Afghan War Blog

Friday, October 3, 2014

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Thursday, October 2, 2014

Retrograde - Shipping Helicopters Home

Have you ever wondered what the U.S. Army is doing with its fleet of helicopters still in Afghanistan? Well, they are shipping them home. Okay, so how does that happen? Richard Johnson - a correspondent with The Washington Post - explains the process to us (story is posted on Stars and Stripes as well). Learn more about "How to neatly ship a Black Hawk helicopter back to the US", Stars and Stripes, September 27, 2014. He also provides us with lots of sketches from his travels in Afghanistan in an online photo journal depicting the Black Hawks in action over Afghanistan.

Departure from Helmand - Taliban Undefeated?

Map from Wikimedia.org

The U.S. Marines and the UK troops have departed Helmand province. Camp Bastion and Camp Leatherneck have been transferred to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Only a few hundred ISAF troops remain to complete the packing up process. It was a tough fight for the Brits and Marines over the past several years - both contingents losing hundreds of men to the conflict. At one time there were over 40,000 ISAF personnel (Marines, Brits, contractors, etc.) stationed at Camps Bastion and Leatherneck but now it is owned and run by the Afghans. More importantly, the ANA and ANP are now responsible for providing security in that part of Afghanistan and defeating the Taliban. But . . . that is the big question. Can they do that? Read more in "With Marines Gone, Can the Afghan Army Hold Off the Taliban", NPR Parallels, October 27, 2014.

Constitutional Implications of National Unity Government

The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has published a blog post entitled Constitutional Implications of a National Unity Government (September 28, 2014). The article examines the constitutional implications relating to key features of the agreement to form a National Unit Government (NUG). The NUG commits the parties to amend the constitution and create the post of an "Executive Prime Ministership". The AREU is an independent research organization based in Kabul. The AREU mission is to inform and influence policy and practice through high-quality, policy-relevant research. You can access the article here.

NMCB 25 TAAs NEB

Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Two Five (NMCB 25) are currently involved in a train, advise, and assist (TAA) mission with the Afghan National Engineer Brigade (NEB). "The mission ensures that the Afghan engineers are a viable, well-trained and equipped force ready to face the engineering and disaster response needs of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan." There are a variety of ANA engineer units found at brigade, corps and national level. At one time all the ANA engineer units had SFA Engineer Advisors. The NEB has a Specialty Engineering Kandak (SEK) that does water well and bridging projects and a Construction Engineering Kandak (CeNK) which does vertical and horizontal construction. Learn more about the job of the Seabees advisory effort in "Helping Hands: Reserve Seabees Prepare Afghan Engineers for the Future", DVIDS, October 28, 2014.

Video - Memorial Service at KIA

A memorial service was recently held at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. The service was held to honor two Americans (one Army major and one DoD civilian) and a service member from Poland who were recently killed in a suicide car bomb earlier in the month on airport road in Kabul. The airport road runs between the Kabul airport and Massoud Circle - the U.S. Embassy and ISAF HQ compound are adjacent to Massoud Circle. The video shows the preparation taken to ensure the memorial service is conducted smoothly - from practicing the firing squad, preparing the memorial service area, to lacing the fallen members boots. View the video (2 minutes long) - "Honoring Our Fallen", DVIDS, September 28, 2014.

A Review of Books on Drones and War

A freelance writer, based in Northampton (a small country town somewhere in New England) provides us with her (Katharine Whittemore) views on drone warfare and explores with us some of the books she has read on the topic. See "New flight plan on drones", The Boston Globe, September 27, 2014.

Afghan Unity Deal - Governance at its finest?

There are lots of commentators and observers remarking on the recent Afghan elections and the National Unity Government (NUG) that presidential candidates Ghani and Abdullah have agreed to form.. Some criticize the agreement as skirting the constitution and invalidating the elections in which the international community paid good money to run, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) expended great effort (and lives) to secure, and the Afghan population braved bad weather and Taliban threats to vote. However some feel that " . . . the deal was beneficial and represents a step forward in the natural evolution of Afghanistan's political system". Read more on the topic in "Forget Secrecy and Opacity: Afghanistan's Unity Deal Represents Governance at its Finest", by Akhilesh Pillalamarri in The Diplomat, September 26, 2014.

