What About the Unspecial Troops?

It's nice that Afghanistan is expanding special forces who have been the best troops. But what about the line forces that have to fight and hold? If they go down, no amount of special forces will save the day.

Afghanistan is expanding their special forces. Do read it all.

But for this to work, the basic infantry and police units have to hold the line. Is enough being done to keep them good enough even if not "special?"

And will expansion be done without diluting the qualities that make the objective of having more special forces a nice thing to have?

As I've written before in relation to a counter-terror strategy relying on special forces kill missions versus a counterinsurgency strategy that secures the people by living alongside them and fighting enemies among them, without the information and trust among the people that line units waging counterinsurgency provides the special forces, a counter-terror strategy will falter from lack of actionable intelligence.

On the bright side, the effort to double Afghan special forces will take more time than the initial goal hoped. That will help avoid drastic quality loss, at least.