First Afghan A-29 Super Tucano Delivered to Moody AFB

The United States invaded Afghanistan the the fall of 2001 (13 years ago) and within months found itself in a counterinsurgency fight. It is a doctrinal truth that the best counterinsurgency forces are those from the host nation - the country where the insurgency is taking place. In this case - that is the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). One important aspect of countering an insurgency is having an aerial platform that can deliver effective close air support for troops in contact with insurgents. Currently the Afghan Air Force (AAF) has about six CAS aircraft. These six aircraft, of which at any given time only 2 to 3 can fly, are the aged Mi-35 HIND Attack Helicopter. It is estimated that the service life of these helicopters ends at the end of 2015. So after 13 years the Afghans still do not have an effective aerial COIN platform in sufficient numbers with which to provide close air support. Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture?

The first close air support aircraft that the Afghans will be able to use is still a year or two away from being fielded. In September 2014 the first A-29 Super Tucano (1st of 20) was delivered to Moody Air Force Base in preparation for the Afghanistan pilot and maintenance training mission. The A-29 is a light air support aircraft that the Afghans desperately need now and could have used several years ago; long before the U.S. air support got withdrawn. Read more in "A-29 Super Tucano arrives at Moody AFB", U.S. Air Force news release, September 26, 2014.

Afghan MD 530F Aircraft Contract

Photo by TSgt Quinton Russ USAF

It looks like the Afghan Air Force will be getting a bit of an upgrade. A contract was recently awarded to MD Helicopters, Inc. for $44 million for work on seventeen MD 530F helicopters. The MD 530F is used primarily for helicopter pilot instruction at Shindand Air Field in western Afghanistan. However, it appears some weapons systems will be put on the aircraft as well. That makes sense since the Afghans have very little close air support capability. Their Mi-35s (all six of them of which 1-3 are usually down for maintenance) are reaching the end of their service life and the Super Tucanos won't be up and running until sometime in 2016.

Read the contract specifications for the MD 530F in the text below taken from www.defense.gov/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=5388.

"MD Helicopters, Inc., Mesa, Arizona was awarded a not to exceed $44,200,000 firm-fixed-price, foreign military sales (Afghanistan) undefinitized contract action for the integration, testing, procurement, modification and installation of a weapon system onto the seventeen MD 530F aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona with an estimated completion date of Sept. 29, 2015. One bid was solicited with one received. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds in the amount of $21,658,000 are being obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-14-C-0081)."

BSA Made Simple

There has been lots of conversation in the media about the Bilateral Security Agreement being signed (and, oh by the way, something called the NATO SOFA). But, other than knowing that the agreement allows us to keep up to 10,000 U.S. troops in the country for another year, most people would be hard-pressed to explain the fine details of the arrangement. So . . . read all about it in "Explainer: Key Points in U.S.-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement", Radio Free Europe, September 30, 2014.

Paper - Women, Peace, and Security (EDP Sep 14)

The non-governmental organization known as Equality for Peace and Democracy (EDP) (www.epd-afg.org) has published a paper entitled "Women, Peace, and Security in Afghanistan: Looking Back to move Forward". The paper, published in September 2014, revisits the Peace Process Roadmap to 2015 from the High Peace Council as a means of looking back in order to determine how to move forward. The paper outlines the major challenges to women's involvement in peace and security. The Equality for Peace and Democracy organization " . . . recommends that the political, international and civil society actors focus on mechanisms that allow for a greater grassroots contribution to the peace process". Read an Executive Summary of the report . . . and read the report online or download at ReliefWeb.

Afghan Interpreters Still Wait for VISAs

The State Department seems to be still having some difficulty in the issuing of visas to Afghans who worked for the military over the past decade. Although state did a better job in 2014 than in previous years there still is a backlog of interpreters waiting on their visas. In years past the State Department did a horrible job. "In 2009, the Afghan Allies Protection Act allocated 7,500 visas for Afghans employed by the US government, the majority as military interpreters. But, by 2011, the US embassy in Kabul had not processed a single visa". (Quote is from news article linked to below). Many interpreters who filed an application for a visa were denied because they were "blacklisted". One could get blacklisted for a number of minor reasons. Read more in "Afghan interpreters demand promised US visas", Yahoo.com, October 1, 2014.