Army and the Human Elements of War

The Army is conducting an analysis of the Afghan and Iraq wars with the intent of discovering why they did not go well for the U.S. military. The Army is very well trained in conventional force on conventional force warfare, it has a high degree of technological capability, is organized to fight in many different environments, and can over match the enemy in almost all settings. However, it lacks expertise in the human dimension - which is important in irregular and asymmetric warfare. While the Army is discovering this deficit in its in approach to warfare it is at the same time eliminating the Human Terrain System and Human Terrain Teams (HTTs) as well as the Army Irregular Warfare Center (AIWC) - reportedly these have gone away as of Fall 2014. Things that make you go "Hmmmmm". Read more in "Army Rethinks the Human Elements of War", Real Clear Defense, September 29, 2014.

Negotiating Kabul Traffic

For some working for ISAF being able to drive in the city of Kabul is necessary to accomplish your job. There are flights to catch at Kabul airport and meetings and events to attend throughout the city. Read a short article about how "Aust drivers tackle wild Kabul streets", Sky News Australia, September 28, 2014.

Quotes by Karzai

President Karzai is gone (good riddance). But he will be remembered in part by his famous quotes. A few are listed below. You can read more quotes of Karzai in "The Eminently Quotable Karzai", Radio Free Europe, September 29, 2014.

"If you and the international community pressure me more, I swear that I am going to join the Taliban".

"Let's pray for God to rescue us from these two demons [the United States and the Taliban]. There are two demons in our country now"

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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Video: SFAAT visits COP Kherwar, Logar Province

A Security Force Assistance Advisory Team (SFAAT) accompanied their Afghan National Army (ANA) counterparts on a clearing operation in the areas surrounding Combat Outpost Khewar in southern Logar province. COP Khewar was built in 2009 by the U.S. Army and for three years infantry companies occupied the COP; alongside their ANA counterparts. In 2011 the COP was turned over to a company of the ANA and the U.S. departed Khewar district. Watch a 13 minute video featuring the SFAAT advisors from "Dragon Troop" based at FOB Shank (also known as "Rocket City"), a "Show of Force" run and close air support by U.S. fighters, and some sniper activity in "VIDEO: US troops sent to advise Afghan forces drawn into firefight", Stars and Stripes, September 26, 2014.

Wine, Women, and Jihad

The growth of jihad wars throughout the world - but especially in the Middle East is a phenomenon that is not easily explained. We have seen the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan wage on for years and the troubling outcome of "the Arab Spring" where democratic movements and uprisings (Egypt, Syria, etc.) were hijacked by extremist Muslin groups. There are many observers and commentators that try to explain how adherents to the "religion of peace" can be so prone to violence. One interesting explanation is made by Roger Scruton in "Men without women", Forbes.com, September 26, 2014.

ISAF Statement on Inauguration of PoA

ISAF Commander, NATO SCR release joint statement

on inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani

"KABUL, Afghanistan (Sept. 29, 2014) — The Commander of ISAF and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, U.S. Army General John F. Campbell, and the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan, Ambassador Maurits Jochems, congratulate the Afghan people on the inauguration of Ashraf Ghani as the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and the appointment of Abdullah Abdullah as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Unity Government. Today the world witnessed Afghanistan’s first peaceful transfer of presidential power. It is a testament to the determination of the Afghan people and their national security forces to move their country forward.
Ambassador Jochems said, “I want to congratulate President Ashraf Ghani on his inauguration, and also Abdullah Abdullah on his appointment as Chief Executive Officer. I wish them well as they lead Afghanistan into a future of promise and peace that all Afghans want and deserve.”
General Campbell added, “While it has been a long, hard road, the people of Afghanistan have shown incredible courage. Their tireless and unwavering efforts to bring peace and security to Afghanistan by exercising their democratic rights provide me great optimism and confidence as they confront the future.”
“I reiterate our continued commitment to the partnership forged between NATO and Afghanistan over the last decade," said Campbell, "as all Afghans support the government that will lead them into a future of unity, peace, and prosperity.”"

