BG Vollmecke to be DCG CSTC-A

Brig. General Kirk F. Vollmecke will be assigned to be the Deputy Commanding General (DCG) of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A). Read the DoD news release making the announcement.
www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=16942

Paper - Rule of Law in Military Operations

Thomas L. English, a retired Army officer, has wrote a paper posted on Small Wars Journal entitled "The Rule of Law in the Context of US Military Operations" (published September 16, 2014). The paper is based on " . . . personal observations and perceptions from participation in the leadership of the Legal Operations Directorate for CJIATF (Combined Joint Interagency Task Force) 435 from September 2010 to May 2011". CJIATF 435 used the combination of the military organizations with civilian agencies such as the Departments of State, Justice, Agriculture and others. The paper addresses a number of topics to include "Internal ROL within Military Organizations", "External ROL in Military Operations", "CJIATF 435: External ROL in Afghanistan", CJIATF-435's "Legal Operations Directorate", "Detainee Review Boards", and "Afghan Prosecutions". Learn more about Rule of Law.

Five Saddest Countries in the World?

The Gallup-Healthways Global Well-Being Index has analysed the sadness of the population in 135 countries. Afghanistan ranks as one of the top five saddest countries coming in as the second saddest; only people in Syria are sadder. Five factors were considered: social well-being, financial status, community well-being, purpose and goals, and physical health. The other four countries are Syria, Chad, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Hmmmm . . . what does that tell about Afghanistan? The United States came in close to the top of the list; with only 13 countries a bit happier (among them Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and the Costa Rica). See the full list at "This is how 135 Nations Fare on Happiness", Live Science, September 16, 2014.

ANSF Get Ready for Election Announcement

The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are bracing themselves for possible strife and conflict once the election results are announced. It is presumed (with the help of a little ballot box stuffing) that Ghani will be the winner. Supporters of Abdullah Abdullah (mostly Tajik and Hazara) will be disappointed and possibly take to the streets. The ANSF will very likely stay neutral although there are sure to be some leaders and units that will play a role in the coming discontent. Read more in "Afghan security forces prepare for election announcement", Stars and Stripes, September 17, 2014.

Afghan Stability Equals Presidential Election Deal

The situation in Afghanistan is tenuous. It could slip into anarchy very quickly if the current impasse with the results of the fraudulent elections is not resolved. The two contending candidates for president need to come to an accommodation on power sharing. Normally the winner (supposedly Ghani) would take all but with the vast fraud that took place the loser (Abdullah) is holding some cards. He is currently negotiating for a power-sharing scheme (some are calling it a unity government). Abdullah is not quite ready to call it a day and admit defeat as he is holding out for some additional perks. Ghani is reluctant to give up too much power to Abdullah but he needs to do a little sharing to garner Abdullah's support (or at least to quiet him enough that the Tajiks and Hazara accept Ghani as president). Read more in "Afghanistan's stability depends on two presidential contenders reaching a deal", The Washington Post, September 17, 2014.

Female Afghan Border Police Receive Pistol Training

There is a big push to increase the number of females in the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police. Security Force Assistance advisors are creating opportunities for the females to receive the necessary training so they can do their job. One such training event recently took place in Regional Command South where female members of the 503rd Zone Afghan Border Police (ABP) familiarized themselves with the M9 pistol at the Regional Training Center in Kandahar. Demetria Franklin, an Embedded Police Mentor, and other coalition members conducted the training. Read more in "Female ABP officers get a turn at the range", DVIDS, September 14, 2014.

China's President Snubs Afghanistan

China's president recently snubbed Afghanistan during a region wide tour of central and south Asian countries. China is one of the "bystanders" of the region that committed little to help Afghanistan but very likely will be the country that reaps the most benefit. It seems the president couldn't find the time to visit Afghanistan and some observers took note. Read more in "China's President Should Have Visited Afghanistan", The Diplomat, September 18, 2014.

Afghan War News Newsletter

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.

Info and Communications Technology - An Afghan Success Story

The news coming out of Afghanistan lately has been dismal. The security situation is worse with the Taliban threatening to take over district centers (Sangin), corruption handicapping international aid efforts, the Afghan election is a mess, and the lack of a signed Bilateral Security Agreement. It is hard to find positive news about Afghanistan.