ISIS in Afghanistan

Observers are carefully watching the international moves that the Islamic State (or ISIS or ISIL) is making in regards to Afghanistan (and Pakistan). Read more in "ISIS Makes Inroads in Afghanistan, Pakistan", Foreign Policy, September 30, 2014.

U.S. Hands over FOB Lightning to Afghans

FOB Lightning in Gardez now belongs to the Afghans. Lightning, located adjacent to the home of the 203rd ANA Corps, is also the home to Train Advise and Assist Command (TAAC) Southeast. Read more in "Americans Hand Over Base Keys to Afghan Military", The Wall Street Journal, October 1, 2014.

ANA Soldiers Missing in U.S. Now Detained

The three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers who went missing during a training event at Camp Edwards, Cape Cod have been found. They were stopped by Canadian border authorities when the three attempted to cross a bridge leading to Canada. Two of the three spent at least eight months in the United States in a training school on a military base. It seems their ability to soak up the culture during that time frame was limited. The three paid $1,600 to take a taxi from Cape Cod to Niagara Falls. A quick online search at Greyhound would show that individual bus tickets were only $137.50 each. But then . . . how many American Soldiers know how to go to the Kabul bus station to catch a ride to Kandahar? (not recommended by the way!). Read more in "Afghan soldiers who fled Cape feared death at home", The Boston Globe, October 1, 2014.

Retrograde Opns - 4th Sustainment Bde at Work

Soldiers from the 4th Sustainment Brigade are now working at Bagram Air Field (BAF). They are based at Fort Hood, Texas when not deployed. Their mission is to provide sustainment and retrograde support throughout Afghanistan. A part of their mission is the tearing down of old buildings, B-huts, and tents on BAF. Read more in "Wranglers take the reins in Afghanistan", Fort Hood Herald, October 1, 2014.

Read the Afghan War News at 5:00 AM

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.

Afghan Tactical Air Coordinator's Course

The Afghan Tactical Air Coordinator (ATAC) course has been graduating ANA soldiers who can do live vectoring and talk-on coordination with close air support aircraft. The main program of instruction includes classes on special equipment required by an ATAC, map and communication skills, aircraft capabilities, surface-to-air threats for the aircraft, and other considerations for air support. Read about the recent graduation from a 15-day long ATAC course in Laghman province, Afghanistan in "Afghan soldiers graduate from ATAC school", DVIDS, September 26, 2014. (Photo by MAJ Josh Jacques, Combined Joint Task Force 10, FOB Gamberi, September 21, 2014.)

Afghanistan: How Soon Should We Leave?

Now that the Bilateral Security Agreement is signed the worry about having to go to the "zero option" goes away - as well as the concerns of how Afghanistan would go it alone without the help of the international community. The next big question is how soon should we leave? Republicans are asking President Obama to reconsider his withdrawal plan. The example of the escalation of violence in Iraq has many pointing out that the same can happen in Afghanistan if we leave too soon. Current plans are to have the troop levels down to 9,800 by the end of 2014. Those troops that remain will conduct the Security Force Assistance mission and counterterrorism operations. Read more on this topic in "Afghan deal rekindles questions on how soon US should exit", Stars and Stripes, October 1, 2014.

Lanmark Technologies Gets $12M JIEDDO Contract

Lanmark Technologies, Inc. has been awarded a $12 million contract to provide JIEDDO deployable ORSA expertise in support of C-IED operations overseas. The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) leads DoD actions to rapidly provide counter-Improvised Explosive Device capabilities in support of overseas commanders and to enable the defeat of the IED as a weapon of strategic influence. LMT provides a wide range of services to the defense department.