www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-news/isaf-commander-nato-scr-release-joint-statement-on-inauguration-of-president-ashraf-ghani.html

Central Asia Worries about Afghanistan Threat

The nations of Central Asia have a good memory - and they remember the turmoil of the last half of the 1990s when the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. The Taliban rule covered over 90% of Afghanistan except for a small area held by Tajiks. The United States and its allies are closing up shop. By December 2014 the troop numbers will be small - probably 15,000 or less. By December 2015 the number will be around 5,000. ISAF has removed almost all of its combat troops (except some Special Operations Forces) and will soon remove much of its intelligence, aerial ISR, logistical, MEDEVAC, and close support assets. These enabling forces have assisted the Afghan security forces in 2013 and 2014. The Taliban are not defeated and prospects of the ANSF to clear them from the battlefield is remote. Central Asian states are concerned that the difficulties in Afghanistan will bleed northward into their countries. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is tracking the actions that the Central Asian states are taking to counter this potential threat from Afghanistan in a series of articles entitled "Central Asia Prepares for Afghan Threat". You can read part 1 and part 2 here.

3d Expeditionary Sustainment Command's Retrograde Mission

There are two big simultaneous missions being conducted in Afghanistan at the moment. The first is the Security Force Assistance (SFA) where SFAATs are advising various units of the Afghan National Police (ANP) and Afghan National Army (ANA) - as well as the Ministries of Interior and Defense. The second but equally important mission is the retrograde of men, equipment, vehicles, and airframes from Afghanistan back to the United States. The 3d Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) is one of the primary units responsible for the retrograde mission. Read more in "Army and Air Force Teamwork and Persistence Critical to Retrograde Mission", DVIDS, September 27, 2014.

Afghan Foreign Minister Addresses UN

The Afghan Foreign Minister, Zarar Osmani, addressed the United Nations General Assembly in September 2014. He outlined his country's achievements over the past year and said that Afghanistan was on the eve of a transformative decade and that it had developed credible political institutions, an elected parliament, a constitution, provincial councils,and conducted a presidential election. He says that Afghanistan looks forward to continued mutual cooperation with the international community. Read the full article in "Afghan minister at UN Assembly lauds country's achievements, vows international cooperation", UN News Centre, September 27, 2014.

Australian SF Advise Afghan GCPSU

Along with the rest of ISAF the Australians have pulled many of their troops out of Afghanistan. However, there still are some working on the ISAF staff and advising some Afghan security force units. Australia's Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) - made up of elements of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), 2nd Commando Regiment, and other support units withdrew from Afghanistan at the end of 2013. Only a small number of SF types remain in Afghanistan - some doing VIP protection work and others advising the headquarters of the "General Command of Police Special Units" or GCPSU. This hqs unit, formerly known as GDPSU), coordinates Afghan Special Police units across the country. Read more in "Afghan work continues for Aust SF", News.com.au, September 28, 2014.

Battle for Ajrestan District, Ghazni Province

The Ajrestan district of Ghazni province is at risk of falling to the Taliban. Only the reinforcement of Afghan Commandos and the threat of US close air support is keeping the district center in government hands. Recently villages of Ghazni hung four Taliban fighters. Read more in "Afghan villagers hang Taliban fighters as battle for district rages", Reuters, September 27, 2014.

Kerry Enthusiastic about Afghan Election

Despite the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) not releasing the results of the extremely fraudulent Afghan presidential run off election held on June 14, 2014 Secretary of State John Kerry seems quite pleased with the end result of the Afghan election. Kerry has provided The Washington Post with an op-ed piece that was published on September 26, 2014 entitled "Afghanistan's triumph of statesmanship and compromise". He marked the event as " . . . the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan's history and the first peaceful leadership transition in more than 40 years". He states that "The United States supported a credible, transparent and inclusive electoral process without favoring any particular candidate. He really did say "credible" and "transparent". You can read the full text here.

