South Carolina Agricultural Team Redeploying from Afghanistan

An Army National Guard agriculture team from South Carolina will soon be returning from it's tour in Afghanistan. While in Afghanistan the team has built teaching centers and aided more than 300 farmers in its Afghan agricultural development mission through the help provided to Afghan farmers to improve their crops and livestock methods. Read more in "SC Guard unit wrapping up Afghan agriculture help", ABC News 4, February 9, 2013.

Solar Food Dryers Help Villagers Store Food for Long Term Use

The introduction of solar food dryers to Afghan women in Kapisa province has ensured the villages can store food over the long term. Afghan men in the area learned how to build the solar food dryers (assisted by an Agricultural Development Team - ADT). Solar power (Afghanistan has plenty of sun) is an energy source that is relatively inexpensive to tap into when the right low-tech tools are used. View a video entitled In Afghanistan Solar Dryers Make Big Impact by DVIDS dated 8 Feb 13.

www.dvidshub.net/video/281196/afghanistan-solar-dryers-make-big-impact

China's Long-Term Strategy for Afghanistan

China is a country that has always taken a long view of the world and its destiny. Its relationship with Afghanistan is no exception. China has time on its side and they are using it. They have avoided becoming involved in the internal politics of Afghanistan. They have not to any large degree supported the Western powers in their military occupation of Afghanistan (through military assistance, troops in the ground, and participating in the Northern Distribution Network NDN). China has been engaged with Afghanistan in other areas - especially in the economic sector. China sees a stable Afghanistan as a source for raw materials (Afghanistan has a large amount of raw minerals) and as a market for China's export of finished goods. Many observers note that the Western powers are doing the heavy lifting in the fight against the Taliban and one of the countries that will benefit the most from a successful conclusion of the conflict will be China. You can read more about the China-Afghanistan relationship in a paper wrote by Serafettin Yilmaz - a doctoral candidate in Asia-Pacific Studies (IDAS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU) in Taiwan.

"Afghanistan: China's New Frontier?", December 19, 2012.
www.e-ir.info/2012/12/19/afghanistan-chinas-new-frontier/

Gen Allen Prepares to Depart Afghanistan

General Allen, COMISAF
photo by SGT K. Summerhill

After serving almost 19 months as COMISAF, General Allen is leaving Afghanistan. He has accomplished a lot during this tenure and put out a lot of fires while ensuring that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are in the lead in the fight against the Taliban. 

Many of his achievements include cutting the size of the ISAF (and U.S.) force, transitioning from ISAF fighting on the battlefield to the Afghans in the lead for combat operations, instituting the Security Force Assistance (SFA) concept with the fielding of Security Force Assistance Advisory Teams or SFAATs.

Along the way he had to constantly develop and repair relationships with the Afghans every time something bad happened that would set back our mission (burning of Korans, Marines urinating on Taliban corpses, a Soldier killing 16 civilians in the Panjwai massacre, etc.). Other challenges he faced was keeping the coalition focused and committed to the effort - a difficult task in the face of events like the Insider Threat problem.

His biggest failure, perhaps, may be the lack of resolve when dealing with Karzai on the issue of Afghan corruption and the failure of ISAF to help establish a more legitimate government that is respected by the Afghan population. But perhaps we are playing a waiting game until the Afghan election to see if they step up and elect a less corrupt and more competent president.

General Allen deserves our thanks for his service and fine job. Read more about his tenure as ISAF commander in a recent news article entitled "For U.S. Leader in Afghan War, Much Time Making Peace", The New York Times, February 6, 2013.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/world/asia/general-allen-departing-afghan-war-commander-saw-as-much-diplomacy-as-combat.html

SFAAT Provides Assistance to OCC-R for OCC Foundation Course in Laghman Province (RC East)

Graduates of the OCC Foundation Course
hold the completion certificates.
(Photo Spc. Philip Steiner)

The Security Force Assistance Advisory Team or SFAAT advising the Operation Command Center - Region or OCC-R in Laghman province has successfully assisted the OCC-R in the conduct of a Operation Command Center Foundation Course.  This 21-day course is designed to teach Afghan ANP and ANA students topics such as map reading, computer work, and intelligence fusion. The OCC-R SFAAT is based on FOB Gamberi and works along side the OCC-R Afghan staff on a daily basis.  The foundation course will go a long way to ensure that the Afghan members of the OCC-R (and OCC-Ps) will be able to function independently of U.S. military advisers (SFAATs) at some point in the near future.