However, there is one sector of the economy that is doing remarkably well - the information and communications technology sector. Dr. Catherine Warner, of the ISAF Telecommunications Advisory Team, says that the telecommunications and info technology fields have come a long way since 2001. In 2001 there were 15,000 telephone lines with only local dialing access. In 2014 there are 22 million mobile phone subscribers and some three million Internet users.

Read more in Information and communications technology sector Afghanistan's second largest revenue source, ISAF News, September 10, 2010 at this link.

Afghanistan Needs Emergency Money Bailout

The Afghan government has asked for an emergency bailout of U.S. money - to the tune of $537 million within "five or six days" so it can continue to pay its bills. Read more in "Afghan official says the government has nearly run out of money, needs U.S. bailout", The Washington Post, September 16, 2014.

Investment in Agriculture Key to Afghan Unemployment Problem

Afghanistan's economy has grown tremendously in recent years but this growth has not fixed the unemployment problem. There are many young workers who do not have a job. One possible remedy is increased investment in the agricultural sector - resulting in increased employment opportunities. Agriculture is the backbone of the rural economy and much can be done to increase employment in this field. Some investment ideas include better water management, refrigerated warehouses for farm produce, and improving the transportation system. Read more in "Afghanistan needs to address unemployment problem", Central Asia Online, September 13, 2014.

Flying Dragons Support RC South

The 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) is also known as the "Flying Tigers". The Flying Tigers are located at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) and supports Regional Command South. They have multiple missions to include troop transport, re-positioning of equipment, resupply, MEDEVAC and more. They accomplish all of these missions at the same time that they are assisting in the retrograde of equipment and personnel in the transition to the Resolute Support mission. Learn more about this unit in Flying Dragon's adaptability valuable to RC-South, DVIDS, September 10, 2014. Photo by SSG Whitney Houston shows an Afghan National Army soldier aboard a CH-47F Chinook flying out of Kandahar Airfield.

"The Enemy is Watching . . ."

Lawrence A. Levine has wrote a column entitled "In Afghanistan, assume the enemy is watching, waiting" (Kansas City Star, September 9, 2014). The article provides insight on how insurgent intelligence networks operate in Afghanistan. He discusses the "mindset" and "cultural ignorance" that challenges intelligence analysts in Afghanistan.

How do Combat Aviation Advisors Train?

The current mission of the United States (and ISAF) in Afghanistan is Security Force Assistance; which primarily Train, Advise, and Assist (TAA). There are many types of advisors in Afghanistan to include members of the United States Air Force who are advising, training, and mentoring the Afghan Air Force (AAF). So what is it that ensures a good advisor is assigned to training the AAF? It starts with the proper selection of advisors. In addition, prior to deployment an advisor should receive some specialized training in instructional techniques, culture, force protection, counterinsurgency, and much more. For the air advisor to the AAF this probably occurs at the U.S. Air Force Air Advisors Academy located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

A preferred method is to have advisors already selected and assigned to units that have an advising and training mission. One such unit in the U.S. Air Force is the 919th Special Operations Wing located at Duke Field, Florida. The 919th provides Combat Aviation Advisors (CAA) as part of its Aviation Foreign Internal Defense (AvFID) mission. Read about one type of training event that CAA teams undergo to become proficient as air advisors in "Combat Aviation Advisors attend large-scale Army exercise", DVIDS, September 16, 2014.

Report - Special Immigrant Visa Programs

The United States Department of State (until 2014) did a horrible job of managing the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. Since 2006 Congress has enacted a series of legislative provisions to enable Afghan nationals who worked as translators and interpreters to become lawful permanent residents (LPRs) of the United States. These individuals face death from the Taliban once they have been identified as working for the U.S. The U.S. State Department has been roundly criticized for its inability to process applicants - the principal bottleneck was apparently the embassy staff in Kabul. Hopefully that person(s) has lost his/her job(s) for the disservice done to Afghan interpreters who laid their lives on the line for the U.S. military. Visa issuance under the SIV programs for Afghans who worked for, or on behalf of, the U.S. government have fallen well below the statutory ceilings. Read more in Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs, CRS Report R43725, Congressional Research Service (CRS), by Andorra Bruno, September 12, 2014.