Report - "Drugs or Hope", AREU (Sep 14)

The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has published a new report on the opium poppy cultivation dynamics in Afghanistan. The AREU conducted field research in Badakhshan, Balkh, Helmand and Nangarhar provinces during three agricultural years from 2010 to 2012. The intent was to explore the dynamics of opium poppy cultivation, the history of government policies and programs, and the ways in which these policies and programs affected the ability of rural households to maintain their livelihoods. The paper is entitled "Despair or Hope: Rural Livelihoods and Opium Poppy Dynamics in Afghanistan", AREU, September 2014. You can view an abstract online here or read online and download here.

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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Bulgarians Celebrate Independence Day in Afghanistan

The Bulgarian contingent working at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) in Afghanistan celebrated the 106th anniversary of Bulgarian Independence Day on September 22, 2014. The day celebrates the independence of Bulgaria as it moved from being a vassal of the Ottoman Empire to self-rule. The Bulgarians will continue to serve in Afghanistan as part of the new Resolute Support mission. Read the entire story in "KAF celebrates Bulgarian Independence Day with ceremony", DVIDS, September 23, 2014. (Photo at left by SSG John Etheridge, Regional Command South shows Col. Nikola Mitev of the 27th Bulgarian Contingent making comments at the ceremony).

Afghanistan to Sign BSA on Tuesday (Sep 30)

Reports in the media state that the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) will be signed on Tuesday, September 30, 2014. This is good news for Afghanistan. It is also a relief for the international community which has expended billions of dollars and countless lives to bring Afghanistan out of the 14th century and into . . . . a modern era (hard to pick which century) with cell phones and automatic weapons. Read more in "Afghanistan's new government set to sign BSA on Tuesday", Stars and Stripes, September 29, 2014.

Taliban Behead 12 in Ghazni Province

The Taliban have been busy in Ghazni province - reportedly overrunning one of the districts in the western area of the province. In addition, the Taliban beheaded at least twelve family members of Afghan police. See "Taliban beheads 12 in Afghan clash", Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2014.

Ghani - An Intellectual President

Ashraf Ghani is looked upon by the western world as someone who can turn Afghanistan around. Just as the United States, Europeans, and others fell in love with Karzai in the early 2000s - we seemed to have also lost our heart to Ghani. Hopefully this admiration for the "technocrat" is well-placed. Thus far many of the Afghan leaders have been a profound disappointment - none greater than Karzai. However, despite the high hopes of the western world, Ghani has his work cut out for him. One of the admirable attributes of Karzai (I hate putting "admirable" in the same sentence as "Karzai") was his ability to hold together an ethnically diverse population (Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, etc.), keep the loyalty of warlords and power brokers who many times hated each other (Dostum and ATTA come to mind), and maintain the allegiance of the military (there were no military coups against him . . . unfortunately). So Ghani will have to weld his "intellectual world" with the "Afghan reality". It will be interesting to see how well he does that. Read a newspaper article that looks at how this "academic" will overcome the Taliban, the crooks, the warlords, a poor economy, the drug trade, and the power brokers -"Ashraf Ghani: the intellectual president who can now put theory into practice", The Guardian, September 26, 2014.

AQSL in AfPak a "Dormant" CT Fight

One of the objectives of the invasion of Afghanistan, toppling of the Taliban regime, and occupation of Afghanistan for over a decade was the elimination of a terrorist threat from Afghanistan. It isn't clear that objective has been achieved despite thousands of lost lives, more thousands of wounded and injured personnel and billions of dollars spent. Certainly al-Qaeda has been degraded. Over the past several years we continually "decapitated" the senior leadership and thinned out the"middle management". However, truth be told al-Qaeda still exists in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. A senior Obama administration official recently said that the war in Afghanistan is now a " . . . dormant counterterrorism fight . . .". However, the U.S. ability to continue that counterterrorism fight will also be degraded. The CIA has closed all but two of eight forward operating based that were located along the Pakistan border. This affects the ability of CIA case officers to manage their spy network extending into Pakistan, to command and control their paramilitary formations (many of the very experienced Afghan fighters are now unemployed or doing other work), gather intelligence with drones (armed and unarmed), and to gather signal intelligence (SIGINT). This closure of CIA bases can be tied to the closure of U.S. Army FOBs throughout the region. Two questions remain - 1) Does the remaining core al-Qaeda presence pose a significant threat to the United States, and 2) Can al-Qaeda rebound to its former self? Greg Miller and Kevin Sieff have wrote a comprehensive news article on this topic in "Qaeda remains degraded but not defeated", The Washington Post, September 26, 2014.

