Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) Receive Training from Marines

Members of the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) recently received training from the Police Advisory Team of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines in Musa Qal'eh, Afghanistan.  Read more in "Afghan police learn advanced tactics", DVIDS, January 2011.

Afghan Border Patrol (ABP) Get K-9 Dog Training

The Afghan Border Patrol (ABP) is receiving training in utilizing K-9 dogs to search for explosives at airports and other critical locations.  Several dog handlers and dogs have just finished with an intensive six-month dog handler training program.  Read more in "The Human is Very Clever, but the Dog is Much More Clever", NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, January 9, 2011.

More Marines to be Sent to Afghanistan

There are plans to send an additional 1,400 Marines to Afghanistan to consolidate gains made on the ground in areas around Kandahar. Read more in "US sends in the marines to Afghanistan", The Australian, January 8, 2011.

Wounded Evacuations in Afghanistan Improves

Survival rates for wounded Soldiers have improved dramatically thanks to more medevac helicopter crews and improved medical procedures.  Read more in "In Afghan War, More Equipment Helps Raise Survival Rate of Wounded", The New York Times, January 8, 2011.

$20 Billon spent in 2010 and 2011 for Afghan Training

A recent news article provides some details on the amount of money spent or that will be spent in two years for the Afghan security forces.  See "$20 billon over 2 years for Afghan training", The Washington Post, January 5, 2011.

Ghulam Haider Hamidi of Afghanistan

A mayor of a major city in Afghanistan talks about the difficulties of pleasing everyone and staying safe.  Some say he is corrupt and a tool for the Karzai famly; others see him as an idealist who will not accomplish much.  See "Corrupt leaders trump Taliban", The Washington Post, January 6, 2011.

Taliban Numbers Not Diminished Despite Afghan Surge

The number of Taliban fighters has not diminished significantly despite the surge of 30,000 additional troops in Afghanistan over the past year.  Although the leadership of the Taliban has suffered some losses it has not affected the overall strength of the Taliban according to a recent news article.  See "Taliban strength unaffected by allied surge", The Washington Post, January 6, 2010.

IEDs and Afghan Villagers

IEDs are a constant source of death and injury for coalition troops fighting in Afghanistan.  What frustrates these troops are the Afghan villagers who know who plants the killing IEDs yet do not inform the coalition troops who suffer the losses. Learn more about this complex situation in "Fear of Taliban keeps villagers from reporting IEDs", The Gazette, January 6, 2010.

Afghan Local Police (ALP) Defend Villagers in Chamkani Area of Afghanistan

The Afghan Local Police (ALP) in Chamkani, Afghanistan successfully defended a village threatened by Taliban forces.  See "ALP Drive Off Insurgents in Chamkani", ISAF, January 3, 2010.

Sean Mulholland Briefs from Afghanistan

COL Sean Mulholland (with MG Hans-Werner Fritz) conducted a briefing on current operations from Regional Command North (RC-North) in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan on January 4, 2011.  Covered in the interview are topics related to the Afghan Local Police (ALP) and Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Program (APRP) among others.
http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=4745

Defining Success in Afghanistan - American Enterprise Institute (Kagan)

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Institute for the Study of War has published a paper (almost 40 pages) on how to define success in Afghanistan. The paper, wrote by Frederick and Kimberly Kagan (with assistance from other contributors such as Carl Forsberg), provides a perspective on the conflict not always depicted in the mainstream media and helps to define what our goals and objectives in the Afghan War are (or should be).  It starts with a situation update, states the present strategy is working and that we should continue it.  There are several maps to aid the reader.  An excerpt from the paper introduction is below: 

"Success in Afghanistan is the establishment of a political order, security situation, and indigenous security force that is stable, viable, enduring, and able--with greatly reduced international support--to prevent Afghanistan from being a safe haven for international terrorists. The current American and Coalition strategy is making progress and should be continued. Since President Obama, NATO allies, and the Afghans have agreed that troops will be present in Afghanistan through 2014, the policy does not require substantial modifications at this point. This paper is thus primarily a report on the current situation in Afghanistan and a consideration of some of the prospects and challenges ahead. Our principal recommendation is that the U.S. and its allies should continue to resource and sustain the strategy now being executed, which is the only approach that can secure their vital national security interests in Afghanistan."