U.S. Casualties Named

The Department of Defense announced the names of the two Americans killed in a recent SBVIED attack near Massoud Circle in Kabul on September 16, 2014. MAJ Michael J. Donahue, 41, of Columbus, Ohio was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Stephen Byus, 39, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, was a member of the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime in Columbus, Ohio. He was working as a supply specialist and assigned to Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan while deployed. In addition, a Polish NCO was killed in the attack. Read the DoD news release.

Kabul Fire Department - A Ray of Sunshine

In a country whose future is dismal at best and where government institutions are looked upon as inept and corrupt it is refreshing to learn that some Afghan institutions are working! An exception to the rule seems to be the Kabul fire department - a part of the Ministry of Interior. Read a refreshing story in "Not Every Afghan Institution is Efficient: This One Is", MPBN News, September 17, 2014.

Newsletter on Afghan War

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.

Movie Review - The Hornet's Nest

A recent review about The Hornet's Nest, a movie about U.S. military units serving in Afghanistan has been posted on the War on the Rocks blog. The movie, a documentary, follows the men and women of the 101st Airborne Division and 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, during their deployment to Afghanistan. The movie was released to theaters in May 2014 and is now available at a number of outlets to include Amazon and others. You can read the movie review published on September 16, 2014 by David Mattingly here at this link.

Remarks by John Sopko (SIGAR) on Afghanistan

John F. Sopko, the head of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), presented some prepared remarks to an audience at Georgetown University on September 12, 2014. In his remarks he describes the mission of SIGAR, the immense reconstruction effort underway in Afghanistan, the vast amounts of money spent and to be spent, the problem of Afghan corruption, the lack of oversight in the past, and the challenges of monitoring billions of dollars in aid in the future. He provides an argument on why oversight of reconstruction aid is mission-critical and provides recommendations for the future. You can read his speech online.

Movie - "Good Kill" (or 'drones are bad')

A movie about drones in Afghanistan is coming our way. The star of the movie, Ethan Hawke, flies drones over Afghanistan. Evidently he is 'forced' to do this job and has doubts about the legality and struggles with moral issues. In addition, he likely suffers from "drone PTSD"! You can already see where this is going. He has difficulty in doing his day job at his computer console flying drones and then heading home to his family each night. It must be quite a struggle. Read more in an online news article in The Hollywood Reporter published September 10, 2014.

India and the Afghan Flag

India has presented Afghanistan with an enormous flag. It was recently hoisted over Kabul's historic Wazir Akbar Khan hill in early September on a flagpole more than 200 feet high. The flag measures 97 by 65 feet. Many observers state that the flag is symbolic of India's commitment to a strong Afghanistan; and a reminder to Pakistan and other nations that Afghanistan has neighbors that care about its future. Read more on the flag gift in "Afghanistan Boldly Raises Its Colors, as Never Before", The New York Times, September 13, 2014.

Election Fraud Acknowledged by IEC

The Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) has acknowledged that massive vote fraud took place during the presidential run off election between Abdullah and Ghani. The IEC has invalidated about 16% of the vote. To blame for the fraud are security forces, provincial governors, and members of the IEC. Read more in "Afghan election commission acknowledges massive vote fraud", Business Standard, September 16, 2014.

Afghan Election Impasse Over Soon?

Everyone is wondering when the Afghans will get the election mess sorted out. There are some reports that the election dispute will be resolved. Of course, it would seem that Ghani is to be the next President of Afghanistan based on the election results - he got the most votes. The question remains as to what Abdullah Abdullah will do next. Will he continue to oppose the results of the vote (that he claims is fraudulent) or will he take part in a 'unity government' with Ghani. Read more in "Breakthrough in Afghan electoral impasse seen as imminent", Stars and Stripes, September 16, 2014.

Minerals in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is rich in copper, iron and rare minerals that are needed by the world's economy for manufacturing goods. At some point in the future, once security is established and good governance takes hold, the mining of minerals will produce a significant part of the annual revenue to run Afghanistan's government. Read more in All that Glitters in Afghanistan, Inside Science, September 10, 2014.

FOB Lightning to Close

A journalist spends time at FOB Lightning (Gardez) in RC East. The FOB, a small U.S. base adjacent to FOB Thunder where the 203rd Corps of the ANA is located, will close at some point at the end of the year. Once the last U.S. troops leave the ANA 203rd Corps will lose the benefit of the train, advise, and assist mission that ISAF will be conducting under Resolute Support in 2015. The journalist (who also sketches) interviews a number of Soldiers about their present job and the challenges ahead of retrograde and shutting down the base. Read "Final days for an Army Base in Afghanistan", The Washington Post, September 12, 2014 at this link.