"Landmark Technologies, Inc., Vienna, Virginia, is being awarded a $12,467,465 time-and-materials contract for J9 Operations Research System Analysis support services. The J-9 ORSA will provide rapidly deployable ORSA expertise in all aspects of counter-improvised explosive device operations to support U.S. forces within and outside of the continental United States. Landmark Technologies, Inc., will perform support services at the primary location in Reston, Virginia, and overseas locations. If all options are exercised, work is expected to be completed by October 2017. Fiscal 2014 overseas contingency operations funds in the amount of $4,000,000 are being obligated at award. This contract was competitively procured, with 10 bids received. The contracting activity is the Joint IED Defeat Organization Contract Operations, Arlington Virginia (HQ0682-14-C-0006)."

www.defense.gov/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=5386

AAF Receives 3rd C-130

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) has received delivery of its third C-130 cargo aircraft. The AAF has had a troubled past - stories of drug running, poor maintenance, untrained personnel taint the gains the AAF have made in recent years. Many observers question why the Afghans are getting the C-130s. The Afghans could not get the smaller, less complicated, and easier to maintain C-27A's to fly (the C-27As are currently sitting on the ramp at Kabul Airport and are slowly being dismantled). Read more in "Gift Horses: Afghanistan's C-130 Fleet", Defense Industry Daily, September 28, 2014. View a ISAF HQ Public Affairs video (DVIDS) on the delivery of C-130s in October 2013 here.

Our Afghans Have Gone AWOL Again

Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army officers rarely get the chance to travel. Very few are offered the opportunity to travel to Europe or the United States as part of a training program of educational course of instruction. Not all of them return to Afghanistan as they tend to go "missing". For instance, an ANA colonel with the Ministry of Defense delegation to the NATO conference recently held in Wales went missing - and very quickly asked for asylum. Afghan groups going to the Joint Forces Training Center (JFTC) in Poland or the Joint Multi-national Readiness Center (JMRC) in Germany usually return with a few empty seats on the plane. The same is the true of Afghans visiting the United States. Recently two went missing while attending a DEA training event and three went missing while participating in training on Camp Edwards, Cape Cod. Read more in "Pesky Questions About Those AWOL Afghans", by Michelle Malkin in Townhall, October 1, 2014.

Afghan Civil Service Pay for Oct on Hold

Afghanistan has run out of money. The country will delay paying salaries to hundreds of thousands of civil servants because it does not have enough cash. Afghan military and police pay comes from a separate fund (courtesy of the U.S.).  Afghanistan has asked for $537 million in emergency funds from the United States; no word on whether we will fork over another 1/2 billion dollars. U.S. officials say that it would not provide "new money"; but may provide an advance of $537 million from next years allocation. Read more in "Cash-Poor Afghanistan Will Delay Paying Civil Servants - Finance Ministry Official", The New York Times, September 27, 2014.

Battlefield Correspondent Writes and Sketches in RC East

I am not sure what Regional Command East is calling itself these days. It might be called a "Train Advise Assist Command" or TAAC. RC North has transitioned to TAAC North (going from a two-star to one-star command) and soon the other RCs will do the same. Anyway  . . . a correspondent and "sketcher" is traveling through RC East and as he travels around eating chow, finding cots to sleep on, and taking up seats on helicopters he does a little writing and sketching. His latest visits were to a small outpost called COP Koh-e-Safi and then later to a larger base called FOB Fenty. Read his observations and check out his artwork in "Where pencils dare", The Washington Post, September 30, 2014.

Kabul Bank Investigation Re-Opened by Ghani

President Ghani is stepping up to the plate having just assumed office. He signed the Bilateral Security Agreement the day after his inauguration. And true to his word of coming out against corruption. He has reopened the investigation into the Kabul Bank scandal. Over $1 billion dollars went missing - much of it to relatives of former President Karzai; to include two of his brothers. Neither of the brothers served time in jail and very little money was paid back to the bank. The re-opening of the investigation is a step in the right direction. Now let's put some of the crooks into jail! Read more in "New Afghan president re-opens inquiry into Kabul Bank scandal", Thomson Reuters Foundation, October 1, 2014.

Military Auxiliary Radio (MARS)

If you were in the service in "the old days" before Roshan minutes, mobile phones, Twitter, Facetime, Skype, AOL IM, E-Mail, Sniper Hill, and the many other communications devices now available then you may recall the Military Auxiliary Radio System or MARS. Soldiers used to go on year-long deployments (Vietnam and Desert Storm come to mind) and never get to make a phone call. Mail (yes, snail mail) could take months to arrive. However, as cumbersome as it seems looking back, MARS offered quite a morale boost on long deployments. MARS is still around. Read more in "MARS volunteers supporting Soldiers with radio communications", Army.mil, September 30, 2014.

