A joint DOD-State report unearthed by the New York Times reportedly says the US-led effort to train an Afghan police force has fallen far short of its goal, with no way to determine how many Afghan officers are working or the location of thousands of trucks and other equipment. The report is making the rounds on Capitol Hill, so no doubt lawmakers will be asking for an accounting of the $1.1 billion training program.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.