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.

Afghan Local Police (ALP) Proving Their Worth in Northern Afghanistan

The role of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) in northern Afghanistan has evolved from an immature force to a unit of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) trusted by villages and the communities they serve.  Not only has the ALP grown in numbers but it has grown in capability.  Read more in "Across northern Afghanistan, ALP provide increased security to populace", DVIDS, 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.

APPF, Private Security Contractors, and Congressman McKeon's Bill in Congress

Congressman McKeon has introduced a bill in Congress that would severely restrict the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.  His bill would require U.S. bases in Afghanistan to be protected by U.S. troops - instead of Afghans from the newly established Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) or private security contractors (Afghan security guards).  Read the bill text here.

Rule of Law in Afghanistan and USIP

One of the major goals of the international community in Afghanistan is establishing rule of law. This is difficult in a society that has not quite made it into the 21st century.  Much of Afghanistan's criminal and civil disputes are resolved outside of the formal legal system through various community forums such as shuras, jirgas, and jalasas.  In areas under Taliban control justice is quickly (and sometimes fairly) dispensed by the insurgents. The Afghanistan legal system is ineffective, inefficient, and extremely corrupt with many of the judicial cases decided in favor of the party that pays the biggest bribe. The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is actively involved in improving the Rule of Law situation in Afghanistan.  Learn more about their work at the link below:

http://www.usip.org/programs/projects/rulelaw-afghanistan

Is Civil War in Afghanistan Inevitable after 2014?

Nipa Banerjee teaches international development at the University of Ottawa and spent three years in Afghanistan as the head of Canada's development program in Kabul. She has published an opinion article int The Ottawa Citizen (March 2, 2012) entitled "Taliban wait to take power from a failed Afghan government". She believes that our success in countering the insurgency in Afghanistan is overstated and that our progress is not as great as we think. She cites leading Afghan politicians who hold a dismal view of the future of Afghanistan. These Afghans complain about the lack of reforms in the Afghan government in the areas of corruption, election procedures, legal apparatus, and government ministries.

Fragile Progress in Afghanistan - Says One Opinion Writer

Michael Gerson, an opinion writer for The Washington Post, reviews the current state of the Afghan War and concludes it is not going badly - despite the recent "insider killings" and Koran burning fiasco. He believes the current strategy is working and we should stay the course. Gerson provides kudos to the Obama administration yet cites a couple of missteps. Read his article "In Afghanistan, making fragile progress", March 1, 2012.

Leonie Industries - Information Operations Contract Firm - Under Investigation

The top contractor in Afghanistan, Leonie Industries, that provides information operations services to the U.S. military is under investigation for tax evasion. Reportedly the firm has not paid $4 million in federal taxes despite being awarded Army contracts that may surpass $130 million.  Read more in "Pentagon urged to investigate information operations", Federal Times, March 2, 2012.  It is a common view that the U.S. military has been really ineffective in the information operations arena both in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mullah Omar Letter Causing Discontent Among Taliban

The distribution of a letter supposedly wrote by Mullah Omar, head of the Taliban, is causing some discontent among Taliban fighters. While many Taliban dispute the authenticity of the letter - claiming it is a CIA fabrication - others think it is genuine.  Among those Taliban who think the letter is genuine there are two schools of thought.  One advocates the instructions of the letter that endorses a strategy of slowing operations down, reducing civilian casualties, and giving negotiations with the U.S. a chance. The other group believes that Mullah Omar is selling out the cause of evicting foreign occupying troops and overturning the corrupt Karzai regime. Read more in "Taliban in Turmoil Over 'Mullah Omar' Letter", The Daily Beast, March 1, 2011.

Afghan Female General Breaks Down Barriers for a Better Nation

A recent news release about a female general in the Afghanistan army describes how she is breaking down barriers in a very male-dominated military organization.  Read more in "Afghan general breaking barriers to build better nation", NTM-A, March 2, 2012.

Oil Exploration Auction in Afghanistan

There is an estimated 600 million barrels of crude oil in the western half of the Afghan-Tajik Basin. Afghanistan will be soon auctioning off the rights for exploration and production to the Afghan blocks. Read more in "Afghanistan Sets Auction to Lure Bidders for Oil Exploration", Bloomberg.com, March 1, 2012.

Move in U.S. House to Bar Afghans and Private Contractors from Guarding U.S. Bases

In a move that is sure to complicate President Obama's withdrawal timetable the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee wants to bar private security contractors and Afghans from guarding U.S. bases in Afghanistan. The legislation is in response to "insider attacks" by Afghan security forces against coalition troops and poor reports on the newly established Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF). Read more in "House chairman wants private security contractors, Afghans barred from guarding US bases in Afghanistan", Associated Press article on Fox News, March 2, 2012.