You can read more about the paper or navigate to a link to read or download the paper (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 40 pages, 13 MBs) at the AEI website by following the link below.  It is a big file - probably because of the maps.

http://www.aei.org/paper/100184

Upcoming Afghanistan Unit Rotations

The Department of Defense announced today major units to deploy as part of upcoming rotations of forces operating in Afghanistan.  The announcement involves two headquarters totaling 1,600 personnel and two infantry brigade combat teams totaling 6,800 personnel.  The scheduled rotation for these forces will begin in early 2011 and continue through the fall of 2011.

            Headquarters units:
            1st Cavalry Division Headquarters, Fort Hood, Texas.
            82nd Airborne Division Headquarters, Fort Bragg, N.C.

            Infantry Brigade Combat Teams:
            170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Baumholder, Germany.
            172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Grafenwoehr and Schweinfurt, Germany.

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=14086

Interview of General David Richards - UK Chief of Defence Staff

The United Kingdom Chief of Defence Staff - General David Richards - was recently interviewed by National Public Radio (NPR) about the Afghanistan War.  See "Richards: Time to Turn Afghan War Around is Now", NPR, January 6, 2011.

1-22 Infantry in Afghanistan

A writer for TIME is following the deployment of the 1-22 Infantry in Afghanistan.  The unit is in southern Afghanistan and is working with the Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP).  Read his article in "The Afghan Diaries: The Long Blooding of the 1-22 Infantry", TIME, January 5, 2010.

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) active in Northern Afghanistan

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is an al-Qaeda linked terrorist organization active in both Uzbekistan and northern Afghanistan. ISAF has been successfully targeting this organizations leadership.  Read more in "ISAF continues to target IMU leaders in the Afghan north", The Long War Journal, December 30, 2010.

District Support Teams (DST) in Afghanistan Making a Difference

District Support Teams (DST) are operating throughout Afghanistan.  The goal of these DSTs is to help Afghan government officials at the district level to establish civic improvements and increase government services to the Afghan population.  Projects include clean water, medical facilities, and formation of the Afghan Local Police (ALP).  Read about one DST located in Paktya Province.  See "Civil Affairs Soldiers, district support teams partner with GIRoA for progress", CJTF 101.com, December 18, 2010.

Comments on Wanat Battle Report: Don't Rely on Technology

A lot of commentary has ensued with the release of the Army's version of the Wanat battle in Afghanistan.  Some comments pertain to the over-reliance on technology.  See "Lesson From Wanat: Don't Rely on Tech", DefenseTech, December 30, 2010.

Calls for Withdrawal from Afghanistan

With the entrance into a new year many critics of the war in Afghanistan will renew their calls for the withdrawal in Afghanistan.  One such critic, Doug Bandow -a Senior Fellow of the Cato Institute - has analyzed what we are trying to accomplish in Afghanistan and determined we do not need to be there.  He says our original objectives of destroying al Qaeda elements in Afghanistan and punishing the Taliban for hosting al Qaeda have been accomplished - early on in the war.  He sees no real need to stay and cites a body count of 1,369 Americans in 2010 as unnecessary.  Read his article in "Dying for What in Afghanistan?", The Huffington Post, January 1, 2010.  Read more news on the Afghanistan War.

Leaving the Pech River Valley to the Taliban

The military decision-makers in Afghanistan will be soon deciding on what to do with the Pech River Valley.  Some say the valley is not important while others say we need to secure it as it is a transit area for Taliban supplies and individuals.  Read more in "Abandon Pech to Save It (And Ourselves)", Registan.net, December 27, 2010.

An Insurmountable Battle in Afghanistan

The chief correspondent of The Sydney Morning Herald has wrote an opinion piece on the war in Afghanistan.  Although he recognizes that the military has obtained some tactical gains in the south he points out that two crucial factors will offset those tactical gains.  The first is Pakistan's refusal to go after the Taliban that use the sanctuaries along the border in Pakistan.  The second is the Afghan population's refusal to support a corrupt and inefficient central government in Kabul.  Read his article in "Obama faces insurmountable battle in Afghanistan" published on December 20, 2010.

