Afghan President Karzai Orders U.S. Special Forces out of Wardak Province

ALP training in Kajran district, Daykundi
province. (photo PO Matthew Leistikow)

The Long War Journal is reporting that President Karzai has given the order to the Ministry of Defense to order all U.S. Special Forces out of Wardak province, Afghanistan. The SF teams (sometimes referred to as Green Berets) are currently deployed in several areas of Wardak working with the Afghan Local Police (ALP) as part of the Village Stability Operations (VSO) program. If this development is true then it is very bad news. As the conventional forces of the United States and other troop contributing nations pull out of Afghanistan SOF will remain to work with ANA, ANP, and especially with the ALP. SOF will be one of the few organizations left in the country to influence the ANSF toward a more professional and competent force once we hit the December 2014 mark.

Karzai has always been reluctant to give the ALP his full support because they are usually less corrupt than other ANSF entities due to the oversight and influence of the SOF teams that live and train with the ALP; thus he cannot include them in his nefarious activities as much as he can other ANSF elements. With the departure of General Allen and the arrival of a new ISAF commander Karzai may be feeling his oats - first he orders his ANSF not to call in ISAF air strikes to support their operations and now he is seeking the removal of SF teams from one of the most successful programs in the country. One could think that he is setting the framework for his relationship with the new ISAF commander and prepping for when he has to sit down with the Taliban for a power-sharing arrangement post-2014. The Taliban have a great fear of the ALP and are pressing hard to have them neutralized. Read more in "Afghan president orders US Special Forces to leave Wardak province", The Long War Journal, February 24, 2013.

Task Force Iron Ranger and VSO in Afghanistan

In 2010 1st Battalion 16th Infantry was assigned the mission of deploying to Afghanistan to augment the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) and assist in the Village Stability Operations (VSO) program. The battalion deployed in January 2011 and very quickly sent out platoon and squad-sized elements across Afghanistan to work with Special Forces ODAs, Navy SEAL elements, and MARSOC teams who were training the Afghan Local Police (ALP) and establishing Village Stability Platforms (VSPs). This augmentation by conventional troops allowed the special operations forces to further expand its VSO / ALP program to additional locations in Afghanistan.

The twelve man Special Forces ODAs (and other special operations teams) were split into two 6-man elements and augmented with squads from the 1/16 Infantry. They were then assigned to multiple locations throughout Afghanistan. It soon became apparent that the division of SF teams into two elements and then pairing with conventional infantry units was a workable solution to expanding the VSO program. A second infantry battalion was soon deployed to Afghanistan to continue the program. 1-505 Parachute Infantry from Fort Bragg soon followed 1-16 Infantry into Afghanistan for further augmentation of the CJSOTF-A.

The command and staff of Task Force Iron Ranger (1-16th) was widely dispersed. The battalion commander became the Director of the Village Stability Coordination Center (VSCC) North - which provided oversight of Provincial and District Augmentation Teams (PATs and DATs) fielded by the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan (CFSOCC-A) and in coordination with the Village Stability National Coordination Center (VSNCC) located on the ISAF HQs compound in Kabul. The PATs and DATs, assigned to provincial and district centers provided the conduit from the VSPs to the various Afghan government officials and other actors to provide governance and development to the local areas. Staff members of Task Force Iron Ranger were used as PATs, DATs, in the VSCC-North, or in augmentation roles for the CJSOTF-A.

An article recently posted on the Small Wars Journal goes into great depth describing the integration of Task Force Iron Ranger into the CJSOTF-A to augment special operations teams conducting VSO and ALP training. Read "Innovation in Integration: Task Force Iron Ranger and Village Stability Operations in Afghanistan 2010-11" by Craig Whiteside, Small Wars Journal, February 7, 2013.

Torture in Afghanistan

A writer from the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), Kate Clark, has posted a passage on torture in some of Afghanistan's detention centers. Read "The Trouble with Torture: NDS, Special Forces and the CIA", AAN, March 29, 2012.

Afghan Night Raids Important to Overall Mission

President Karzai wants to reduce if not eliminate all night raids in Afghanistan. However, according to U.S. military officials, night raids are an important part of the overall effort in capturing or killing the Taliban. Read more in "U.S. Wants to Avoid Ban on Afghan Night Missions", U.S. News and World Report, March 29, 2012.

Special Forces Task Force 10 in Afghanistan - ATVs, Beards, Secret Bases, and More

A correspondent recently had the opportunity to spend a week with a Special Forces element working for Task Force 10 in Afghanistan. Read his article entitled "Secret Bases, ATVs, Awesome Beards: Inside a Special Forces Team in Afghanistan", Wired.com Danger Room, March 20, 2012.