Coffee, Toast and Afghan Daily News

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.

Navy Med Unit at Landstuhl Closes

If you have been wounded, injured or sick and needed to go to the states for medical treatment you likely passed through the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. The staff at the medical center and hospital was augmented as the Afghanistan and Iraq wars heated up - producing a large number of casualties. However, the Iraq war finished up in 2011 (but wait, we are back there again!) and the Afghan War is slowing down. Since 2006 the Navy Expeditionary Medical Unit (NEMU) at Landstuhl has assisted in the management of the coordination of care and transportation of military personnel from the war zones. But that time has come to an end with the inactivation of the NEMU. Read more on this topic in "Navy disbands Landstuhl medical unit as casualties dwindle", Stars and Stripes, September 26, 2014.

"Sandhurst in the Sand" Graduates First Class

The first class of cadets has graduated from the Afghan National Army Officers Academy (ANAOA) in Kabul, Afghanistan on September 24, 2014. Modeled after the British military academy and known informally as "Sandhurst in the Sand" - the school is supported by British officers and NCOs. Read more in "Defence secretary salutes first Afghan officer cadets", Your Defence News, September 25, 2014.

New Afghan Leaders Urged to Protect Human Rights

The international organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has provided (in a letter) specific recommendations to the new Afghan government leaders (Ghani and Abdullah) on steps that should be taken to protect the human rights of all Afghan citizens. HRW states that Afghanistan has a significant and long-running human rights situation that needs correcting. These recommendations include "strengthen accountability for the security forces, advance women's rights, protect the media, revitalize the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, and address the need for transitional justice". Read more in "Afghanistan: New Leaders Should Take Action on Rights", Human Rights Watch, September 26, 2014.

82nd Combat Aviation Brigade Returns to Afghanistan

Fort Bragg's 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) has returned to Afghanistan. They will be based at Bagram Air Field and Kandahar Airfield. Read more in this Fayetteville Observer news story dated September 28, 2014.

Pakistani Refugees in Afghanistan Welcome New Afghan Leadership

Refugees from Pakistan are hoping that the new government leadership will take note of their plight and offer assistance. Over 20,000 refugees crossed the border during the summer months 2014 to avoid the Pakistan Army offensive against Taliban insurgents in North Waziristan (Pakistan). Read more in "Pakistani refugees welcome end to Afghan political deadlock", IRIN, September 23, 2014.

Profile - BG Simon Hetherington (Canada)

The director of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) CJ7 is BG Simon Hetherington - a Canadian officer on an exchange program with the XVIII Airborne Corps based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina and now deployed to Afghanistan. NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan (NTM-A) has been folded into the ISAF CJ7. Although Canada has pulled out all of its troops there is still the occasional staff officer found working at ISAF headquarters and at one or two of the Regional Commands.

Canada was part of the Afghan War from the very beginning. It's commitment began with the deployment of CANSOF (Joint Task Force 2) working with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) in 2002 to the significant troop deployments in Kandahar province throughout the past decade. Read more in "Handful of Canadian Forces officers till on duty in Afghanistan", Canada.com, September 25, 2014.

Senator Levin - Proud of Afghan Progress

Senator Carl Levin (Democrat Michigan) is retiring from the Senate after serving 36 years. He currently chairs the armed services committee and has been a leading advocate for the military. At a breakfast with members of the press he expressed the hope that the media will recognize the good progress made in Afghanistan. He believes that the press is painting a picture of gloom and doom about Afghanistan while ignoring many of the successes that have been achieved. Read more in "Senior Democrat: We Should Be Proud of Afghanistan Progress", Time.com, September 25, 2014. (In the photo Sen Levin meets with LTG Mark Milley Oct 2103 in Afghanistan, photo by SSG Richard Andrade ISAF HQ PA).

National Unity Government (NUG) Agreement

The two Afghan presidential candidates signed an agreement (20 September 2014) outlining how the National Unity Government (NUG) will be formed. The actual text of the agreement (in English) is available on the website of the Wall Street Journal. You can read the 4-page document (Adobe Acrobat PDF) at the link below.
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/afghanagreement.pdf

Receive the AWN Daily Newsletter Before Your Coffee!

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.

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"

Receive Daily News Updates

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.

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.