Return of a Tribal Leader to Zalakhan Village, Kandahar Province

An influential village leader has returned from exile to a newly secured village in southern Afghanistan.  Read more in "Afghan leader's return shows power balance has shifted", The Vancouver Sun, December 30, 2010.

Analysis of the Afghan Election in Ghazni and Elsewhere in Afghanistan

A thoughtful analysis of the recent Afghan election and the troublesome situation in Ghazni where election results are being contested is provided by an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.  The author, Vikash Yadav, works on issues of sovereignty, security and identity in South Asia. Read his blog post on the topic of elections, religion, and ethnicity in Afghanistan in "The Election Crisis and Ethnocracy", Afghan Notebook, December 30, 2010.

372nd Military Police Training Afghan Security Forces

A member of the 372nd Military Police Army Reserve unit provides insight on his tour in Afghanistan.  See "Adjusting to a different world", Mount Airy News, December 18, 2010.

Report on Counterinsurgency Effort in Kandahar (2010 Hamkari Campaign)

The Institute for the Study of War has issued a comprehensive report on the counterinsurgency effort in Kandahar known as the Hamkari Campaign.  The link below will take you to an Executive Summary and also give you access to the entire document.  See "Counterinsurgency in Kandahar: Evaluating the 2010 Hamkari Campaign" (December 2010).

U.S. Medevacs Save Afghan Civilian Lives

The medevac system in Afghanistan has improved dramatically.  Several years ago the medevacs would be launched from four locations - Bagram, Salerno, Kandahar, and K2 (Uzbekistan).  Now, the flights can be dispatched from locations all across the country.  The medevacs will serve the Afghan civilian population when available and not in high demand.  The article link below will bring you to a story that illustrates this fact - the story of a woman having a breached birth who was fortunate enough to have a Special Forces team call for a medevac.  Go ahead, read the story - it has a good ending!  See "A U.S. Crew's Urgent Flight Into the Afghan Desert", The New York Times, December 18, 2010.

The Harm the Taliban do to the Afghan Population - Keep it Quiet or Let Everyone Know?

Many have stated that there are very few differences between how McCrystal and Petraeus are running the war.  One difference, although not a big difference, is the decision by Petraeus to spread the word on the harm the Taliban is doing to the Afghan population. Read more in "How Petraeus has changed the Afghanistan war", The Christian Science Monitor, December 31, 2010.

Security Contractors Cite Corrupt Afghan Police as Constant Problem

Security contractors working in Afghanistan are concerned about the corruption of the Afghan National Police (ANP).  Read more in "Security contractor: Afghan police running amok", MSNBC World Blog, December 15, 2010.

Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR)

"The Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR) was created in August 1988, in response to the demand from the many aid agencies and their international donors for a coordinated approach to humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.Originally,the organization was based in Peshawar, Pakistan, where it focused mainly on coordinating NGOs' humanitarian response. Since it moved to Afghanistan, ACBAR provides the framework within which Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the Afghan Government, the UN and bilateral donors can exchange information, share expertise and establish guidelines for a more coordinated, efficient and effective use of resources for aid to the Afghan people. Its activities have focused heavily on information to its members and the aid community in general, coordination of activities at the national and regional levels, and advocacy on issues affecting the work of its members in Afghanistan."

ACBAR is a coordinating organization for many of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) operating in Afghanistan.  It's website offers a wealth of information for NGOs to include job announcements, publications, training, advocacy, and more.  Visit their link at http://www.acbar.org/.

Private Aid Group has Bold Plan for Afghanistan

A group of private citizens have developed a bold plan for revitalizing Afghan villages.  The group consists of some highly influential members of the private sector and they are critical of current aid efforts by the U.S.  Read more in "Force behind Charlie Wilson's War has new plan for Afghans", Houston Chronicle, December 26, 2010.

Kandahar: Taliban Suffer Setbacks But . . .

A news article explores the tactical gains that the coalition forces have made in Kandahar but worries that the Afghan government is not taking advantage of the situation.  There are fears the gains will be lost when the Taliban resume the fight in the spring. Read more - "In deadly Kandahar, skepticism over gains cited in Afghan war review", The Christian Science Monitor, December 16, 2010.