Recruiting Continues for Afghan Local Police (ALP) Program in Afghanistan

Members of the Combined Joint Special Operations Force - Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) and their Afghan National Army (ANA) counterparts (typically the ANA Special Forces and ANA Commandos) are continuing their efforts to expand the Afghan Local Police (ALP) program into new villages and communities. The photo seen here shows members of U.S. special operations and the 8th Commando Kandak in a village in Zabul discussing the ALP program with villagers. (Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Dillon - CJSOTF-A Media Operations Center).

Village Stability Operations Explanation

Carmen Gentile has wrote a piece about the Village Stability Operations program in Afghanistan. In this program, called VSO for short, special operations teams move into rural communities and establish Village Stability Platforms. These small organizations built around the special operations teams work with local community leaders to enhance governance and development at the same time trying to improve the security situation. They frequently work with the Afghan Local Police or ALP. The recent shooting of sixteen Panjwai civilians took place at one of these VSO locations.

See the article by Carmen Gentile entitled "Afghanistan massacre casts pall over village operations", USA Today, March 15, 2012.

Things Get Tougher for Special Operations in Afghanistan

Things are going to get tougher for the Special Operations Forces (SOF) that will inherit the mess that is now Afghanistan in 2014. The recent events that have taken place (urinating on bodies, Koran burning, Panjwai killings, etc.) are testing the limits of trust between ISAF and Afghan security forces and the Afghan population's acceptance of an occupation force. Read one man's assessment of the situation - Dan Cox is an associate professor of political science for the U.S. Army School of Advanced Studies (SAMS). See "The Test Case in Afghanistan for Special Operating Forces", Small Wars Journal, March 12, 2012.

One Small Anti-Corruption Victory in Afghanistan by U.S. Special Forces

Corruption is everywhere in Afghanistan.  So it is refreshing to read about an anti-corruption victory from time to time. Read about one anti-corruption operation that recently took place in Laghman Province conducted by U.S. Special Forces (USSF) and the Provincial Response Company (PRC) in February 2012.  See "U.S. Special Forces Take Down Corrupt Afghan Officials, One At A Time", AOL Defense, March 13, 2012.

Proposal for CIA Led Force in Afghanistan After Withdrawal of Troops

Plans are under consideration to put elite special operations forces under the control of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after the majority of the U.S. troops have left Afghanistan in 2014.  According to senior defense officials these plans are still just discussions of options - however the topic is getting plenty of newsprint and coverage on the Internet. There are merits to such a plan.  The CIA and special operations forces have worked closely together since the end of World War II in many conflicts. While the CIA offers greater operational flexibility the special forces community provides units and individuals specially trained to conduct the type of operations a post-2014 Afghanistan will require.  Read "CIA-led force may speed Afghan exit", Newsday, March 3, 2012.

Title 10 and Title 50 Debate: Convergence of the CIA and Special Operations in Afghanistan

With the recent news reports about the troop withdrawal soon to take place in Afghanistan (apparently before 2014) many have asked what the "stay-behind" force will look like.  Initially it was revealed that special operations forces would take a leading role in the operations post 2014. However, it would appear, based on recent news reports, that the CIA will play a leading role as well.  Special operations forces and the CIA have a long history of working together.  The CIA has shown it has the legal authority and operational flexibility to conduct operations that the military cannot.  The special operations community is encumbered many times by conventional force commanders, rules of engagement, and other restrictions. However, the CIA lacks the robustness, capability, and expertise that the special operators bring to the fight.  So they are natural partners in many conflict situations. Read a recent article about this topic in "Military-Intelligence Convergence and the Law of the Title 10 / Title 50 Debate", by Robert M. Chesney, Journal of National Security Law & Policy, January 24, 2012.

Finland Special Forces Unit Serving in Afghanistan

A recent news article provides some information about Finnish Special Forces serving in Afghanistan.  See "Finland has deployed special forces unit in Afghanistan", Helsingin Sanomat, February 23, 2012.

Special Forces Mission to Increase in Afghanistan

As overall U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan lowers special operations forces will increase their activity.  This will be primarily in the training and advisory arena; for which Special Forces training makes them uniquely qualified for.  Read more in "Special Forces in Afghanistan: not just taking out terrorists anymore", The Christian Science Monitor, February 16, 2012.

Worries about the CIA and SOF in Afghanistan Over the Long-Term

Not everyone thinks that keeping special operations forces and a strong CIA element in Afghanistan past 2014 is a good idea.  Kate Clark, a blogger for the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) and long-time Afghanistan resident, has wrote an article expressing her concerns.  She worries about the history of the CIA being a secret  organization and of US Special Forces not being entirely transparent about their operations (Hmmmmm  . . . .really?).  Read her blog post in "War Without Accountability: The CIA, Special Forces and plans for Afghanistan's future" posted on February 10, 2012.

