China - Afghan Partnership

Afghanistan and China have pledged a long-term relationship during President Ghani's trip to China. Read more in "Afghanistan, China Pledge Long-Term Partnership", Radio Free Europe.

Violence Increases in Kabul in Ghani's First Month

The level of insurgent activity in Kabul has increased during President Ghani's first month in office. Car bombs and rocket attacks are on the rise. Read more in "Violence marks Afghan president's first month", AP Big Story, October 28, 2014.

Paper - "COIN: A Forgotten U.S. Strategy"

Counterinsurgency is a way of fighting that the U.S. Army (and military as a whole) seems to have trouble getting right. It didn't do it well in Vietnam and was slow to apply lessons 'forgotten' from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan. Certainly there will be many papers produced by military students from the various staff courses and colleges over the next decade addressing this issue. One recently published is entitled Counterinsurgency: A Forgotten U.S. Strategy, by LCDR Vicent S. King, USN, Joint Forces Staff College (Master's Thesis), Norfolk, Virginia, 13 June 2014.

5:00 AM EST - Daily Afghan 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.

4-Stars, Military Benefits, and C-27A's

Our high-ranking generals and admirals have been testifying before congress on how badly the military's budget is affected by the rising high cost of military pay and benefits. We now know - as a result of detailed cost breakdowns by the various veterans organizations - that this is not true. It is simply a lie. What needs to be closely looked at is the waste in military procurement (can you say C-27?). One columnist spells it out for us using the example of the fleet of 20 C-27's bought for the Afghan Air Force which were hardly ever used. This program cost us over 1/2 billion dollars and recently the planes were scrapped for 6 cents per lb. Talk about waste! Read more in "Editorial: Who's kidding whom?", Military Times, October 22, 2014.

Gizab District - 80% Owned by Taliban

A few years back Gizab district in Uruzgan province was the showcase of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as an example of a local uprising against the Taliban. The Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan (CFSOCC-A) introduced the Village Stability Operations (VSO) program and Afghan Local Police (ALP) to Gizab district to capitalize on the revolt against Taliban rule. The VSO program and associated ALP spread throughout the country. Since then, along with the withdrawal of conventional U.S. forces, Special Operations Forces teams have been scaled back and they do not advise and assist ALP units at the district level. In fact, the program has been taken over by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) as the ALP is now part of the MoI. A recent news report indicates that Gizab district is now 80% controlled by the Taliban and the ALP is but a shell of its former self in this district. Read more in "Taliban return to Afghan town that rose up and drove out its leaders", The Guardian, October 27, 2014.

Ghani Heads to China

The new president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, will travel to China for a three-day visit. On the agenda will be China's commitment to the mining sector of Afghanistan. In particular there is sure to be a discussion on China's role in the Mes Aynak copper mine in Logar province. Read more in "New Afghan President to Head to China", ABC News, October 27, 2014.

Counterinsurgency Here to Stay

The U.S. Army is turning away from counterinsurgency and looking forward to more conventional operations in the Pacific (and Middle East). Unfortunately, as much as the U.S. would like to leave counterinsurgency behind (the U.S. Army just closed the Army Irregular Warfare Center) the "small wars" will continue to loom over the horizon. Read more in "More Small Wars: Counterinsurgency Is Here to Stay", by Max Boot in Foreign Affairs, November December 2014 issue.

Video - Jewelry Crafting in Afghanistan

During the Civil War and Taliban regime, art in Afghanistan was non-existent. However, there is a new generation of young Afghan artists who are working hard to bring the traditional schools of craft back to Afghanistan. See a video on the topic - "The Jewellers - Crafting Afghanistan's Future", NATO Channel on YouTube, October 22, 2014.