You can read more about the OCC-R and the OCCP Foundation Course in "Afghans leading the way in Laghman province", DVIDS, February 6, 2013 at the link below.

http://www.dvidshub.net/news/101541/afghans-leading-way-laghman-province

Kam Air - U.S. Caves to Karzai . . . Again

One of Afghanistan's airlines, Kam Air, was recently blacklisted for smuggling opium within and outside of Afghanistan by the U.S. military. This meant that Kam Air could not bid on the very lucrative contracts for transporting personnel and equipment that are offered by the U.S. military. Naturally Karzai (the corrupt King of Kabul) objected and the U.S. caved. Read more in a recent news article that investigates this case.

"Afghan corruption, opium, and the strange case of Kam Air", The Christian Science Monitor, February 5, 2013.

Kabul, Cars, Police, Inefficiency, . . . . and, of course, Corruption

A recent story in The New York Times provides insight into the corrupt police of Kabul, Afghanistan and the inefficiencies found in a society and government that just recently has emerged from the 13th century. Kabul is a city designed for less than one million residents and 30,000 automobiles but dealing with 5 million residents and almost 650,000 vehicles. So traffic at best is problematic. Pile on top of that an inept and corrupt city police and you face a host of problems if you are driving a vehicle in Kabul. Read more in "In Kabul's 'Car Guantanamo', Autos Languish and Trust Dies" published on February 17, 2013.

A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance (AREU)

The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has released the 11th Edition (2013) of the A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance. Contained within the publication is a glossary of assistance terms, extensive listing of assistance organizations, an overview of the Afghanistan system of government, and information about the provinces and districts of Afghanistan. If you are in the business of security, governance, development, counterinsurgency, or Security Force Assistance (SFA) this book will be invaluable to you.

 You can order hard copies of the 2013 edition or download the 2012 edition off the AREU website. The hardcopies cost about $20 USD or Afs 1000 with limited editions available. The electronic copy (2012) can be downloaded for free.

 

www.areu.org.af

 

Return to Blogging on Afghanistan

My tour in Afghanistan is now complete and I have returned to the states. While posted in Afghanistan I was not able to blog; however, now that I am back. . . .

I will slowly get back into blogging about the conflict in Afghanistan - hopefully bringing new insights, views, and knowledge about the struggle to build up the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), the need to continue the efforts to strengthen governance, rule of law, the police, development, and the never-ending but failing endeavor to diminish the disastrous effects of Afghan governmental corruption found at all levels.

Temporary Break in Blogging - Off to Afghanistan

I will be taking a temporary break in blogging as I am off to Afghanistan for another tour. A condition of my employment is "no blogging" while in-country. I will resume blogging in the fall. Check these sites out to read Afghan war news and blogs about Afghanistan.

Book - "Funding the Enemy" by Douglas Wissing

A new book on Afghanistan is now available entitled Funding the Enemy: How the U.S. Taxpayers Bankroll the Taliban. The author, Douglas A. Wissing, contends that the Taliban has many sources of money to finance its operations. Some of the money comes from contributors overseas - especially the Gulf nations. Another significant source of money is from the opium trade of Afghanistan. Still another source of revenue is from extortion and corruption. Many Afghan corporations are extorted by the Taliban and pay protection money. Cell phone companies, trucking firms delivering supplies to NATO bases, building contractors, and others are paying out money to the Taliban so their personnel and projects do not get attacked or disrupted. Corruption plays a major role in Afghan society and government -  and the Taliban benefits from this as well. Corrupt Afghan government officials divert international aid money intended for government services, security forces, and development projects; and this money sometimes finds its way into Taliban coffers. You can buy the book by clicking on the link below:

Funding the Enemy: How U.S. Taxpayers Bankroll the Taliban

Afghan Daily War News - April 6, 2012

ALP Member graduates from
3-week training course.
  (Photo PO 2CL Jon Rasmussen
CJSOTF-A Media Opns Center)

8 Afghan Local Police Killed. Gunmen killed 8-10 members of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) recently in in Farah Province in western Afghanistan. See "Attack on Afghan government outpost kills 10", CBS, April 5, 2012.

Development in Nimroz Province. Things are quiet in Nimroz province and progress is being made thanks to a handful of U.S. Marines working with their Afghan partners. See "Development in forgotten 'Marine-istan' province", Battle Rattle Military Times, April 5, 2012.

Task Force Breshna Barq. This TF's mission is to bring electric power to areas of Afghanistan. Learn more in "USACE teams with Afghan power utility to solve outages in southern Afghanistan", DVIDS, April 4, 2012.

Reintegration and Reconciliation - Not Going so Good. The results of the dual track of reintegrating low and mid-level Taliban fighters and negotiating with insurgent leaders has been disappointing at best. Read "There's no 'I' in Afghan endgame", by Candace Rondeaux, The AFPAK Channel, Foreign Policy, April 5, 2012.

India Plays a Role in Stabilizing Afghanistan. Much to Pakistan's dismay, India is becoming more involved in the affairs of Afghanistan. Learn more in "India Billions Secure Afghan Mines in Challenge to China Drive", Bloomberg.com, April 4, 2012.

Night Raids. The U.S. has a lot to lose if it gives away too much during its negotiations with Afghan officials on the topic of night raids. See "U.S. and Its Allies Still Wrangling Over Afghan Policies". BusinessWeek, April 5, 2012.

Governance. Stephen Biddle, a frequent commentator on Afghan topics, writes that governance reform is crucial to the future stability of Afghanistan. See "Salvaging Governance Reform in Afghanistan", ReliefWeb, April 2, 2012.

Afghan Dancing Boys. See a report on culture and entertainment in Afghanistan in "Afghanistan's dancing boys", By Ernesto Londono, The Washington Post, April 5, 2012.

Afghan Businessmen Plan Their Escape

With the year 2014 slowly getting closer those Afghans who can afford to leave are planning their departure - just in case. Many are hedging their bets in fear that the Taliban will end up in a power-sharing role in government or that the country could sink into a civil war. Read more in "In Afghanistan, Businesses Plan Their Own Exits", The New York Times, March 30, 2012.

APPF To Drive up Security Costs of USAID Projects

The costs of security for USAID projects by using the APPF is sure to go up according to observers who are trying to tabulate costs.  See "Consensus On Afghanistan: Transitioning to the Afghan Public Protection Force Will Cost More", Afghanistan Study Group, April 4, 2012.

Bacha Bazi - Afghan Dancing Boys

Young boys are being groomed as entertainers, companions for older males, and sexual partners in Afghanistan. This is a practice common of wealthy and prominent Afghans. Read more, see some photos and watch a video in "Afghanistan sees rise in 'dancing boys' exploitation", The Washington Post, April 4, 2012.

ALP and VSO Prove Successful in Afghanistan

ALP conducting weapons training.
(Photo SSG Wright CJSOTF-A)

A commentator who has been following the progress of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) and Village Stability Operations (VSO) programs in Afghanistan has provided an update. See "Report: Afghan local counterinsurgency programs prove successful", by CJ Radin of Threat Matrix Blog of The Long War Journal, April 4, 2012.