Special Forces and Afghan PRC

With the departure of over 100,000 troops from Afghanistan taking place in 2014 special forces units from a variety of countries will take on the burden of advising and assisting the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).  A war journalist (David Axe) describes a recent mission of a Special Forces unit working with the Laghman Provincial Response Company (PRC). See "Afghan Cops and Special Forces", The Diplomat, February 12, 2012.

Special Operations - In for the Long Haul in Afghanistan

U.S. officials say the White House is considering handing the entire Afghanistan campaign back to special operations teams as conventional U.S. forces draw down after a decade of war, according to multiple officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential deliberations.  McRaven would say only that the Pentagon is considering handing more of the day-to-day running of the war to a senior special operations officer.

Senior administration officials have described turning the mission over to special operations troops as a possible way to provide security with a smaller U.S. footprint, because of special operations' ability to work in smaller numbers and with local forces on such missions as night raids or village patrols. Administration officials believe that smaller presence will be less offensive to the Afghans.

Read the rest of the news article in "Special ops teams first in, last out in Afghan war", CBS News, February 10, 2012.

Special Operations Role to be Expanded in Afghanistan

Fox News is reporting that the role of Special Operations will be expanding as the conventional forces withdraw from Afghanistan.  Adm. Bill McRaven was quoted saying that the SOF forces will be the last to leave Afghanistan. The head of USSOCOM also indicated that the special operations forces will become more efficient and synchronized - blending operations such as Village Stability Operations with kinetic strikes against high-value targets.  Read more in "Special operations' Afghan role could be expanded", Fox News, February 7, 2012.

War Plan Will Shift to Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan

A recent news article reports that the U.S. will shift the burden of the Afghan War to its Special Operations Forces or SOF.  Leon Panetta, the Secretary of Defense, recently surprised many with the statement that U.S. combat forces would start to transition from a combat role to an advisory and assist role in mid-2013 - at least one year earlier than scheduled. However, what was not said is that the nation's Special Operations Forces (SOF) would remain fully engaged in both a counterterrorism role and advisory role in Afghanistan. SOF has as a number of core missions and these include Direct Action (DA), Foreign Internal Defense (FID), Counterinsurgency (COIN), and Counterterrorism (CT).  Because SOF trains for these mission sets it is well-suited for the "stay-behind" missions of providing advise and assistance to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and yet still have a capability to hit selected high-value targets or terrorist threats.

More interesting bits of information are revealed in the news article.  The shift to SOF would still require some conventional forces to remain in Afghanistan - to include some transportation, medical care, communications, and intelligence units. The plan also calls for the creation of a two-star command to oversee the entire Special Operations effort in Afghanistan.  Currently the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command Afghanistan (CFSOCC-A) is headed by a one-star; while ISAF SOF and specialized direct action units have their own commanders.  In addition, ISAF Joint Command (IJC) currently commanded by a conventional three-star would be passed to a Special Operations officer.

One particular sentence in the article caught my attention:

"Senior Pentagon officials involved in the planning acknowledge that a military effort with a smaller force and a more focused mission could be easier to explain to Americans who have tired of the large counterinsurgency campaigns of Iraq and, previously, Afghanistan".

There are some in military circles who believe that the large counterinsurgency effort (or population-centric COIN) was not true counterinsurgency in the classic sense.  Rather they point to earlier counterinsurgency campaigns that required a smaller footprint but utilized specially-trained military units to "advise and assist" indigenous or host-nation units in the counterinsurgency campaign.  Some have also called this "combat FID".  This is probably the type of counterinsurgency that we should have been doing all along.

Read the news article by Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt in "U.S. Plans Shift to Elite Units as It Winds Down in Afghanistan", The New York Times, February 4, 2012.

Afghan Special Forces Continue to Grow and Mature

The Afghan Special Forces is continuing to mature as a capable fighting force.  Learn more about them in "Culture Can Be A Killer", Strategy Page, February 23, 2011.

USSF and 6th Commando Kandak Conduct Operations in Wardak Province

The 1st Company of the 6th Commando Kandak, U.S. Special Forces, and other units conducted an operation in Wardak Province in Afghanistan.  The intent of the operation was to clear the village of insurgent forces and return peace and stability to the area.  Read more in "ANA Commandos, USSF complete step towards peace in Perong Valley", CJSOTF-A Media Operations Center, February 18, 2011.