Book - "Adapting to Win"

A new book about insurgencies has been published. It is named Adapting to Win: How Insurgents Fight and Defeat Foreign States in War. The author, Noriyuki Katagira, teaches in the Department of International Security Studies at the Air War College, United States Air Force, Maxwell Air Force Base. The book examines almost 150 instances of violent insurgencies against state governments (including Afghanistan and Iraq) and provides insights into guerrilla operations across the world. His research shows that successful insurgent groups have evolved into mature armed forces and demonstrates what evolutionary paths are likely to be successful or unsuccessful. The book is available at the University of Pennsylvania Press.

Afghan War - What Went Wrong

As the commitment to Afghanistan subsides, U.S. troops leave Afghanistan, and our focus changes from Afghanistan to the Pacific, eastern Europe, and the Middle East some observers are reflecting on Afghanistan. Peter Tomsen is one of those observers. Read more in "The Good War? What Went Wrong in Afghanistan - - and How to Make it Right?", by Peter Tomsen in Foreign Affairs, November / December 2014 issue.

OSINT DL Required for all Army Personnel

The head of the Army Intelligence School and Center has announced that the Army will soon require all of its personnel to take online distance learning courses on Open-source Intelligence or OSINT. Read more in "Army to require open-source intel training", C4ISR & Networks, October 17, 2014.

Afghan War News - Daily 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.

SIGAR - State Dept Wastes $3.6 Million on Three Trucks

A State Department contract for three mobile television production trucks that are to be donated to Afghan television networks is under investigation by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). The trucks, delivered two years late, are still not in use. The trucks are reported to be in Kabul sitting under tarps. The trucks were satellite / microwave television broadcast trucks to be used for live sporting events such as football (soccer), cricket, buzkashi, and other sports. The cost of two of the trucks tripled in price. Read more in a letter from SIGAR to the Secretary of State John Kerry requesting clarification (dated October 15, 2014).

Report - SFAAT AAR and Lessons Learned

Two Captains who recently completed a tour of duty in Regional Command East have wrote a paper about their time on their respective Security Force Assistance Advisory Team (SFAAT). Their report provides some lessons learned that future advisors to Afghanistan could find helpful. First Brigade of the 101st Airborne deployed to Kunar and Nangarhar provinces in late 2012 on a nine-month long deployment for the Security Force Assistance (SFA) mission. The SFA mission involved a transition from fighting and winning the counterinsurgency to a train, advise, and assist role. This caused the 1st Brigade to transform itself from a combat brigade to an advisory brigade. One of the SFAATs advised an ANA infantry kandak (battalion) and the other SFAAT advised an ANA Combat Support Kandak (CSK). The paper highlights some of the operational mechanics involved in the SFAAT mission and also provides key lessons. Read the report online or download at "Passing it On: Two SFAAT Teams in Afghanistan and Lessons Learned for Future Advisors", by Thomas McShea and Kyle Harnitchek, Small Wars Journal, October 27, 2014.

Russian Prisoner at BAF to Be Tried in U.S.

There are 13 non-Afghans still residing in the Parwan detention center adjacent to Bagram Air Field (BAF). One of them is a Russian who will soon be brought to the United States for trial on several charges relating to a 2009 incident. The prisoner is a Russian veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan who deserted to the resistance. He stayed in the country and was captured in 2009 after an attack on Afghan Border Police and U.S. soldiers in Khost province. Read more in "Prisoner in Afghanistan to be tried in US", Star-Telegram, October 23, 2014.

Two Bases Handed to Afghans

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has handed over two large bases in Helmand province to the Afghan National Army (ANA). Camp Bastion and Camp Leatherneck were transferred to the Afghans in a recent ceremony. The complex, both bases are adjacent to each other, also has a large airstrip. Read more in "NATO coalition hands over two major bases to Afghan military", The Washington Post, October 26, 2014.

Problems in Afghanistan's Future

An observer of Afghan politics, Mili Mitra, comments on the past problems of Afghanistan and the obstacles laying before President Ghani and the National Unit Government (NUG). See "Escape from Anarchy: Do the Afghan Elections Offer Hope?", Brown Political Review, October 23, 2014.

