B-1B Bomber Blamed for Friendly Fire Incident

A newspaper report has stated that a B1 Bomber played a role in the deaths of five U.S. Army personnel in Zabul province. According to the report "The B-1B's sheer size required it to fly a wide orbit of five miles for optimum bombing as it made right turns over the nighttime battle site. This put it outside the range of night vision goggles. The goggles were the only equipment the bomber had to identify the infrared strobe lights worn by U.S. troops to distinguish them from the enemy and to keep them safe". News accounts like this one will likely generate support in Congress for keeping the A-10 Thunderbolt in the U.S. Air Force inventory; as it is the best suited aircraft for close air support. Read more in "Budget cuts, errant B1 bomber blamed in deadly 'friendly fire' accident in Afghan war", The Washington Times, October 29, 2014.

Start A.M. with Afghan War News

You can receive the Afghan War News Daily Newsletter each day. It should arrive in your e-mail inbox at 5:00 am Eastern Standard Time. It is easy to subscribe. Send an e-mail to staff@afghanwarnews.info or go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and submit your subscription request in the "Follow by Email" dialogue box in the top of the right hand column. It is easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Paper - "China's Foreign Policy in Afghanistan"

The Lowy Institute for International Policy has released a paper by Dirk van der Kley that examines China's policy options in Afghanistan once the NATO-led mission comes to an end in December 2014. There were three key findings in the paper to include 1) China will not make a meaningful security commitment to Afghanistan, 2) China views economic engagement as key to stability, and 3) China will strengthen its contact with a range of political groups to include the Taliban. The paper concludes by saying China has an interest in Afghanistan's long-term stability, that China is worried about the spreading of instability to Xinjiang province, and that China is stepping up its engagement with Afghanistan. Read "China's Foreign Policy in Afghanistan", Lowy Institute for International Policy, October 24, 2014.

Why Stay in Afghanistan?

A commentator, Edward Corcoran, provides us with the rationale for staying in Afghanistan. He provides strategic and practical reasons. Read his article "Why Afghanistan II?", The Blog - Huffington Post, October 21, 2014.

"Drone Queens" - Who Are They?

In the battle against worldwide terrorism women of the United States are playing a major role. They are very visible in the military services and also in the intelligence services. So who are the "Drone Queens"? A recent news article says that they are women in their thirties with a decade or more of experience working for the CIA hunting for terrorists. Their colleagues refer to them as "the sisterhood". The television series "Homeland" is based on  Read more in "The CIA's Real Drone Queens", Real Clear Politics, October 21, 2014.

UK Soldiers - "Brave as Lions"

The United Kingdom has completed its 13 year-long war in Afghanistan. It will keep some military officers and NCOs on the NATO staff that will be conducting the Resolute Support mission as well as some instructors, trainers, and advisors working at "Sandhurst in the Sand" in Kabul. Britain's main contribution (its role in ISAF SOF is also important) will be its role in Helmand province where it suffered the vast majority of its casualties. Many observers will wonder how much actually got accomplished over those many years and the inevitable look back over decisions and policies will certainly take place. Some commentators are getting an early start. Read "Brave as lions but poorly led - the British heroes of Helmand", The Telegraph, October 23, 2014.

Pictures - 13-Years of UK in Afghanistan

The United Kingdom spent 13 years fighting in Afghanistan and lost over 400 of its military personnel. The UK recently handed over its largest base - Camp Bastion in Helmand province - to the Afghan National Army. The BBC has compiled some pictures of the UK commitment to Afghanistan. See "UK troops in Afghanistan 2001-2014", BBC News UK, October 26, 2014.

3rd ID HQs to Deploy to Afghanistan

Members of the 3rd Infantry Division will soon deploy to Afghanistan to assume their role as the United States Forces Afghanistan National Security Element. A few members of that contingent will serve in Qatar and Kuwait. The deployment will be 12 months long and will be part of the Resolute Support mission that begins in January 1, 2014. The troops will find themselves in a variety of locations to include Bagram Air Base and FOB Gamberi. Read more in "About 200 Fort Stewart soldiers heading to Afghanistan on 12-month deployment", Army Times, October 28, 2014.

Afghanistan's Addiction to Opium

There is widespread agreement that the $7.6 billion effort to eradicate poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has failed. In fact, the problem is getting worse every year. The Afghan economy has a heavy criminal component, criminal patronage networks involve provincial governors, district sub-governors and high-ranking members of the Afghan National Police (ANP). The Taliban are funded to a large degree from the drug trade. In 2012 Afghanistan produced 95 percent of the world's opium - exporting it to Russia, Europe, and Iran. The increase in yield from 2012 to 2013 was 50%; from $2 billion to $3 billion. Read more in "Afghanistan's Unending Addiction", The New York Times, October 26, 2014.

NATO's DEEP Training

A series of academic programs were recently conducted by NATO in Europe for the benefit of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). NATO's Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) provided the opportunity for senior members of the Afghan Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, and others to exchange ideas and explore operational cooperation.

