ISAF Manages (and spins) Wardak Situation Successfully

It would appear that ISAF has successfully managed its way out of the Wardak mess. Karzai had ordered all Special Forces out of the province as a result of claims by Afghans living in Wardak that the Special Forces teams and/or their advised units were abusing the local population. It seems that the alleged transgressions (ISAF denies any wrongdoing on the part of the SF teams) are narrowed to the Nerkh district (see similar reports under the Wardak label). As a result of weeks long negotiations the SF team in Nerkh district will soon depart that location and be replaced by an ANSF unit (hopefully an Afghan Special Forces detachment). The other SF teams in Wardak will slowly transition out in accordance with an agreed upon security transition plan with ANSF officials.

To be sure, there has been lots of behind the scenes maneuvering. Many tie this Wardak situation to Karzai wanting the Bagram detention center situation resolved in his favor (so he attacks on one front to gain ground on another). Other considerations include Karzai positioning himself as an Afghan nationalist standing up to the occupying western forces, the political parties that are gaining strength in Wardak and looking towards parliamentary and presidential elections, and the inroads that the Taliban have made in Wardak through its information operations campaign (and terror tactics).

Despite all of this the messaging coming out of ISAF seems to be coherent and upbeat - according to LTG Nick Carter of USAF the situation in Wardak will be an interesting look ahead to how transition takes place in other troubled provinces of Afghanistan in the future (smooth!). See "Wardak Could Be Early Test of Transition Success", Official Says", American Forces Press Service, March 20, 2013.