MARSOC Marine Killed in Insider Attack

A MARSOC Marine was killed in an apparent insider attack on September 15, 2014 in Herat province. Strong was attached to the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and had served with the Marines since 2003. Read more in "MARSOC Marine killed in apparent insider attack in Afghanistan", Marine Corps Times, September 17, 2014.

48th IBCT Completes Afghan Tour

TOA ceremony of 48th ICBT
(Photo Mike Thompson)

The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) of the Georgia Army National Guard has completed a second tour in Afghanistan. The "Volunteer Brigade" first deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 where they were assigned to Camp Phoenix. They returned in 2014 as part of the Kabul Base Cluster and were involved in the retrograde of men and equipment from bases around Kabul to include Camp Eggers, Camp Phoenix, and Camp Bala Hissar. The 48th IBCT has been replaced by the 2-162 Infantry Battalion of the Oregon Army National Guard. The 2-162nd will be based at the New Kabul Compound (NKC) located adjacent from Massoud Circle and not far from the American Embassy and ISAF compound. Read more in "48th IBCT returns home", DVIDS, September 15, 2014.

Receive Daily News on the Afghan War

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.

Five Friendly Fire Deaths Were Avoidable

Five U.S. military members who recently died in a friendly fire incident were the victims of bad communications among air and ground elements. The deaths occurred during a combat mission in southern Afghanistan in June 2014. A military investigation found that key personnel "collectively" failed to execute some fundamental procedures which could have averted the tragedy. A B-1B Lancer bomber dropped two guided bombs on a U.S. and Afghan ground position. Learn more about the investigation findings in "Report: Deaths were avoidable in Afghan 'friendly fire' incident", Stars and Stripes, September 5, 2014.

Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan Faces Challenges

There are many humanitarian aid organizations working in Afghanistan. Their reach to remote areas of the country is becoming more difficult with the withdrawal of U.S. and other ISAF troops. The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have their hands full trying to stop the Taliban from overtaking districts and more of the rural countryside. This reduces the areas that the aid organizations can operate in and more importantly - provide proper oversight and monitoring of their projects. Read more in "Analysis: Challenges around aid access in Afghanistan", IRIN, September 9, 2014 at this link.

Afghan Girls Who Live as Boys

Jenny Nordberg has an article at The Atlantic that reveals a little known aspect of Afghan culture. The term bacha posh translates from Dari to English as "dressed like a boy". The practice is found in families that have only girls and no boys. A daughter is picked to satisfy the family's need for a son who could generate income, receive an education, and provide other social needs. This is an accepted and non-controversial practice as long as the "boy" is turned back into a women before puberty in time to marry and have children. Read more about this cultural practice in "The Afghan Girls Who Live as Boys", The Atlantic, September 8, 2014 at this link.

Life as an Election Monitor in Afghanistan

This news article describes the activities of a foreigner in Afghanistan performing the duties of an election monitor. See "WA deputy major recounts tense time as Afghanistan election monitor", ABC News (Australia), September 13, 2014 at this link.

Interpreters Try to Leave Afghanistan

There is a rush out the door for interpreters trying to leave Afghanistan. With the withdrawal of ISAF troops, future reductions in foreign aid, contracting of the Afghan economy, and the threat of the Taliban (they are not defeated and certainly are not going away) the interpreters are seeing job prospects diminish and their future uncertain. The U.S. State Department has a horrible record in its ability to provide VISAs to Afghan interpreters even though Congress provided authorization for thousands of VISAs. It is only recently (2014) that the State Department (after an internal review prompted by external criticism) has actually processed VISAs to an acceptable standard. Read more about the plight of Afghan interpreters in "As a U.S. War Winds Down, Afghans Look for a Way Out", Public Radio East, September 11, 2014. at this link.

Green on Blue Attack

Early reports indicate that an American died in a 'green on blue' attack took place in western Afghanistan on Monday, September 15, 2014. The 'insider threat' against ISAF troops became a headline event in the summer of 2012. Read the ISAF news release on this event. The insider attacks diminished in 2013 as a result of force protection measures instituted throughout the force. 2014 saw a minimal amount of insider attacks - due to force protection measures and the reduced amount of coalition troops left in Afghanistan. The ISAF Insider Threat Guide was published to help Coalition troops reduce the threat of green on blue attacks. Learn more about green on blue attacks.