SF Team Leader Criticize ANA Performance

Here is some earth shattering news. It appears that the performance of the Afghan National Army (ANA) is not up to par. At least that is what a Special Forces team leader is reportedly saying according to some news reports. The report is tied to an unfortunate "friendly fire" incident by a B1 bomber that killed five U.S. servicemen. An after action review found several procedural problems that contributed to the incident. Read "Army Green Berets reportedly criticize performance of Afghan army troops", Fox News, October 27, 2014.

19th SFGA Punished for Helping UK Wounded Warriors

It appears that members of the 19th Special Forces Group of the Utah Army National Guard are under investigation for their participation in a project to aid wounded warriors from the United Kingdom military services. The project sells calendars online to raise money for the benefit of wounded UK service members. Some of the Utah state politicians don't see that as a noble cause; instead focusing on some rules and regulations that may have been broken. The head of the Utah Army National Guard says that an investigation is in progress. Let's hope they focus in on the big picture; that the Guardsmen were supporting a worthy cause. The fact that the calendar's are featuring some very attractive women from the UK has some of the female legislators in Utah miffed. Read more in "Police, Guard members face penalties in risque bikini film shoot", Stars and Stripes, October 24, 2014.

Afghan Newspaper in Trouble

An Afghan newspaper is in hot water for publishing an article that offended religious leaders and government officials in Afghanistan. Evidently it was a little too liberal in its writing of religious affairs. Read more in "New Afghan government investigates newspaper for blasphemous article", The Washington Post, October 22, 2014.

Al Qaeda, China, and Afghanistan

Al Qaeda is a wide-ranging entity with the aim to establish the Islamic Caliphate. It operates in South Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and in many other areas. It has recently singled out the area of "East Turkestan". This region is Xinjiang province located in the western hinterlands of China. Xinjiang province shares a border with Afghanistan and China is fearing that an "East Turkestan" resistance group affiliated with al Qaeda will operate out of sanctuaries located in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Read more in "Al Qaeda Has Set its Sights on Xinjiang - and China Isn't Happy About It", Lawfare Blog, October 23, 2014.

Books on Afghanistan

A quick review of several books about Iraq and Afghanistan are provided in "Texas Book Festival: The literary harvest of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars", Dallas News Arts Blog, October 25, 2014.

Bond Set for Afghan Soldiers Enroute to Canada

Three Afghan Soldiers who were detained trying to cross over the border from the United States to Canada are able to leave their jail if bond is posted for them. A U.S. immigration judge set bond at $25,000 for each. The three were on a short visit participating in a CENTCOM exercise held at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. During a visit to a shopping mall they went missing; hiring a taxi cab to drive them to Niagara Falls with hopes of finding refuge in Canada. Read more in "Bond set for Afghan soldiers who fled for Canada", Associated Press, October 22, 2014.

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.

China's Afghan Policy

Red circle depicts the border area
between China and Afghanistan.

China has, over the past 13 years, taken a back seat in the Afghanistan war. However, that has changed in the past year, with an increase in Chinese diplomatic and economic activity within Afghanistan. Certainly there are a number of reasons for this. One driver for increased involvement with Afghanistan is the vast but untapped oil and mineral resources within the country. China already has made inroads both with the oil fields and a large copper mine. In addition to economic interests there are some security concerns. China's domination of the Turkic people of its western province of Xinjiang has resulted in a low-grade insurgency. The Uyghur resistance group has allied itself with terrorist groups from within Pakistan. There is concern that the Uyghur resistance group will spread and use Afghanistan as a safe haven as well if Afghan security deteriorates. Although the border between China and Afghanistan is not very long, it is not patrolled effectively by the Afghan Border Police (ABP). From a security standpoint, this porous border is a deep concern for China. Read more in "China's Afghanistan policy: Testing the limits of diplomacy", The Lowly Interpreter, October 24, 2014.