"Defence Education Enhancement Programmes are tailored programmes through which the Alliance advises partners on how to build, develop and reform educational institutions in the security, defence and military domains. They focus in particular on faculty building and curriculum development, covering areas such as teaching methodology, leadership and operational planning".

Read more in "NATO and senior Afghan officials welcome enhanced relationship", North Atlantic Treaty Organization, October 24, 2014.

China - Afghan Partnership

Afghanistan and China have pledged a long-term relationship during President Ghani's trip to China. Read more in "Afghanistan, China Pledge Long-Term Partnership", Radio Free Europe.

Violence Increases in Kabul in Ghani's First Month

The level of insurgent activity in Kabul has increased during President Ghani's first month in office. Car bombs and rocket attacks are on the rise. Read more in "Violence marks Afghan president's first month", AP Big Story, October 28, 2014.

Paper - "COIN: A Forgotten U.S. Strategy"

Counterinsurgency is a way of fighting that the U.S. Army (and military as a whole) seems to have trouble getting right. It didn't do it well in Vietnam and was slow to apply lessons 'forgotten' from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan. Certainly there will be many papers produced by military students from the various staff courses and colleges over the next decade addressing this issue. One recently published is entitled Counterinsurgency: A Forgotten U.S. Strategy, by LCDR Vicent S. King, USN, Joint Forces Staff College (Master's Thesis), Norfolk, Virginia, 13 June 2014.

5:00 AM EST - Daily Afghan News

You can receive the Afghan War News Daily Newsletter each day. It should arrive in your e-mail inbox at 5:00 am Eastern Standard Time. It is easy to subscribe. Send an e-mail to staff@afghanwarnews.info or go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and submit your subscription request in the "Follow by Email" dialogue box in the top of the right hand column. It is easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

4-Stars, Military Benefits, and C-27A's

Our high-ranking generals and admirals have been testifying before congress on how badly the military's budget is affected by the rising high cost of military pay and benefits. We now know - as a result of detailed cost breakdowns by the various veterans organizations - that this is not true. It is simply a lie. What needs to be closely looked at is the waste in military procurement (can you say C-27?). One columnist spells it out for us using the example of the fleet of 20 C-27's bought for the Afghan Air Force which were hardly ever used. This program cost us over 1/2 billion dollars and recently the planes were scrapped for 6 cents per lb. Talk about waste! Read more in "Editorial: Who's kidding whom?", Military Times, October 22, 2014.

Gizab District - 80% Owned by Taliban

A few years back Gizab district in Uruzgan province was the showcase of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as an example of a local uprising against the Taliban. The Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan (CFSOCC-A) introduced the Village Stability Operations (VSO) program and Afghan Local Police (ALP) to Gizab district to capitalize on the revolt against Taliban rule. The VSO program and associated ALP spread throughout the country. Since then, along with the withdrawal of conventional U.S. forces, Special Operations Forces teams have been scaled back and they do not advise and assist ALP units at the district level. In fact, the program has been taken over by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) as the ALP is now part of the MoI. A recent news report indicates that Gizab district is now 80% controlled by the Taliban and the ALP is but a shell of its former self in this district. Read more in "Taliban return to Afghan town that rose up and drove out its leaders", The Guardian, October 27, 2014.

Ghani Heads to China

The new president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, will travel to China for a three-day visit. On the agenda will be China's commitment to the mining sector of Afghanistan. In particular there is sure to be a discussion on China's role in the Mes Aynak copper mine in Logar province. Read more in "New Afghan President to Head to China", ABC News, October 27, 2014.

Counterinsurgency Here to Stay

The U.S. Army is turning away from counterinsurgency and looking forward to more conventional operations in the Pacific (and Middle East). Unfortunately, as much as the U.S. would like to leave counterinsurgency behind (the U.S. Army just closed the Army Irregular Warfare Center) the "small wars" will continue to loom over the horizon. Read more in "More Small Wars: Counterinsurgency Is Here to Stay", by Max Boot in Foreign Affairs, November December 2014 issue.

Video - Jewelry Crafting in Afghanistan

During the Civil War and Taliban regime, art in Afghanistan was non-existent. However, there is a new generation of young Afghan artists who are working hard to bring the traditional schools of craft back to Afghanistan. See a video on the topic - "The Jewellers - Crafting Afghanistan's Future", NATO Channel on YouTube, October 22, 2014.

Book - "Adapting to Win"

A new book about insurgencies has been published. It is named Adapting to Win: How Insurgents Fight and Defeat Foreign States in War. The author, Noriyuki Katagira, teaches in the Department of International Security Studies at the Air War College, United States Air Force, Maxwell Air Force Base. The book examines almost 150 instances of violent insurgencies against state governments (including Afghanistan and Iraq) and provides insights into guerrilla operations across the world. His research shows that successful insurgent groups have evolved into mature armed forces and demonstrates what evolutionary paths are likely to be successful or unsuccessful. The book is available at the University of Pennsylvania Press.