Explanation for Pakistani Taliban and Afghan Taliban

Along the Afghan Pakistan border can be found two types of Taliban. One is referred to as "Afghan Taliban" and the other as "Pakistani Taliban". The Afghan Taliban are supported by the Pakistani intelligence services and aided by some segments of the Pakistan military while the Pakistani Taliban are being fought by the Pakistani government. This is, of course, a simplistic explanation of a complex topic. Learn more of the two types of Taliban in the video below - an interview of the famous Pakistani book author Ahmed Rashid on the Jon Stewart show.

Click on link to watch the video of the interview:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-march-28-2012/ahmed-rashid

Afghan War News Daily Update - April 5, 2012

Afghan National Army Special
Forces (ANSF) preparing
to conduct weapons training. 
(Photo by PO1 David Frech).

Here are some items of interest about the Afghan war that have appeared in the press and on-line over the past few days.

Afghan Leaders Ready to Kick U.S. Out? Afghan leaders and elite ponder their relationship with the United States. Karen Leigh explores the views that elite members of Afghan society and government have towards the U.S. and whether they feel Afghanistan should step away from their best ally. Karen also points out the role that corruption plays in all of this. See "Afghanistan Falls Apart", Foreign Policy, April 3, 2012.

Stay the Course. One observer believes that the Taliban operating in southern Afghanistan have been beaten but in the east the Haqqani Network remains a formidable threat. Frederick Kagan says we need to stay in Afghanistan to defeat the Haqqani Network, ensure the Taliban do not re-emerge in southern Afghanistan, and prevent al Qaeda from setting up camp in Afghanistan once again. See "Al Qaeda Allies Remain Strong", The New York Times, April 3, 2012.

APPF. A legal firm explores the pitfalls of relying on the APPF for security in Afghanistan.  See "Afghanistan's Ban on Private Security Companies: What are the Risks for Private Investors?", JD Supra, April 3, 2012. SIGAR reports that the APPF is not ready to take over providing security for USAID projects in "Giving Karzai Aid and a 20 Percent Profit", PJ Media, March 30, 2012.

Elections to be Delayed? Some Afghans think that Karzai and his cronies have something up their sleeve to keep the "King of Kabul" in power longer than 2014. Read more in "Leading Afghans cast doubt on election schedule", The Guardian, April 3, 2012.

Resupply of remote outposts by parachute. Supporting remote outposts in Afghanistan with supplies and logistics is expensive. Many are not near airfields and the roads are plagued with IEDs or just not suitable for large vehicles. One quick and low-cost way to resupply the troops is using inexpensive parachutes. Read more in "Cheap, Low, Slow and Accurate", Strategy Page, April 3, 2012.

Hold Karzai Accountable. Support for the Afghan war has diminished in the U.S. Support for U.S. involvement has also diminished in Afghanistan. However, some in Afghan society believe Hamid Karzai is the problem and that the U.S. should hold him more accountable. Read more in "What Afghans Think About Declining U.S. Support", by Michael Rubin in Commentary Magazine, April 3, 2012.

After the German Withdrawal. So what happens in northern Afghanistan after the German withdrawal? Who fills the vacuum? Learn more in "German Military Fears for Afghanistan's Future", Spiegel Online, April 3, 2012.

Funding the Enemy. See "We're Funding Both Sides of the War", Mother Jones (beware!), April 2, 2012.

RC East to Go on Offensive

A recent news report provides information on the upcoming offensive that will soon take place in Regional Command East in Afghanistan. Read about it in "Details emerge on coming U.S. offensive in eastern Afghanistan", Government Executive, April 4, 2012.

Decree 62 and the APPF- Rough Start

Presidential Decree 62 eliminating private security companies from Afghanistan and replacing them with the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) is not being met. Read more in "Afghanistan's Endless Private-Security War", Harper's Magazine, April 3, 2012.

"Mine Kafon" - Clearing Minefields in Afghanistan

Future technologies hold promise in the fight against mines in Afghanistan. Read about a new machine that can clear mines cheaply if further developed - "Wind-powered landmine detector developed", Environmental Expert, April 3, 2012.

