Review of Movies about Afghanistan

Christian Bleuer has wrote up an extensive review about movies produced about Afghanistan or set in Afghanistan. A very interesting and entertaining read. Read the article here on Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) December 23, 2014.

Video - "An Army for Afghanistan"

The New York Times has posted a short video entitle "An Army for Afghanistan". It is a short video (8 mins) posted on December 15, 2014 that depicts an Afghan National Army (ANA) unit visiting an Afghan Local Police (ALP) unit suspected of firing on an ANA outpost. Interesting interaction between the ANA and ALP.

www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/opinion/an-army-for-afghanistan.html

Russia Returns to Afghanistan

Over the past two years Russia has been investing heavily in Afghanistan - restoring once-abandoned factories and funding new infrastructure ventures. This is not surprising as Russia has been eating its Wheaties lately and has adopted an expansionist policy diplomatically, militarily, and economically. View a 5 minute video on this topic by Radio Free Europe (Dec 11, 2014).

Video - Afghan Cashmere

A small herd of Italian goats have been imported to Afghanistan in a bid to improve the quality of Afghan cashmere. Afghanistan is a large exporter of cashmere fibre. However, the quality of the fibre is not as good as that of the main suppliers - Mongolia and China. The project, funded by the US Department of Defense, is aimed at raising the ranks of Afghan cashmere globally. Watch a video on this topic on a farm near Herat by NATO TV published June 5, 2014 entitled Upgrading Afghansitan's Cashmere.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=POfHzKq5_iA

Video - Women on Bikes

Women do not usually ride bicycles in Afghanistan. However, a small women's group is changing that. The meet once a week to ride bikes in a group. Watch a video about this at "Afghan women's two-wheel revolution", NATO Channel TV, December 4, 2014.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1HaiyK8xeU

Interview w/ Author of "Warrior Diplomat"

Peter Bergen, the director of the International Security Program of New America, will be interviewing Michael G. Waltz - the author of a recent book about Afghanistan. Waltz is a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Reserve Component) and the author of Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret's Battles from Washington to Afghanistan. Waltz deployed to Afghanistan three times with the Special Forces, worked as a policy advisor on counter-terrorism for Vice President Richard Chaney, and helped shape policy for Afghanistan at the Pentagon. The interview will take place on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 12:15 pm - 1:45 pm. If you click on "RSVP" at the link provided below you should be able to watch the video online.
www.newamerica.org/international-security/warrior-diplomat/

Video - "Changing NATO Mission in Afghanistan"

The NATO Channel has published online (YouTube) a 4 minute long video explaining the Resolute Support mission, provides info on base closures, and identifies shortfalls and gaps of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).  Watch the video published on December 1, 2014 and narrated by Mel Preen - "Changing NATO Mission in Afghanistan".

Interview with UK Soldier - "Kajaki"

A new movie being released in the UK is about the time spent on tour in Helmand province by some UK soldiers. Watch an interview about the movie in "British Soldier and Actor on Filming "Kajaki"", Forces TV, December 1, 2014.

Video - Taliban Rehearsed for Bastion Attack

The recent attack by the Taliban against Camp Bastion (the former British base in Helmand province vacated last month) was well rehearsed. The rehearsal was captured on video and posted to the Internet. It can be viewed here: "Taliban video shows training and planning for Camp Bastion attacke", The Threat Matrix - Blog of the Long War Journal, November 29, 2014.

Video on History of Drones

A video about drones is available for viewing on the Popular Science website. The video (9 mins) is a brief film (animated) that highlights the century-long evolution of unmanned aircraft. Topics include early drones up to the CIA's targeted killing program in Pakistan and elsewhere. View The History of the Drone in 9 Minutes:
www.popsci.com/watch-brief-history-drone

National Seminar - Ten Years of Constitution

The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has posted a video (2 hours November 29, 2014) of a National Seminar entitled "Ten Years of Constitution". (Not in English).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir7sIEoP3ss

Video - "Crafting Afghanistan's Future"

During the civil war and Taliban regime, art in Afghanistan was non-existent. But thanks to the work of Turquoise Mountain, there is a new generation of young Afghan artists, like Storai and Saida, who are working hard to bring the traditional schools of craft back to Afghanistan as it moves forward. Watch "Crafting Afghanistan's Future", NATO TV, November 25, 2014 (2 mins).