Biscuit Factory-in-a-Box for Humanitarians

The United Nations World Food Program has introduced a unique method of helping Afghans provide food for humanitarian disasters. A biscuit factory from Italy was shipped to Jalalalbad, Nangarhar province. The self-contained "factory" employs about 25 people and produces nutrient-rich cookies. The biscuit factory is also having a positive effect on the local business. Read more in "Biscuit Factory-in-a-Box Shows its Value in Afghanistan", World Food Programme, September 15, 2014.

United Nations Appoints New Head of UNAMA

The United Nations has appointed Nicholas Haysom as the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Haysom is a South African national and has spent considerable time in Afghanistan. According to a UN press release "He is a lawyer with a long international career focused on democratic governance, constitutional and electoral reforms, and reconciliation and peace processes". Read more in a UNAMA press release dated September 26, 2014.

Anthrax Reported in Badakhshan

Reports of over 40 cases of Anthrax have surfaced in Badakhshan province. Anthrax is a disease affecting both humans and animals. Read more in "Anthrax hits dozens of Badakhshan residents", Centre for Conflict and Peace Studies (CAPS), September 24, 2014.

Constitutional Issues of a Unity Government

Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief now that the election results have been released (well, sort of released) and a "national unity government" headed by Ghani (and Abdullah) has been established. But one has to wonder about the future of Afghan elections; and there is a lot of speculation as to the legitimacy of the Afghan government. A lot of work has to be done in the future to ensure that future elections are not marred by fraud (Karzai is gone so that should help) and that the legitimacy of the Afghan government is established. Read more in "Constitutional Implications of a National Unity Government", Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), September 2014.

Ashraf Ghani Sworn in as President

Ashraf Ghani has been sworn in as the new president of Afghanistan. At his inauguration Ghani said he would eliminate corruption, work for long-term peace, encourage development and reform, end poverty, and clean up the judiciary. He acknowledges that establishing security is key to accomplishing his other objectives. Read more in "Ashraf Ghani sworn in as new Afghan president", BBC News Asia, September 29, 2014.

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Monday, September 29, 2014

Slovak Land Force Ends Mission in Kandahar

The Slovak contingent operating in Kandahar has ended its mission in September, 2014. The Slovak element had a two-fold mission: base defense and advising an Afghan army kandak. The base defense mission involved the guarding of entry control points where vehicles and visitors were searched as they entered and left Kandahar Air Field (KAF). In addition, the Slovak unit fielded the Security Force Assistance Advisory Team (SFAAT) that trained, advised, and assisted the 4th Kandak, 2nd Mobile Strike Force of the Afghan National Army (ANA). The Mobile Strike Force or MSF had a unique mission and was designed to rapidly deploy wherever needed. Read the entire story in "Slovak Land Force ends mission in Kandahar", DVIDS, September 24, 2014.

Report - Social Outreach Program, USAID and SIGAR

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has provided a report entitled USAID's Afghanistan Social Outreach Program: Audit of Costs Incurred by AECOM International Development, Inc. The report, SIGAR 14-94 Financial Audit, was published in September 2014.

"USAID signed a contract with AECOM International Development to establish community councils (shuras) at the district level and promote communication and collaboration between the Afghan government and communities. This support to the Afghanistan Social Outreach Program (ASOP) was intended to expand the role of the traditional shuras, overcome corruption, and increase participation in the political process by woman, youth, and other marginalized groups".