Afghan War News Daily Update - April 4, 2012

An ANASF instructor teaches tactics
to a member of the Afghan Local
Police (ALP). (Photo MC1 Leistkow,
CJSOTF-A Media Opns Center)

Here are some news reports and commentary about Afghanistan over the past few days.

Talking with the Taliban. Some see no alternative to an Afghanistan that survives 2014 than to negotiate with the Taliban. See "Talks with the Taliban: There is no other way", by Syed Moazzam Hashmi, The AFPAK Channel, April 4, 2012.

Kabul Bank Scandal. Threats of diminished aid to Afghanistan prompts Karzai to finally investigate the corruption associated with the Kabul Bank. Unfortunately nothing will come of this. See "Kabul Bank scandal: Hamid Karzai sets up special tribunal", The Guardian, April 4, 2012.

Are U.S. Goals in Afghanistan Attainable? The Atlantic asks several commentators if the U.S. can achieve its goals in Afghanistan.  See "Will the U.S. Win in Afghanistan?", The Atlantic, April 4, 2012.

Nights Raids. How much did we give up?  See "U.S. Afghanistan may be close to night raids deal", CNN, April 4, 2012.

Iran Agitating in Afghanistan. See "Iran's Efforts to Stir Afghan Violence Worry U.S.", The New York Times, April 4, 2012.

Construction Continues for Afghanistan's Security Forces. Despite the withdrawal from Afghanistan construction still continues for the Afghan National Security Forces. Read more in "Contracting officials award $137 million for Afghanistan Engineer District - North", DVIDS, April 4, 2012.

Video on Australian SAS

A great video about Australias Special Air Service (SAS).  Click on the link below to watch the video:
http://youtu.be/O8bsURb-lOc

U.S. Committment After 2014

In a very short but concise piece Andrew Exum, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, writes about what our endgame in Afghanistan should be as we transition towards 2014 and beyond. He states that the presence of international forces will be a stabilizing influence in Afghanistan that will help avert a possible civil war, provide the ability to base and stage forces that can hit al Qaeda targets, and continue our training and assistance mission with the Afghan National Security Forces. Read his article in "Some Troops Will Stay Past 2104", The New York Times, April 3, 2012.

More Time Needed for Afghanistan

Kori Schake, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, has called for more patience with Afghanistan. She points out that we are making progress (although slow) and that it is crucial that we remain committed to Afghanistan at least up until the 2014 elections are held. Read more in "Afghan Leaders and Troops Need More Time", The New York Times, April 2012.

Parwan Detention Facility Now under Afghan Control

The Parwan detention center (at Bagram Airfield) is now under Afghan control. Read more in "US officially hands over military prison to Afghans", The Hill Blog, March 2, 2012.

Afghanistan: Reconciliation and Reintegratioin OR Disorder and Disintegration

To some observers the future of Afghanistan appears dark and ominous. The Afghan government and its coalition allies are pushing for reconciliation with the insurgent leaders and reintegration of the insurgent rank and file as a means to allow the exit of ISAF troops and the consolidation of the authority and power for the Kabul government over the entire country. However, many insurgents and their leaders are not biting the apple of reconciliation and reintegration; which poses problems after 2014 when the bulk of the security forces who are doing the fighting will have gone home. Read more in "Reconciliation and Reintegration", Daily Outlook Afghanistan, April 3, 2012.

Persistent Threat Detection Systems (PTDSs) in Afghanistan

"Tethered aerostats with Persistent Threat Detection Systems (PTDSs) that fly over separate forward operating bases in Afghanistan received capability upgrades recently with the addition of new Kestrels. Unlike the former versions, the revamped technology includes electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) features, enabling users to have a 360-degree view of targets in a city-size area after sundown and during the day. The addition of nighttime data gathering is growing in importance for coalition forces in Operation Enduring Freedom as insurgents adapt their techniques to attack after dark when detection is more difficult."