Video - "Female Food Entrepreneur"

The NATO channel has published a video about a woman from Herat that started her food business in a mud hut but now sells in numerous market places. The female entrepreneur spent the last nine years building up a successful business. Watch "The Female Food Entrepreneur", NATO TV, November 24, 2014.

Video - Kate Clark Comments on Ghani

Observers have noted that President Ghani has not wasted much time in asserting himself as the new President of Afghanistan. Kate Clark of the Afghanistan Analyst Network is interviewed by NATO TV about Ghani and the challenges that lie ahead. She comments on the formation of the cabinet, Ghani's practice of conducting unannounced visits to prisons, hospitals, and police stations, his recent visit to Pakistan to open up relations, and his quick action on the Kabul Bank corruption case. Several Afghans on the streets of Kabul are also interviewed. Watch President Fosters Hope with Strong Start, posted on YouTube, November 26, 2014, (4 mins).

Video - "War on the B-Huts"

As the Coalition forces in Afghanistan withdraw the number of housing units needed become less and less. The B-huts on Bagram Air Field at one time stretched for miles along Disney (the main road on BAF). The Resolute Support footprint will be very much reduced in 2015. Wooden buildings provide little protection to incoming rocket attacks and BAF has seen its share of that (although not nearly as much as FOB Shank used to get). See a video about the destruction of B-huts on Bagram Air Field (BAF) in "Bagram: the war on wood", NATO (YouTube), November 24, 2014.

Video - "The Good War"

The war in Afghanistan, when compared to the Iraq War, was considered by many to be "The Good War". The Obama administration was keen to leave Iraq behind, re-engage in Afghanistan and pullout there as well. It isn't working out quite that way. Obama recently signed a secret memo authorizing increased support (increased beyond what was planned for the post-2014 era) in order not to "lose Afghanistan". Jack Fairweather, a former correspondent for the Daily Telegraph and The Washington Post has wrote a book entitled The Good War: Why We Couldn't Win the War or the Peace in Afghanistan. Fairweather is interviewed by Peter Bergen about his book and Afghanistan. See The Good War (1 hour), posted on YouTube by New America on November 21, 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NB4MQit6N0

Video - "Redeeming Afghan Addicts"

A short (5 mins) video about the drug addicts in Afghanistan entitled "Redeeming Afghan addicts", posted by NATO Channel on YouTube, November 19, 2014. Reported by Jeff Holden and Samim Zalmi from Kabul.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTygl8anw3E

Video - Postal Operations in Afghanistan

A short video (2 mins) by Armed Forces Network (AFN) Afghanistan provides us with some information on how the U.S. Army Post Office at Bagram Airfield conducts traditional postal operations as well as provides expeditionary mail services, such as postal rodeos for smaller outlying FOB's throughout Afghanistan.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4UzvOiuwKk

Video - Afghan Commandos Helmand

NATO Channel TV has released a 5-minute news video about the 7th Commando Kandak at Camp Shorabak, Helmand province. The video discusses the heavy fighting in the northern districts of Helmand province (Sangin district) and capability of the commando kandak. View Afghan commandos respond to call of duty, NATO TV, posted on YouTube, November 13, 2014.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFsGn5QQ27c

Video - NEB Training Up

The U.S. Navy Seabees are currently working with (train, advise, and assist or TAA) the Afghan National Army (ANA) National Engineer Brigade (NEB). The NEB was formed up earlier in 2014 as a national asset. View a short video (1 minute) with Gail McCabe reporting on the NEB entitled "U.S. and Afghan Forces Prepare for Operation Resolute Support", DoD News, November 5, 2014.