghan Army over the past decade, from its roots as separate militias to the current force of 180,000 (+) with a national academy, a war college and 12 branch schools. His presentation focused on the progress in the security situation in Afghanistan, specifically over the past few years which has transformed the security environment for the better. He also discussed some of his current challenges and concerns, focusing on the Afghan Air Force and continued international support for the ANA beyond 2014.