Read the rest of the article "Day/Night ISR Floats Over Afghanistan", SIGNAL Online, April 3, 2012.

U.S. and Afghans Close to Agreement on Night Raids

It appears that the U.S. and Afghanistan are close to an agreement on night raids. Karzai (and others) have repeatedly expressed their dissatisfaction with the frequency of night raids, the fact that Afghans are not conducting them unilaterally, and the lack of a warrant-based system. The U.S. maintains that the night raids are key to keeping the insurgents on the defensive. Read more in "U.S., Afghans Negotiate on Night Raids", American Forces Press Service, April 3, 2012.

Strategic Partnership Talks Continue With Afghanistan

The ongoing talks between the United States and Afghanistan on the Strategic Partnership deal continue. Issues such as the transfer of the Parwan prison, night raids by ISAF special operations forces, and the status of U.S. forces and bases in Afghanistan after 2014 continue to dominate the negotiations. Learn more in "Afghanistan presses for answers on long-term U.S. military bases", Reuters, March 31, 2012.

Insider Threat or Green-on-Blue a Big Problem in Afghanistan

Recent reporting indicates that Insider Threat or Green-on-Blue incidents are on the rise in Afghanistan.  This has many military leaders worried for a number of reasons. One is the possibility that coalition support for the fight in Afghanistan will diminish as Europeans and others step up the timetable for withdrawal. Another reason is that a lack of trust will overwhelm the advisory effort. As the coalition moves from "partnering" to "advising" coalition troops will need to spend more time one-on-one with their counterpart. This becomes problematic when there is a lack of trust between the two counterparts.  To read more on this issue see insider threat.

Afghan Border Police (ABP) Extend Presence into Southern Helmand Province

ABP Interacting with Children
(Photo: Cpl. Alfred Lopez, USMC)

Establishing a strong relationship with the local population is critical to any successful counterinsurgency operation.

Until recently Afghan National Security Forces have been unable to reach the people in the southern areas of Khan Neshin, Helmand province’s southernmost district.

Following Operation Highland Thunder, where Marines and sailors of 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and 3rd Bn., 3rd Marine Regiment, cleared previously unoccupied areas of Khan Neshin, Afghan Border Policemen have been able to engage with the population, ensuring their security and safety from insurgents operating in the area.

Afghan policemen with 2nd Tolai, 1st ABP Kandak, have partnered with Marines of Alpha Company, 1st LAR, to police and patrol through villages where ANSF presence was previously non-existent.

Read the rest of this story at the following link: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/86085/afghan-border-police-establish-presence-strengthen-security-khan-neshin#ixzz1qt216gN7.  Learn more about the Afghan Border Police or ABP.

Pukhtoon Jirga And Peace in Afghanistan

Some outside observers criticize the Jirga system in Afghanistan as an out-moded traditional system that is no longer valid in a modern nation-state. Unfortunately, Afghanistan is not a modern nation-state and will likely not be one for many years. It is more a weak nation in the midst of an insurgency (some think a civil war is not too far away). In addition, the judiciary and police forces are corrupt, inefficient, and ineffective in providing security, justice, and rule of law to most of the rural areas of Afghanistan. One writer believes that the international community needs to reinvigorate the traditional Jirga system at the community level in an effort to provide justice and peace in Afghanistan. Read more in "The Jirga in modern day Afghanistan", by Ali Gohar of Open Democracy, April 2, 2012.

Podcast - The Future of Pakistan and Afghanistan

The Brookings Institution recently held a discussion on March 22, 2012 about the future of the conflict in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Participants included Michael E. O'Hanlon, Ahmed Rashid, Stephen Cohen, and Bruce Riedel. The 1 1/2 hour long discussion can be listened to on the Internet (a podcast) at the link below. The event was entitled "Pakistan on the Edge: The Future of Pakistan and the U.S. Response".

