Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, and Turkmen move together in a slow moving chow line in Mehtarlam district, Laghman province on April 23, 2010. Such united fronts are short lived. After grabbing lunch trays of rice and goat meat, these Afghan National Army soldiers find seats at tables divided along ethnic lines. Distrust amid some groups can be traced back to late-nineteenth century land disputes. Bridging these ethnic fault lines within the Afghan National Security Forces will become increasingly important during future stability operations as foreign governments prepare to withdraw military resources.

Words and Photo by James Lee