DoD Afghan War News Coverage Minimal

If you think that the U.S. media has stopped covering Afghanistan then you are spot on. Every day when I compile my Afghan War News Newsletter I scour the news services for news snippets, reports, and documentaries on Afghanistan. Sometimes the news is just not there due to lack of coverage on the part of the media. One of the primary sources for news coverage is the Department of Defense's news service. If you look closely the Department of Defense news service is practically ignoring Afghanistan as a topic. For instance, if you go to the "Latest Stories in DoD News" (see www.defense.gov/news/articles.aspx) you will see news stories listed for the past month. An examination of the news stories from 1 to 26 October 2014 reveals about 164 news stories listed in chronological order. 40 news stories were about the conflict with ISIS, 22 news stories about Ebola, and ONE news story was about Afghanistan. Hmmmmm.

Britain's 13-Year War Ends

Flags were lowered in a ceremony at Camp Bastion, Helmand province marking the end of the 13-year long war that Britain fought in Afghanistan. The long war claimed 453 British servicemen and women. The large base was handed over to the Afghan National Army. The remaining few hundred UK military personnel will leave the base within days. Camp Bastion was opened in 2006 and has been Britain's main operating base for the country. A few British military personnel will remain in the Kabul area to work on the ISAF staff as well as providing instructors to the Afghan officer training facility nicknamed "Sandhurst-in-the-Sand". Read more in "Britain's 13-year war in Afghanistan comes to an end", The Telegraph, October 25, 2014.

President Ghani Visits Saudi Arabia

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai visited Saudi Arabia. Ghani was reported to perform Umrah - a pilgrimage to Mecca; in addition, he was to meet with Saudi King Abdullah and other officials. His next scheduled trip will be to China in late October. Read more in "Afghan president visits Saudi Arabia", Yahoo! News, October 25, 2014.

Story on Woman Police Advisor from India

There are a lot of countries providing advisors to Afghanistan. India is one of them. Shakti Devi, is a female police inspector from India serving with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). She was awarded the 2014 International Female Peacekeeper Award for her "Exceptional Achievements". Read more in "From village girl to international peacekeeper", Thomson Reuters Foundation, October 22, 2014.

C-5M Super Galaxies Assist in Retrograde

The 18th Air Force has begun using C-5M Super Galaxies to move equipment out of Afghanistan. Most of the retrograde has been completed using C-17s; however the Operation Inherent Resolve (Iraq War) mission has cut into the availability of the C-17s for Afghanistan. The C-M5 is usually used in a strategic role (transatlantic flights) not in a tactical role (shorter flights into and out of war zones). Read more in "18th AF goes big on retrograde operations", Air Mobility Command, October 24, 2014.

Interpreter Describes Ordeal of U.S. Visa

A former Afghan interpreter who lived and worked with the U.S. military in Afghanistan for years describes the terror he endured while waiting for a U.S. visa. It took him 3 1/2 years to get a visa to come to the United States. During that time, because he assisted the U.S. military, the Taliban kidnapped his father and killed him. They later kidnapped his little brother and held him for ransom; he was released when the interpreter paid a $35,000 ransom (a lot of money for an Afghan). The U.S. State Department has been extremely negligent in the processing of visas for interpreters. It is estimated that up to 80% of Afghan interpreters have been unable to acquire visas. One of the State Department's lame excuses is that that Afghan's are a security risk and that detailed background checks are required. This is questionable - for instance, when this specific interpreter finally received his visa his legal name on the visa was "FNU Mohammad". FNU stood for First Name Unknown. How thorough of a security investigation was conducted if the visa doesn't have the first name right? Read more in "Afghan Who Helped US Describes Sheer Terror of Being a Taliban Target", Business Insider, October 23, 2014.

Afghan Women Football

Afghan women have their own football league (it looks sorta like soccer to me). The women's league, called the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF), recently held a tournament in Kabul. The four-team league is just starting out but holds some promise to grow in the future.The women wore black head-scarves and full leggings as part of their uniform. Read more in "Afghan women have a football league of their own", The Star, October 24, 2014.

Morning Coffee and the Morning 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.

