In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman examines the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s security forces after the United States withdrew from the country.
Drawing on his experience as a Marine officer and adviser to Afghan units, Ackerman argues that the Afghan military was not a paper army, but a plywood army: capable in some ways, yet weakened by structural flaws and America’s constant posture of leaving.
Afghanistan and the Plywood Army
Ackerman uses the image of plywood American bases to explain the temporary mindset that shaped two decades of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.
Recruitment, Corruption, and Leadership
The essay explores how nationally recruited Afghan forces, weak administration, incomplete accountability, and political corruption undermined the army’s foundation.
America’s One Foot Out the Door
At its center, the piece argues that Afghan morale collapsed because the United States never convinced its allies or adversaries that it possessed both the watches and the time.