Three NATO Troops Killed in Kabul Bombing

Three coalition Soldiers died after a Taliban suicide vehicle rammed into a military convoy in Kabul on Tuesday morning. Read the ISAF news release on this event. A number of Afghan civilians were injured in the attack. The incident took place on the airport road close to Massoud Cirlce at a location near the U.S. embassy and the Afghan Supreme Court. The U.S. embassy sounded its 'duck and cover' alarm and the Taliban have claimed credit for the attack. Some news reports (BBC, New York Times, CNN) are providing initial reports on the bombing. According to icasualties.org one of the victims was from Poland.

United Nations Threatens Withdrawal

Amid a growing state of uncertainty and insecurity the United Nations is contemplating withdrawal of its staff either whole or in part from Afghanistan. The inability of the Afghan people to conduct a fair election has resulted in a disputed election process with no clear winner. Although the votes tallied indicate that Ghani has won; Abdullah states it was with thousands of fraudulent votes. Abdullah has threatened to form his own government and loyal supporters have taken to the streets in protest. The United Nations is worried about the safety of its staff. Read more in "In Afghanistan, U.N. fears for the safety of its staff amid growing threats of violence", The Washington Post, September 14, 2014 at this link.

Observations on the Long War by Conrad Crane

Conrad Crane provides us with his observations of our involvement in conflicts over the past decade and more in this article posted on War on the Rocks. Crane is the Chief of Historical Services for the Army Heritage and Education Center at the Army War College. He is a retired Army officer and contributed to the writing of FM 3-24 in 2006.

He has comments on a wide range of topics. These topics include how to end wars, the asymmetric advantages that the U.S. enjoys in warfare, some limitations on air power (how the media portrays what happens on the ground after an air strike), the future of Foreign Internal Defense (FID) within the DoD, cyber security, social media, mission creep, white vs. dark SOF, importance of understanding human terrain, fighting "one year wars", unit vs. individual rotations, deployed headquarters units using "pickup team" personnel, and the role of counterinsurgency in warfare.

You can read the article online at "Observations on the Long War", War on the Rocks, September 10, 2014 at this link.

Keep Track of All Things Afghanistan!

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.

203rd Corps Trains on 60mm Mortar

Photo by SPC Erik Warren, 3d Cav Regt

The ISAF forces are quickly drawing down troop levels in Afghanistan. If the Bilateral Security Agreement is signed the Resolute Support mission will start in January 2015 with about 9,800 U.S. troops and a few thousand troops of other nationalities (mostly European). The number of personnel who will be advisors and trainers will be limited; probably between 1,200 to 1,500 - depending on how you count them. In the last few remaining months of 2014 the advisors and trainers still in Afghanistan are making every effort to maximum the training time available to them - this while the 2014 fighting season is still underway. Members of the 3rd Cav Regiment posted at FOB Lightning are getting ready to depart Gardez - they will be gone by December 2014 and the small FOB turned over to the ANA. But while they are conducting their retrograde they are still conducting some training. The mortarmen of the 3rd Cav Regiment are conducting "train the trainer" courses for the ANA. These T3 courses will help the ANA train their own troops once the Coalition departs. One of these courses is a hands-on class on the M224 60mm mortar. Read more on this T3 mortar class in "ANA one step closer to self-reliance", DVIDS, September 9, 2014.

Remote Management of Afghan Aid Projects

Humanitarian aid organizations are looking hard at the viability of continuing aid projects in Afghanistan over the long term with the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. As of fall 2014 most ISAF forces are either in Kabul or operating at the regional or Afghan Army Corps level; leaving no one at the provincial and district level. The level of security (now the responsibility of the Afghan security forces) has diminished throughout Afghanistan. Without the presence of international troops many aid organizations have ceased on-site management of aid projects; relying instead on remote management of projects. Unfortunately, the quality of aid goes down significantly with remote management due to inadequate monitoring, poor workmanship, and corruption. You can learn more about the challenges and risks that NGOs will face in 2015 (after the ISAF mission is complete) in Transition and Non-Government Organizations in Afghanistan: An Assessment and Prospects, by the Afghanistan Public Policy Research Organization, published in January 2014 at this link.