Railroads - Promise of the Future

The country of Afghanistan is completely dependent upon funding from the international community to pay for its security forces and to run its government. Afghanistan's rich mineral resources will take years to develop into a revenue-producing enterprise. In addition, without railroads it will be difficult to market and export these valuable minerals. Fortunately, neighboring countries are working on improving their rail systems and this could have an impact on the railroad development program for Afghanistan. Turkmenistan is one of those neighboring countries. Read more in "Turkmenistan Becoming Regional Railway Hub", The Jamestown Foundation, September 22, 2014.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan at Low Point

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have reached a low point. The Pakistan intelligence service support (money, training, sanctuary, etc.) of the Taliban has continued through the years and the Afghans are not shy about voicing their dismay. The Pakistanis deny the charge but the evidence is clear. As NATO and the U.S. continue their withdrawal there are fears that the animosity between the two countries will escalate. According to Afghanistan - Pakistan is interested in maintaining an unstable Afghan government. Supposedly this is in the interests of keeping an India-Afghanistan alliance from maturing and to ensure that a "second front" does not open up in Pakistan's rear areas as it defends itself against possible future attacks from India. One of President Karzai's constant complaints about the United States was the unwillingness to confront Pakistan on Taliban support and the Taliban sanctuaries. Read more in "Mistrust between Afghanistan and Pakistan soars as U.S. forces depart", The Washington Post, September 25, 2014.

Night Eagle System Services Extended for Afghanistan

The Department of Defense is extending the use of the Night Eagle system in Afghanistan for an additional year (ending December 25, 2015). A contract modification was awarded to Leidos, Inc. to the tune of almost $14 million for the Night Eagle counter-improvised explosive device detection system. Read more below.

"Leidos, Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $13,848,212 modification (P00015) to cost-plus-fixed-fee contract W909MY-12-C-0046 to extend services for the Night Eagle counter-improvised explosive device detection system operating in Afghanistan. Services include logistics, hardware/software maintenance, flight operations, and the associated facility and system support. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $13,848,212 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Afghanistan; United Arab Emirates; Germany; Reston, Virginia; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Diego, California; Santa Rosa, California; Silver Springs, Maryland; Princeton, New Jersey; and Bridgewater, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 25, 2015. Army Contracting Command, Fort Belvoir Division, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity."

Information from U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations, No. CR-185-14, September 25, 2014
www.defense.gov/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=5384

Information on Night Eagle can be found on the Global Security website
www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/night-eagle.htm

Elections - Will it Solve Afghanistan's Problems?

The recent election in Afghanistan (well, . . . not so recent) has many observers commenting on the future prospects of Afghanistan. Some people think the entire process was flawed and puts the future of Afghanistan in jeopardy; while others are more optimistic. Read the thoughts of someone who sees the glass half-full in "Afghanistan's Best Bet", Foreign Affairs, September 25, 2014.

Osama bin Laden's Son-in-Law - Life Sentence

The son-in-law of Osama bin Laden has been sentenced to life in prison as a result of his involvement with the terror plots against the United States. A New York court has convicted him of three counts of conspiring to kill Americans and providing support to terrorists. Read an online news account of the trial here from The Telegraph (September 2, 2014).

The Cost of the Election in Afghanistan

The international community forked over millions of dollars to enable the election to take place.There was more than a financial cost to the Afghan election. The resulting dispute between the two leading presidential candidates (lasting three months) hurt the Afghan economy. And . . . there is a cost to the democratic process. While the power-sharing deal between Ghani and Abdullah to establish a unit government is hailed as a breakthrough many observers are wondering what happened to the free, fair, open, and transparent elections. Read more in "This new era for Afghanistan has come at a cost", The Guardian, September 25, 2014.

Possible Linkage b/t Taliban and Islamic State

There are some reports of a possible linkage between the Islamic State (Syria and Iraq) and insurgent groups in Afghanistan. Local Afghan officials in southeastern Ghazni province have concerns based recent proclamations of Taliban militants. An Afghan news media outlet provides more info; read more in "Islamic State expanding activities in Ghazni province", Khaama.com, September 26, 2014.