Airlines in Afghanistan

When one thinks of travel in Afghanistan you have thoughts of UH-60s, C-130s, and C-17s.  However, Afghanistan has its own airlines for civilian travel.  Click on the link below for international and domestic travel to/from and within Afghanistan.

http://www.isaf.nato.int/images/stories/File/Media-Visit-Docs/Afghanistan%20Flights%20and%20Hotels.pdf

Five Ways to Win Afghan War by Andrew Exum - Foreign Policy Magazine

Andrew Exum, a former infantry officer, has penned an article that provides five ways to help win the war in Afghanistan.  The steps are 1) cut funding for the war as the aid is being misspent and much of the money is put into the pockets of corrupt Afghan officials 2) compromise on combat enablers - helicopters may be more important than an infantry battalion 3) find a way to replace Ambassador Holbrooke 4) leverage the corrupt Afghan officials through family members with U.S. passports 5) cut back troops but commit to the long fight.  Read his article in "5 Ways to Win the War in Afghanistan", Foreign Policy Magazine, December 15, 2010.

3rd Commando Kandak - A Success Story of the ANA

The Afghan Commando Kandaks are the elite units of the Afghan National Army (ANA).  Trained by U.S. Army Special Forces - these units are the tip of the spear for the ANA.  Read about the 3rd Commando Kandak in the following story. 

"Commando Squad Leaders Separated by Age, United by Country", ISAF, December 25, 2010.

Afghan Artillery Students Train on 122mm Howitzer

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael James

The Artillery School at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) recently took to the field to conduct a live fire gunnery exercise.  The students fired the 122mm howitzer.  Upon receipt of further training and graduation the artillery students will be assigned to the 205th Corps as fully qualified gunners.  Read more in "Live Fire Exercise demonstrates artillery school's capabilities", NTM-A, December 29, 2010.

Australian Police Assist in Building Target Data in Afghanistan

"AUSTRALIAN police in Afghanistan have helped compile secret intelligence files on insurgent leaders later targeted in capture-or-kill missions by special forces soldiers. The Pentagon has confirmed that Australian Federal Police officers are ''assigned to work with'' a joint police task force in Kabul that produces files used by military commanders to "shape the battlefield" - a term often used to describe the capture-or-kill raids mounted by elite troops in Afghanistan." 

Read the rest of the article in "Australian police share intelligence on insurgent leaders", Sydney Morning Herald, December 27, 2010.

"Clash of Cultures" - Opinion by GlobalSecurity.org on Afghanistan

GlobalSecurity.org has published an opinion piece about what has gone wrong in Afghanistan and what has to be done to salvage the situation.  Read "Clash of Cultures" (December 28, 2010).

Provincial Response Company (PRC) of Uruzagan Province Now Fully Trained

The Provincial Response Company (PRC) of Uruzagan Province has now been fully trained by Australian Special Forces.  Read more in "Afghan National Police reach milestone with SOTG", Australian Defence Department, December 29, 2010.

Army Provides a History of Battle of Wanat

The Army's official history of the battle of Wanat - which took place in 2008 in a remote valley outpost along the Pakistan border - is now out.  It can be viewed or downloaded at the weblink below on the Command and General Staff College website (an Adobe Acrobat PDF file).

http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/download/csipubs/Wanat.pdf

The Washington Post recently published an article on this battle and how the Army has assigned blame for the loss of nine men.  See "Army edits its history of deadly battle of Wanat" (December 29, 2010).

Aid Groups Say Situation in Afghanistan is Worse

Non-government organizations (NGOs) who dispense aid and services throughout Afghanistan state that the security situation on the ground in Afghanistan is getting worse.  Read more in "Afghanistan security worsening, say aid groups and analysts on the ground", The Age, December 30, 2010.

British Troops See Progress in Helmand Province

The British forces are seeing some progress in Helmand Province after several years of fighting there.  Read more in "War in Afghanistan: A 'breeze of change' blows in Helmand", The Telegraph, December 27, 2010.

Modernization of UAVs Face Budget Constraints

"The Army is working to meet its troops’ huge demand for unmanned aircraft systems, but the expected budget cuts will force the service to prioritize what they really need, officials said." 