Afghan Civilian Casualties Rise in 2014

According to a recent report by the United Nations civilian casualties have rose abut 24% by mid-year 2014 over the first six months of 2013. 74% of these casualties are attributed to the "Anti-Government Elements", 8 % to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), and 1 % to international forces, 12 % to ground engagements between the ANSF and Anti-Government Elements (casualty not attributed to either side), 4 % to the explosive remnants of war, and 1 % to cross-border shelling from Pakistan into Afghanistan. The graph below, taken from the report shows the numbers of civilian deaths from 2009 to 2014  (January to June) caused by the Taliban (red), Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF (green), and other (yellow).

The report entitled Afghanistan Midyear Report 2014 Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, was published in July 2014. The two organizations responsible for the report are the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This comprehensive report contains a number of graphics that depicts the different numbers and categories of civilian casualties. You can read or download the report online at the link below:

Afghanistan Midyear Report 2014: Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict

Prisoner Releases Questioned by Afghan Military

There is tension among the Afghan leadership in government, the ministries, the police, and the army on the issue of prisoners. This tension exists because (either through incompetence, corruption, or political objectives) Taliban prisoners are being released. Many of these released prisoners are resuming the fight on the battlefield against the army and police forces that had already captured them once - sometimes at great cost.

President Karzai has released many of the Taliban prisoners - presumably as an attempt to help the reconciliation process with the Taliban insurgents. There is no indication that these prisoner releases over the past few years have had any effect in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table or in winning any concessions. In fact, members of the High Peace Council - the Afghan organization charged with reconciliation and reintegration - have been targeted repeatedly by the insurgents.

The Afghan judicial system is under-resourced, inadequately staffed, lacking sufficient training, subject to coercion by the insurgents, easily influenced by warlords and power-brokers, and extremely corrupt. The U.S. (and ISAF) efforts to introduce warrant-based targeting and Evidence-Based Operations (EvBO) have had mixed results. Establishing Rule of Law (RoL) within a counterinsurgency environment is essential. The introduction of EvBO is an admirable goal; but it seems that the Afghan police force (lack of training, forensics equipment, and inexperience) is not up to the task and the judicial system is inept and corrupt. Perhaps the introduction of EvBO was a step too far too early in this very corrupt Afghan society.

Read more about this prisoner release issue in "Afghans question prisoner releases amid violent fighting season", Stars and Stripes, September 12, 2014 here.

COMISAF 9/11 Memorial Ceremony

General John Campbell, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), addressed members of ISAF command in Kabul, Afghanistan on the anniversary of 9/11. General Campbell replaced General Joe Dunford as the commander of ISAF (COMISAF) in August 2014. General Campbell will continue his command of the international forces in Afghanistan during the transition from the ISAF mission to the Resolute Support mission in January 2015. This was the thirteenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks that were planned by al Qaeda from bases in Afghanistan.

Gen Allen: Comments on Afghan Troop Pullout Timeline

General Allen, the former commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, recently commented on the proposed troop levels during the Resolute Support mission and the timeline for the troop pullouts. He believes that more flexibility is needed in the timeline to ensure that a proper level of security is established and that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) receive the continued training, advise, and assistance that will be provided under the Security Force Assistance mission post December 2014. Read more in "Retired Marine Gen. Allen: Timeline for Afghanistan pullout "too short"", Navy Times, September 12, 2014 at this link.

Aid to Afghanistan More than to Europe after WWII

A US government report has revealed that the cost of reconstruction for Afghanistan has gone beyond the cost of the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. Corruption and waste were cited as the primary reasons for this huge cost. The report says that most of the aid projects were undermined by "poor planning, shoddy construction, mechanical failures and inadequate oversight". One sector of the Afghan population that has benefited is the ruling elite. The Karzai clan has become immensely rich with properties in Dubai and elsewhere in the world. Read more in "Afghanistan has cost more to rebuild than Europe after Second World War", The Telegraph, July 31, 2014 at this link.

Afghan Elections Mess

The Afghan elections of 2014 have turned into a fiasco. ISAF and the international community projected a lot of optimism in early 2014 about how the Afghans have taken charge of their destiny. The Afghans ran their own election with minimal observers and little ISAF involvement (was this the fatal flaw?). The initial election held on April 5, 2014 ran well with a lot of candidates running for office. Everyone patted each other on the back with how well security was maintained by the ANSF and the large voter turnout.

