Afghan Plans for Camp Leatherneck

The Afghan 215th ANA Corps inherited a sprawling base in southwest Afghanistan with the departure of the Marines from Camp Leatherneck. The mystery is what will the Afghans do with the base, buildings (298), vehicles, equipment, and gear. One of the buildings is a $36 million, 64,000-square foot military headquarters built for the Marines but never used. Ouch. The camp was built to accommodate 26,000 troops. Read more in "Afghans' plans for gear, buildings at Leatherneck unclear", Marine Corps Times, November 2, 2014.

Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Veterans Day!

China's Afghan End Game

The Central and South Asian region is a study in complexity. The large regional actors (China, India, Pakistan, and Iran) all have similar, aligned and sometimes competing interests. For instance, India and China want to see a stable Afghanistan; Pakistan and China want to keep India's influence in Afghanistan at a minimum, Pakistan wants an unstable Afghanistan and supports the insurgents (the "Good Taliban"). An examination of China's relationship with Afghanistan provides us with a multi-pronged approach where China is playing all sides. Read more in "Afghan End Game: Chinese Security Imperative and Implications for India", International Policy Digest, November 3, 2014.

Afghan Mineral Wealth Awaits

Afghanistan has an immense reservoir of mineral wealth that remains untapped. Afghanistan's economic future can certainly change if security is established, infrastructure improved (electricity, roads, and railroads), and minerals extracted for export. However the infrastructure cannot be improved to a sufficient degree until security is established. And there is the rub. There is little confidence that the Afghan National Security Forces can establish security to the degree necessary for infrastructure improvement. The two biggest mineral development projects -  the Hajigak Iron Ore Mine in Wardak province and the Mes Aynak Copper Mine in Logar province are on hold until security is sufficient. Read more in "War, uncertainty keep Afghanistan from unlocking vast mineral wealth", Business Vancouver, November 10, 2014.

AH-64 Apaches Support Coalition and ANSF

The AH-64 Apache helicopters of the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade continue their operational tempo to support friendly forces on the ground. Behind the scenes are the maintainers that keep the Apaches at the tip of the spear. The maintainers work at Forward Operating Base Fenty (near Jalalabad). Learn more about their job in "Maintainers keep Apaches at the tip of the spear", DVIDS, November 3, 2014.

Two Afghans Training in Colorado Decide to "Stay"

Two Afghan prison officials who are attending a prison-reform training program in Colorado have decided to stay in the United States. It seems that they "disappeared" during the training program. One Afghan was later found attempting to cross into Canada. Another one has not been located - probably now living within the Afghan community in the United States. Read more in "2 Afghan nationals walked away from Colorado training, officials say", Stars and Stripes, November 3, 2014. See also "Two Afghan prison officers flee Colorado training center", The Denver Post, November 3, 2014.

Afghans Request UK Air Support

The Afghan government has requested continued air support from the United Kingdom for its ground troops during the Resolute Support mission. Kabul's air force does not currently have the capacity to deliver close air support; but hopefully, it will in the future once it receives its twenty A-29 super Tucano light strike aircraft (2016?). Read more in "UK ponders Afghan request for air support", IHS Jane's 360, October 30, 2014.

Audit of Kabul Embassy Security Force

The Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of State recently conducted an audit of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security Worldwide Protective Services Contract (Task Order 10) for the Kabul Embassy Security Force (dated October 2014). You can read the report of the audit at the link below:
http://oig.state.gov/system/files/aud-mero-15-03.pdf

Technology and Afghanistan

Afghanistan's new president, Ashraf Ghani, is an academic and World Bank expert on state building. He has some experience in technology and how it can help weak states (like Afghanistan) cost-effectively improve governance. Telecommunications and technology are two of the brightest sectors of Afghanistan's economy; and there is hope that these two sectors will help other sectors grow. Ghani has used Skype and Google Hangout to chair town hall style meetings across the country. Read more in "As Afghan President, Ghani continues Tech Advocacy", Voice of America, November 3, 2014.

FOB Shank Transferred to ANA

Forward Operating Base (FOB) SHANK (also known as Tactical Base Shank), located in Logar province (south of Kabul) has been transferred to the Afghan National Army (ANA). 3rd Cavalry Regiment handed over the 'keys' to the base during a transfer of authority ceremony on October 23, 2014. At one time Tactical Base Shank was the third largest U.S. base in Afghanistan - housing nearly 5,200 personnel. Not only was the base turned over but a lot of excess equipment was transferred to the Afghans as well. Read more in "3d Cavalry Regiment hands over last major US base in southeast Afghanistan", DVIDS, November 2, 2014.

Afghans Struggle to Save Their Wounded

Starting in mid-2013 and going into 2014 ISAF started to refuse to fly almost all requests for MEDEVACs from the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Whether this was the right or wrong thing to do depends on your perspective and the circumstances of each individual incident. Certainly if you were the Afghan soldier who bled to death on the battlefield while you looked up and saw helicopters flying overhead it sucked. If you were the team leader of a Security Force Assistance Advisory Team (SFAAT) supporting an infantry kandak or a Special Forces ODA team leader advising the Afghan Local Police and your higher headquarters denied a request from you for a MEDEVAC you were put in a bad situation; especially as the Afghan died in front of you. If you were at a higher level within ISAF attempting to get the Afghans to use their own MEDEVAC capability then you were "doing the right thing" in forcing the Afghans to use their ground ambulances and their very basic field hospitals. But the bottom line is the Afghans, "our allies", were bleeding to death on the battlefield and dying in Afghan hospitals because of lack of medicine, qualified doctors, field hospitals, corruption . . . and an ISAF refusal to fly MEDEVACs.