Pakistan on the Edge: The Future of Pakistan and the U.S. Response

As the United States plans for its withdrawal from Afghanistan and reviews its policies toward Pakistan, President Obama must weigh the potential threats and challenges for U.S. interests in the region. Among the destabilizing factors in both countries is the ongoing presence and influence of the Taliban. Ahmed Rashid, prominent Pakistani journalist and author of the new book, Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan (Viking Adult, 2012), examines these crucial issues as the president and other Western leaders grapple with how best to work with an often unreliable and unstable Pakistan.

To listen to the podcast click on the link box below:

Brookings Podcast - "Pakistan on the Edge"

Failure to Follow Vetting Procedures in Recruiting Afghans for Security Forces Contribute to Green on Blue Incidents

On paper the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have a robust vetting process to weed out criminals and insurgents intent on joining the security forces. However, this ANA recruit vetting process is not followed many times due to lack of training, inefficiency, poor work performance, and corruption. A lack of proper vetting means that the insider threat in Afghanistan could rise. Read more in "NATO admits to security failures in Afghan green on blue killings", New York Post, April 2, 2012.

Book - War, Will, and Warlords by Robert Cassidy

A new book about counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan has been published. It is entitled "War, Will, and Warlords: Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2011". The author is Robert M. Cassidy.  Read a recent book review on it here.  It is available at Amazon.com here War, Will, and Warlords.

Insider Attacks: Not Always the Taliban

A common perception is that the numerous insider attacks (called Green-on-Blue incidents) are by Taliban infilitrators who are members of the Afghan security forces and also members of the Taliban (or under their influence). This is not always true. Read more in "Stress and gripes, not Taliban, drive Afghan insider attacks: NATO", Reuters, April 2, 2012.

Amnesty International Requests Investigation of New Zealands's Special Air Service (SAS)

Amnesty International is requesting an investigation into New Zealand's Special Air Service activities in Afghanistan. Read more in "Afghan mission needs investigating, Amnesty", Politics stuff.co.nz, April 2, 2012.

Female Engagement Team - One FET Members' Perspective

Female Engagement Teams or FETs have been in existence for a couple of years now. For the most part they appear to be successful - providing U.S. forces with the ability to connect with the 50% of the Afghan population that are unreachable by males - Afghan women. Read more in "Face of Defense: Soldier Focuses on Helping Afghan Women", American Forces Press Service, April 2, 2012.

SFAAT Mission in Afghanistan

A large number of a new type of advisory unit are being deployed to aid in the transition of coalition combat troops out of Afghanistan. The advisory teams are called Security Force Assistance Advisory and Assistance Teams or SFAATs. The concept was developed by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) staff and approved by COMISAF (General John Allen) last fall. The first teams were notified over the winter of 2011 for an upcoming deployment in the spring of 2012.

Most of the teams are being deployed as part of a new concept called Security Force Assistance Brigades or SFABs. These SFABs are understrength brigade combat teams (BCTs) with about half of their authorized manning. The SFAATs are formed into 9, 12, or 18 man teams depending on the type of Afghan unit they are advising.  All SFAATs are assigned interpreters who assist them in the advisory effort.  In addition, those units advising Afghan Uniform Police (AUP) or Afghan Border Police (ABP) are assigned Embedded Police Mentors (EPMs). The EPMs are provided by a DynCorps contract.

For more information on SFAATs visit the link below:

http://www.afghanwarnews.info/units/sfaat.htm

Ground Renewable Expeditionary Energy Network (GREEN) Used by Marines in Helmand Province

The Marines are leading the way in the military in the use of solar power in Afghanistan. They are now using a new technology called Ground Renewable Expeditionary Energy Network (GREEN) to power small operations centers in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Read the news release and watch a short video describing this technology in "Ground Renewable Expeditionary Energy Network - G.R.E.E.N. Marines", Armed with Science DoD Live, March 31, 2012.

Reintegration and ALP: A Bad Combination?

