Friday, November 14, 2014

More Afghan War News Snippets



Raytheon has won a $175 million contract to support the Distributed Command Ground System and high-altitude ISR. The Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex contract will provide global services. Read more in "Raytheon wins $175 million DCGS-A contract", C4ISR & Networks, November 12, 2014.

A very revealing news article about the counterintelligence campaign waged by insurgents operating in Pakistan against informants who provide information for the targeting of drone strikes. It also provides some details on the Pakistan army and intelligence services alignment with the "Good Taliban". Read "Obama's Deadly Informants: The Drone Spotters of Pakistan", The Daily Beast, November 12, 2014.

Afghanistan's drug trade is a lucrative business. Read more in "Afghan Opium Production Soars", Voice of America, November 12, 2014. See also "Afghan Opium Cultivation Rises to Record Levels", The New York Times, November 12, 2014.

There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working in Afghanistan. One of these is the Danish NGO DACAAR or Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees. Read more in "Danish NGO celebrates 30th anniversary", Thomson Reuters Foundation, November 13, 2014.

Life for a girl in Afghanistan is not always doom and gloom. Some actually learn to skateboard. See "Meet the skater girls of Afghanistan", PBS Newshour, November 12, 2014.

The 705th EOD Company, at one time deployed to RC East, was awarded the Valorous Unit Award for its service in Afghanistan. See "EOD company receives award for Afghanistan service", DVIDS, November 12, 2014.

The First Lady of Afghanistan, Rula Ghani, visited the Role 2 hospital at North Kabul International Airport (along with COMISAF). See news photo.

A photographer for the Fayetteville Observer provides insight on how he does his job in "Photographing Afghanistan by iPhone", CBS News, November 11, 2014.

Army downsizing plan reveals that the officer corps is cut with favoritism to West Point officers. If you are a former enlisted you are more likely to get the ax than a West Point graduate. Does that mean that a West Point officer is a better officer? Umm, not from what I have seen! Read more in "Cuts in Military Mean Job Losses for Career Staff", The New York Times, November 12, 2014.

The mineral wealth of Afghanistan holds great promise. See "Copper and lithium may be the keys to Afghanistan's economic future", The Conversation, November 12, 2014.

Corruption is a huge problem in Afghanistan. President Ghani (newly elected) has promised to reduce corruption. He is off to a good start. Read more in "Afghanistan court increases jail term for Kabul Bank executives", The Economic Times (India),  November 11, 2014.

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