While ISAF would tell you that things have gotten a lot better (in terms of ANSF capability to provide medical evacuation from the battlefield and hospital care), others would tell you a different story. Read more in "Special Report: Left to fight alone, Afghanistan battles to save wounded", Reuters, November 5, 2014.

Norway Pledges $110 Million in Annual Aid

The country of Norway, a long-time participant in the Afghan conflict and provider of foreign aid, has pledged $110 million for Afghanistan in 2015. The Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende visited Afghanistan on Saturday and met with President Ghani, CEO Abdullah, and the acting foreign minister Zarar Ahmad Osmani. The money is for civilian and military aid. Source - "Norway pledges $110 million in annual aid to Afghanistan", Khaama Press, November 9, 2014.

"Little Sparta" - UAE

One of the best allies that the United States has had in the Middle East is the United Arab Emirates or UAE. The UAE has been in Afghanistan since 2003 when it sent its Special Forces to fight alongside U.S. Army Special Forces. They recently withdrew their Special Forces in the past year. The UAE has also been an ally in the fight against the Islamic State. Read more in "In the UAE, the United States has a quiet, potent ally nicknamed 'Little Sparta'", The Washington Post,  November 9, 2014.

India, Iran, and Afghanistan

India and Iran are finding themselves in agreement on a number of issues - and some of these issues involve Afghanistan either directly or indirectly. For one, both nations want to see a stable Afghanistan that does not harbor insurgents or terrorists. (Although Iran wants to see the United States leave Afghanistan as soon as possible). This puts both nations at odds with Pakistan - which views a stable and secure Afghanistan as a threat (when viewed as a component of the conflict with India). In addition, there is the possibility of economic cooperation between India and Iran which may have an indirect impact on Afghanistan's economy. For instance, the Iranian Chabahar port project may be a significant development in the context of Asian security as a whole, and in part, on Afghanistan. Read more in "India, Iran, and the West", The Diplomat, November 9, 2014.

General Abdul Raziq

Kandahar is much safer now than several years ago. At one time the Taliban reigned supreme in the streets. But an Afghan police official (some say warlord) has tamed the city to an acceptable level. This security comes at a cost - in corruption, human rights, and governance. The police chief, Lt. Gen. Abdul Raziq, has ensured a degree of security within the city and some of the surrounding areas; however, some of his actions (and those of his police and private security force) are fueling the insurgency at the same time. Read more in "Powerful Afghan Police Chief Puts Fear in Taliban and Their Enemies", The New York Times, November 8, 2014.

Bombing Attacks Continue in Kabul

The insurgent groups are continuing their bombing campaign in Kabul. Despite heavy security provided by the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) insurgents are still attacking important targets. On Sunday an attack against the heavily fortified police headquarters killed a senior police official in one of three bombing incidents in Kabul that took place that day. The ANP officer killed was the chief of staff for the Kabul police. The bomber is said to have passed numerous checkpoints before detonating. Read more in "Explosions rock Afghan capital killing senior police official", The Washington Post, November 9, 2014.

Suicides Leading Cause of Death

According to the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR), Volume 21, Number 10, October 2014, suicides has replaced war as the leading cause of death in the military. For the last two years, suicide has accounted for about three in 10 military deaths. Read more in "Suicide surpassed war as the military's leading cause of death", USA Today, October 31, 2014.

"Why Afghanistan Courts China"

President Ghani recently visited China - probably in a belief ". . . that Beijing could offset the decline in American and Western support". In the short-term Afghan government is fiscally handicapped and unable to defeat the Pakistan-backed Taliban insurgency; so it desperately needs foreign assistance. However, in the long term, Afghanistan, with its vast natural resource base and central position between Central and South Asia can be an economic asset to China. The relationship between China, Afghanistan and Pakistan is a complex one - and China may soon be adjusting this relationship. Read more in "Why Afghanistan Courts China", by Zalmay Khalizad, The New York Times, November 3, 2014. Khalizad was the United States ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the United Nations.

Interview with Ambassador Volker

Kurt Volker, the former US Ambassador to NATO, is interviewed about the current and future situation in Afghanistan. He chats on China's increased involvement with Afghanistan (says it is a good thing) and about China's insurgent problem in Xiajiang province (and how a stable Afghanistan helps China defeat the ETIM). He concludes the 3 minute long interview with his list of 'uncertainties' that face Afghanistan in the future (Pakistan continued support of Taliban, a resurgent Taliban in the south, the loss of Kandahar province). Listen to the interview at "Kurt Volker, Former US Ambassador to NATO, on China, Afghanistan relations", CCTV America, October 31, 2014.

A Slashing of "Knife Fights"

John Nagl, the author of How to Eat Soup with a Knife, has authored a new book entitled Knife Fights. Nagl, a counterinsurgency advocate (he was one of the authors of the 2006 FM 3-24), is a favorite target of the anti-COIN crowd. His latest book, Knife Fights, is slammed hard by a commentator in "Revenge of the COIN Doctrine", The American Conservative,  October 31, 2014.