Read more in "Army: Tremendous demand fo UAVs in Afghanistan", Air Force Times, December 16, 2010.

Militias in Afghanistan - Part of the Problem and Part of the Solution

Militias are a mixed blessing in Afghanistan.  On one hand they can provide the security that the central Afghan government fails to provide due to its cronyism, corruption, and inept security forces.  On the other hand the militias diminish the authority of the Afghan security forces.  Read a news article that provides a sense of this dilemma in "Militia ties undercut security steps in Afghanistan", Stars and Stripes, December 28, 2010.

Village Stability Operations, Tribal Militias, Special Forces, and General Petraeus

The military leaders in Afghanistan are now touting "Village Stability Operations" conducted by U.S. Army Special Forces as a remedy for the Afghan War. This is the bottom-up approach to compensate for a corrupt and inept Afghan government and Afghan security forces whose influence and control do not reach into rural areas.  Read more on this topic in "Petraeus Looks For A Rabbit Under His Hat", Investors.com, December 28, 2010.

Combat Advising the ANA Commando Kandaks

A Special Forces Warrant Officer has posted a paper on the Small Wars Journal that he wrote about his tour of duty combat advising the 205th ANA Commando Kandak.  He provides his thoughts on some of the obstacles his detachment faced and how they overcame them.  One of the detachments first tasks was to define their role to the many other military organizations that were present to "help" train the Commando Kandak.

Read "Combat Advising the ANA 205th Commandos", posted on the Small Wars Journal, December 27, 2010.

Fighting for the Pech Valley in Eastern Afghanistan - Victory is Elusive

The U.S. military and the Taliban have been fighting for control of the Pech Valley since the introduction of U.S. forces in 2006.  Now it appears that the U.S. is on the verge of leaving the valley to inexperienced Afghan security forces . . . and the Taliban.  The goals and objectives of the U.S. forces are a bit confusing as recent reports indicate that the U.S. may pull out of the Pech Valley  - transitioning the area to Afghan security forces.  Read more in "U.S. troops battle to hand off a valley resistant to Afghan governance", The Washington Post, December 27, 2010.

DynCorp Wins Contract Training Afghan National Police (ANP) - Despite an Unsuccessful Past in Afghanistan

DynCorp, a large contracting firm providing police and military contractors and instructors worldwide, has again won a lucrative contract training the Afghan National Police (ANP).  The ANP is a corrupt and untrained force and DynCorp is partially responsible for its failure. Yet DynCorp seems to have won the contract.  Is this just another case of the lowest bidder winning out?  Hmmmmmmm.  Read the rest of the article in "Mercs Win Billion Dollar Afghan Cop Deal. Again.", Wired.com Danger Room, December 21, 2010.

Billions of Dollars Unaccounted for in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR CITY -- In its bid to win the hearts and minds of Afghanistan’s teeming population, the United States has spent more than $55 billion to rebuild and bolster the war-ravaged country. That money was meant to cover everything from the construction of government buildings and economic development projects to the salaries of U.S. government employees working closely with Afghans. Yet no one can say with any authority or precision how that money was spent and who profited from it. Most of the funds were funneled to a vast array of U.S. and foreign contractors. But according to a recent audit by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), there is no way of knowing whether the money went for the intended purposes

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/us-cant-account-for-billions-spent-in-afghanistan-2010-12#ixzz19Q4dUIcK

American Support For Afghan War at Record Low

A recent news article states that American support for the Afghan war is at a record low.  See "Afghan war not worth it, say most Americans", The Sydney Morning Herald, December 18, 2010.

Top Ten Myths about Afghanistan

A commentator has listed his "Top Ten Myths about Afghanistan for 2010". Read them here at juancole.com.

The Fight for Andar District, Ghazni Province

While the fight in the south (Helmand and Kandahar Provinces) appears to be showing coalition gains the same cannot be said of areas of eastern Afghanistan.  Resources, enablers, and manpower has been shifted south to Kandahar and the east has seen less attention from the military leaders planning the overall campaign in Afghanistan.  This lack of attention is having results with the Taliban controlling many areas.  One such area is Andar District in Ghazni.  Read about the fight for Andar District in "Taliban Challenge U.S. in Eastern Afghanistan", The New York Times, December 25, 2010.