The runoff election held in June 2014 proved to be another matter with accusations of election fraud by the camps of both candidates (Ghani and Abdullah). The tabulation of the votes from the runoff election has been fraught with delays, accusations of fraud, resignation of the head of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), and other problems. The vote count of the runoff election was finally concluded on September 5th; however Abdullah says he will not recognize the validity of the results.

The inauguration of the new president of Afghanistan has been scheduled and postponed a number of times. The uncertainty of the election results have dampened the Afghan economy and increased the insecurity within Afghanistan. President Karzai, taking the high road (although he is the "election fraudster in charge"), is urging both candidates to come to an agreement on some type of power-sharing arrangement. Secretary of State John Kerry has been investing (to no good effect) time and effort in resolving the electoral impasse with hopes of establishing a unity government.

In the meantime the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) awaits signature (along with the corresponding SOFA agreements), ISAF awaits word on whether to transition to Resolute Support or simply leave, billions of foreign aid proposals stand by for use, and operational planners are contemplating troops levels of 9,800 (U.S.) or the zero option come December 2014. The Afghans have taken a golden opportunity and squandered it.

Gen Zinni Comments on Modern Battlefield

General Anthony Zinni (USMC Ret) is the former Commander in Chief of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). He provides, in an interview by Octavian Manea of the Small Wars Journal, some excellent commentary on modern warfare in today's environment and looks back on our Iraq and Afghan experiences. His focus in this interview is on the lack of strategy which is tied to military operations. Zinni offers some enlightened analysis of how the United States lacks an understanding of the political context of war. Although his remarks are concentrated on the Middle East in general he has some interesting comments on Afghanistan. These include taking our eye off the ball to invade Iraq, inability to deal with Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan, building up host nation conventional armies instead of a military that is capable of fighting a counterinsurgency, lack of resources for a whole-of-government approach to quelling insurgencies, and using metrics to show progress (body counts, attrition of enemy, etc.) instead of measuring the support of the population.  You can read "Reflections on the Modern Battlefield: A Discussion with General Anthony Zinni", Small Wars Journal, September 12, 2014 at this link.

Afghan War News Email Update Every Day!

My six month tour as a contractor in Afghanistan is now complete and I am back in the states! With the pace of operations for U.S. and international forces slowing down drastically it may have been my last tour. I spent significant parts of several years in Afghanistan - 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 as either a member of the U.S. military or as a contractor supporting military operations. With the knowledge that I have built up on Afghanistan and the interest I will maintain in the future for that country I will continue to make observations, analysis, and commentary on events in Afghanistan. I have decided to continue with the Afghan War News Blog and to increase content on my Afghan War News website.

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Taliban's New War Fighting Strategy

Many observers have commented on what appears to be new strategies adopted by the Taliban in 2014. The first is the massing of large numbers of insurgents to attack formations and bases of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) located in small detachments in some remote district centers. The second new strategy is the targeting of intelligence officials of the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

The first, massing of large forces, is now possible because the ISAF airplanes (and choppers) that provide close air support (CAS) have dwindled and the lack of ISAF JTACs on the ground to direct the airstrikes. The Afghan Air Force (AAF) is far from able to provide close air support. The AAF has just a few aged Mi-35 HIND Attack Helicopters (export model of the Mi-24) and will not receive the Super Tucano until 2016. Another limiting factor is the minimal amount of Afghan Tactical Air Controllers (ATAC). In the past the insurgents would be hammered by CAS if they massed or attacked installations; however, that threat is no longer there.

Everyone knows that (well, . . . almost everyone) intelligence drives operations in a counterinsurgency. The ISAF ISR structure has, like its CAS capability, dwindled. The brigades that used to share the battlespace with the ANSF have gone home, and what little intelligence assets remain behind sometimes have trouble sharing information with their Afghan counterparts. The best Intel that the Afghans can provide is HUMINT - and that means the NDS. So the Taliban targeting the NDS is a good strategy (for them) as it diminishes the most important Intel asset that the ANSF can count on.

Read more in "Taliban Devise New Strategy in Afghanistan: Territorial Control and War on Afghan Intelligence Headquarters", The Jamestown Foundation, September 26, 2014.