Security Force Assistance Team Mission in Afghanistan

The Army is fielding fourteen teams to assist the Security Force Assistance Teams (SFATs) mission in Afghanistan. The SFATs job is to assist Afghan Security Forces as they assume a greater role in providing security to the Afghan people. The SFATs are assisting Afghan army and police units to improve their logistics, intelligence, maintenance, administration and training capabilities. Read more in "New Army mission partners First Army senior mentors, Afghan Security Forces", DVIDS, March 1, 2012.

Reality of Situation in Afghanistan

Fareed Zakaria writes an opinion piece in The Washington Post (February 29, 2012) about the "unsustainable aspect of America's Afghan policy". He states that while President Obama wants to withdraw troops he also wants to transition the fighting to an Afghan army and police while helping form a government in Kabul that can run the country and further develop its economy. Zakaria calls this a fantasy; points out factors that stand in the way of America's Afghan policy, and suggests that we recognize the reality of the Afghan situation.

He states that the Afghan government does not have the support of the Pashtuns - who comprise a good part (40%) of the population and many of whom support the Taliban. The national army, made up of Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks, does not have a proportionate representation of Pashtuns. For this reason support by the Pashtun areas of the country for the Afghan army is minimal. He believes that the Afghan economy will soon fail with the withdrawal of foreign troops and the excessive money spent in Afghanistan to support those troops. With a downsizing of the economy there will be no way to pay for a large Afghan army or police force. He sees no defeat of the Taliban in the near future as they have the support of the Pashtun population and sanctuaries in Pakistan.

In a concluding paragraph Zakaria suggests we accept reality and provides a way ahead:

"Accepting reality in Afghanistan would not leave America without options. Even with a smaller troop presence, we can pursue robust counterterrorism operations. We will be able to prevent the Taliban from again taking over the country. The north and east — populated by Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras — will stay staunchly opposed to the Taliban. We should support those groups and, more crucially, ally with the neighboring countries that support them. The natural, and historic, allies of the Northern Alliance are India, Iran and Russia; they have permanent interests that will keep them involved in the region. We should try to align our strategy with those countries’ strategies (obviously, the alignment will be tacit with Iran)."

Read his entire article here -  "Fantasy and reality in Afghanistan", The Washington Post, February 29, 2012.

A Dismal View of the Afghanistan Situation by Harper's Magazine - Scott Horton

Scott Horton in an article on Harper's Magazine website provides us with his view of Afghanistan.  Read "The Afghanistan Dilemma", February 29, 2012.  He sees the conflict eventually winding down with only Pakistan emerging as a true winner.

Cost of Fielding A Soldier in Afghanistan for One Year

What is the cost of fielding a Soldier for one year in Afghanistan?  It depends on who you ask and how you work the figures.  Most likely the answer falls between $815,000 to $1.4 million a year.  Read more in "One soldier, one year: $850,000 and rising", CNN Security Clearance, February 28, 2012.

Washington Post Editorial - Continue the Mission in Afghanistan

The Washington Post has published an editorial about the way forward on the Afghanistan war.  With the recent riots and demonstrations in the streets of Afghanistan - and the killing of NATO troops by Afghan security force personnel - many observers of the war feel that we should accelerate our departure from an ungrateful nation which has cost us so much money and so many lives. Not so quick says the editorial board of the Post in a recent article on their website - see "Despite the deepening crisis, the Afghan strategy is worth saving", February 28, 2012.

Afghan Anger Over the Quran Burnings - an Explanation

Stephen M. Walt in a piece published by Foreign Policy (March 1, 2012) provides an explanation of why the Afghan demonstrations and riots over the Quran burnings are taking place. He asks us to look at the situation through Afghan eyes - where you would see troops of a foreign power occupying your country for over ten years. Read his article "What the Quran burnings tell us".

"Declare Victory in Afghanistan and Come Home"

With the most recent killings of NATO Soldiers by Afghan security personnel in Afghanistan there has been a renewed look at the merits of staying in Afghanistan to 2014.  Many columnists are now advocating a declaration of victory and withdrawal from Afghanistan.  Read one columnist's viewpoint, KT McFarland of Fox News, in "It's time to declare victory in Afghanistan and come home - - before we have to shoot our way out", Fox News.com, February 29, 2012.

Afghan Local Police Academy Graduates in Nawa, Helmand, Afghanistan

Another Afghan Local Police (ALP) unit has graduated from it's training course - this time in Nawa district, Helmand province, Afghanistan.  The instructors were from the Marine's 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment Police Advisory Team. The training course was three weeks long consisting of skills relevant to police and infantry operations to include patrolling, marksmanship, police procedures, and more.  Read more on this topic in "Afghan Local Police Academy graduates in Nawa", DVIDS, February 29, 2012.  Learn more about the Afghan Local Police here.