Abdullah Confirms He Will Join Government

The international community (as well as all of Afghanistan) is carefully watching the actions and listening to the words of Abdullah Abdullah to see how he will approach his role in the new "unity government". He has the power to ensure that a cooperative working relationship exists between President Ghani and he but also to cause the government to slip into a quagmire. Read more in "Afghan Runner-Up, in Tone of Compromise, Confirms He Will Join Government", The New york Times, September 25, 2014.

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Last AWACS E-3A Departs Mazar-e-Sharif

The last AWACS E-3A stationed at Mazar-e-Sharif departed on September 23, 2014 for its home station. NATO has stationed E-3As in northern Afghanistan (at Camp Marmal) for the past several years. The air field at MeS does not have the high-end radar systems to monitor and control multiple aircraft (helicopters, fighters, transports, contract aircraft, civilian aircraft, etc.) so the AWACS provided that ability. Now that ISAF is withdrawing and there are only a few NATO aircraft left in the north the E-3A is no longer needed. The E-3As were flown and staffed by NATO aircrews from across Europe. The primary function of the E-3A is airborne surveillance, command, control, and communications. The aircraft has an endurance of more than 8 hours and can be refueled in the air.

The following links provide information on the AWACS. You can visit the NATO AWAC E-3A Component website, get a virtual (online tour) about the E-3A here, see the NATO E-3A Component Facebook, view a video clip about the features of the plane, and view a video of an USAF E-3 Sentry mission over Afghanistan. (Photo by Wiel Borghans shows the last E-3A departing Mazar-e-Sharif airfield).

Demise of COIN?

One of the frequent conversations among members of the military (and observers of the military and conflict in general) is the future of counterinsurgency within the armed forces. Another observer has weighed in on the conversation. The writer wonders, with the closing of the Army Irregular Warfare Center (AIWC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, who will pick up the functions of educating the force on COIN doctrine. While the draw down of forces capable of conducting COIN are probably necessary; there still needs to be an organization that picks up the responsibilities previously done by AIWC. This is especially true given that the U.S. military is more likely to engage in counterinsurgency type operations rather than general war in the near future. Read "Is COIN No Longer Relevant?", by Whitney Kassel in Cicero Magazine, September 22, 2014.

SIGAR Report - DoS Demining Activities in Afghanistan

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has published a report - Department of State's Demining Activities in Afghanistan: Audit of Incurred Costs by Mine Clearance Planning Agency - (SIGAR Report 14-95 Financial Audit) published in September 2014. There were four internal control deficiencies and one instance of noncompliance in the audit of costs incurred by the Mine Clearance Planning Agency (MCPA). The MCPA is an Afghanistan-based international humanitarian demining organization. The MCP received over $13 million in grands to provide support for the removal of land mines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan. The report finds that there was $688,206 in unsupported costs that should be scrutinized and possibly recovered.

Drugs in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan

The country of Afghanistan is known for its export of narcotics but what is less well-known is the staggering number of drug-addicted person within the country. The easy accessibility of drugs and corrupt judiciary and police sectors contribute to the drug addition problem. Read about the drug problem in Nangarhar province (border Pakistan in the east) in Drug Use Rampant in East Afghan Province, Institute for War & Peace Reporting, September 25, 2014.

EC-130H Compass Call in Afghanistan

Photo by SSG Evelyn Chavez 455th Expeditionary Wing

There are all sorts of aircraft flying overhead in Afghanistan. Some are small and some very large and they all have specific missions. What those missions are is sometimes a mystery. Most everyone knows that an A-10 provides Close Air Support, a C-17 will be your ticket home, a Black Hawk will get you to that remote FOB (well, it used to - the small FOBs have or will be going away). But what does a EC-130H Compass Call plane do? Fortunately the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing located on Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan provides us with a little information on the EC-130H and the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron. The EC-130H Compass Call aircraft " . . . conducts electronic attack operations in order to deny, degrade or disrupt enemy communications". The aircraft can provide " . . . the ability to engage and receive real time target sets . . . " and helps to create a safe mission environment for the troops on the ground. Read the entire article in "41 EECS Scorpions execute theater electronic warfare", DVIDS, September 22, 2014.