Recent reports indicate that a Taliban fighter who recently passed through the Afghan government's reintegration program and subsequently was accepted into Afghan Local Police (ALP) killed nine other ALP members. The Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program or APRP tries to get Taliban fighters to quit fighting and return (or reintegrate) back to Afghan society. The APRP offers pay for the first three months and then subsequent vocational training. There are reports that some Taliban reintegrees have been assimilated into the Afghan Local Police or ALP. The ALP is associated with the Village Stability Operations program - sometimes referred to as VSO. The ALP is a part of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and is heavily supported and trained by the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan or CFSOCC-A. Read more on the reintegrated Taliban fighter and ALP member who killed his fellow policemen in "Rogue Afghan police officer: A Taliban infiltrator's road to fratricide", The Washington Post, April 1, 2012. Unfortunately, the recruiting of former Taliban into the Afghan Local Police is going to result in an increased number of insider threat incidents.

Reintegration in Laghman Province

Laghman Province has reintegrated 223 former fighters, with more than 100 in the first half of March 2012 alone. The success, in part, can be attributed to the efforts of Gov. Mohammad Iqbal Azizi and the Provincial Peace Committee.

Read the rest of the article in "Afghan reintegration program works toward long-term peace and stability", RC-East.com, March 26, 2012. Read more reintegration news here.

Marine Reflects on His Afghan Tour of Duty

A Marine who spent the good part of a year working at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan reflects on the progress made in the transition to Afghan control. Read "Shaping Afghanistan's future rewarding for assistant chief of staff", DVIDS, March 31, 2012.

International Donors Find it Hard to Address Corruption in Afghanistan

Despite overwhelming evidence that a large amount of the money sent to Afghanistan for use in development and establishing governance is misused (corruption) international donors still have not instituted financial control measures so that they may "follow the money". The United Kingdom is no exception to putting the blinders on when addressing the actual end point of a great portion of its aid money (that would be Dubai). Read more in "Donors still can't talk about the c-word", International Development Department Blog of the University of Birmingham, March 23, 2012.

Slow Progress in Zabul Province

As members of 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment prepare to redeploy to the states they are reflecting on their past year in Afghanistan and on the progress made in Zabul Province. See "At southern Afghan outpost, U.S. soldiers prepare for transition", The Kansas City Star, March 31, 2012.

New Zealand SAS Completes Afghan Tour

The New Zealand SAS has completed a two and one-half year tour of duty in Afghanistan. Read more in "SAS returning home from Afghanistan", New Zealand Herald, April 1, 2012.

Short-Term Thinking about a Long-Term War

Someone once said that Vietnam was a war fought one-year at a time for ten years. The same could be said of the Afghan war. Commanders (and Soldiers) deploy to Afghanistan for one year and then move out to their next assignment. Many do more than one tour in Afghanistan - which from an experience point of view is a good thing as Soldiers have a clue during those subsequent tours. During the time between those tours the Soldiers are not usually preparing for their next trip to Afghanistan. Most do a brain-dump and proceed on to mastering their next job - most likely very unrelated to Afghanistan or counterinsurgency. Unless of course they are a member of Special Forces or the very small AFPAK Hands program. Read more on this topic in an article by Joshua Foust entitled "How Short-Term Thinking Makes the U.S. Worse at Fighting Wars", The Atlantic, March 31, 2012.

Drones in Afghanistan

In the last ten years the inventory of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles has increased significantly.  Many of these drones are deployed to the Afghanistan area of operations and are used to conduct surveillance on targets, provide situational awareness during enemy engagements or targeting, and to help defeat the IED networks.  Learn more about drones in Afghanistan at the link below.

http://www.afghanwarnews.info/equipment/drones.htm

The Hard Life of Female Addicts in Afghanistan

Afghanistan, a country that supplies over 90 percent of the world's opium, also has an internal drug use problem. Although most drug users in Afghanistan are men there are also female addicts as well. An Afghan woman's access to medical care to combat her drug addiction is limited. Read more in "Insight: Lifting the veil on Afghanistan's female addicts", Reuters.com, March 31, 2012.