Afghan police struggling on their own

The traditional national assembly in Afghanistan, the Loya Jirga, endorsed on Saturday the government entering into talks that could keep thousands of U.S. troops in the country for years after 2014. Afghan forces are taking command in some areas, but are finding that self-reliance has a steep learning curve.

CBS News correspondent Mandy Clark reports that in a remote valley near the Pakistani border, an Afghan commander worries about his mission and his men.

"Our ammo won't last until the end of the month," he through a translator in a recent CBS News interview. "If we don't get more soon, this post could fall into the hands of enemy."

Help is not on the way. The commander, who asked for his name to be withheld, says the border police are being left stranded at their posts because U.S. and NATO forces are refusing to fly them out. No flights means no re-supply either.

"We don't have any helicopters," the commander said. "We are running out of food."

The border police rely heavily on American aircrafts to move their food, fuel, ammunition and even men around the battle space. But now NATO is increasing pressure on the Afghans to do more themselves.

Brigadier General Tom Consentino works on NATO's training mission in Afghanistan.

"I don't think that the NATO forces will let anybody starve in Afghanistan. On the other hand we do want to encourage them to figure it out and use their systems to actually become self-sustaining," Consentino said.

The Afghans say they want to double the police force to 42,000 officers, but given the logistical problems they already face, it's difficult to see how that's possible.

The Police Deputy Commander, Major General Sayed Aman said: "If my men get injured, I have to drive 8 hours for medical help. Some die on the way. If the U.S. doesn't take this problem seriously, after they leave in 2014, international terrorism will get a foothold in Afghanistan once more."

NATO Gen. Consentino said his concern is still focused on Afghan self-reliance than anything else.

"I would be more worried about not empowering the afghans to do this themselves," Consentino said.

It is a tough balancing act for U.S. forces as they redefine their role here from combat forces to military trainers. Afghan officers say they know they have to be more self-reliant, but they fear they will be abandoned before they are ready to stand on their own.