New Danish Strategy for Afghanistan

The Danish Government has published a new strategy for the combined Danish efforts in Afghanistan for the years 2015-2017. The strategy includes the integrated Danish political, military and civilian efforts in the country. Denmark recognizes that Afghanistan now has full responsibility for security and social development; but that Afghanistan also needs support in the coming years. To that end Denmark will continue with its military contribution - beginning in 2015 its military contingent will number 160 personnel. Some will work in Kabul while a transport helicopter will be stationed in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan. Read more in a post entitled New Afghanistan Strategy 2015-17 focuses on development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, October 23, 2014 and in "New Strategy for Afghanistan", The Copenhagen Post, October 24, 2014,

Movie - "The Beast"

I recently read a Tom Ricks review of the movie Fury starring Brad Pitt. Fury  is set in World War II and centers on a Sherman tank crew. Ricks says the movie Furey is fine and worth seeing . . . but keep your expectations in check. However, he does recommend viewing a film entitled The Beast  - a story about a Soviet T-62 tank crew that gets lost during an operation in Helmand province. The film was produced in 1988 just one year prior to the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and thirteen years before 9/11 and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. The Beast is available at Amazon.com. Wikipedia has a write up about The Beast. (SPOILER ALERT: The plot and outcome of the movie is revealed in the Wikipedia writeup!).

Paper - "Counter-Unconventional Warfare"

Captain Robert Newson, a U.S. Navy SEAL, provides us some commentary on a "counter-unconventional warfare strategy" that could be a way of to counter the emerging threat of hybrid warfare (as in the Ukraine conflict). He makes reference to a recent white paper by U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) entitled "Counter-Unconventional Warfare" dated September 26, 2014. The paper puts forward the argument that the United States requires ". . . but does not have a credible strategic-level ability to interdict and roll back external sponsorships of insurgent and separatist movements". The U.S. Army has the led for unconventional warfare - by virtue of this UW mission and the Special Forces training that they receive SF in particular and SOF units in general should have the lead for a counter-UW mission. Read more in "Counter-Unconventional Warfare Is the Way of the Future. How Can We Get There?", Council on Foreign Relations, October 23, 2014.

Interview / Book: John Nagl and "Knife Fights"

Once again, by way of Octavian Manea (the interviewer) Small Wars Journal brings us a great interview - this time of John Nagl, a retired Army officer, proponent of counterinsurgency, and author of several books. Nagl's newest book is Knife Fights: A Memoir of Modern war in Theory and Practice, The Penguin Press, New York 2014. Nagl rose to prominence with his book "How to Eat Soup With a Knife". He also was one of the principle writers for the December 2006 issue of FM 3-24, Counterinsurgency. In the interview, Octavian Manea, asks Nagl several questions; some that reflect upon the war in Afghanistan:



1. What are the lessons to remember from the post 9/11 campaigns?
2. Why the title "Knife Fights"?
3. What is / was the center of gravity in Washington?
4. Tell us about Don Rumsfeld.
5. Who are the core formative thinkers and what are the takeaways that shaped your COIN worldview?
6. How do insurgencies end?
7. What about leveraging host nation governments?
8. What happened after the Iraq surge?
9. How do we build a better peace?
10. Is there a need in the future for a "small wars capability"?
11. What should NATO do about hybrid warfare in Europe?
12. What about the Arab spring?
13. What about Vietnam and what should be the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan?
14. Comments on 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance.

Nagl provides us with some very good answers. View the interview at the link below:
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/knife-fights-john-nagl%E2%80%99s-reflections-on-the-practice-of-modern-war

Experts Skeptical of New Silk Road

The United States rolled out the New Silk Road Strategy (NSRS) a few years back as one of the ways of filling the void of a diminished United States military presence in Afghanistan. The intent was to link the Central Asian states together (along with Afghanistan) in trade in an effort to increase economic activity and strengthen economies. The outcome would provide a stronger economy for Afghanistan which would cut into the support insurgents would enjoy from the population. However there are doubts that the NSRS will work. Read more in "Following the New Silk Road", The Diplomat, October 22, 2014.

Lack of Census Hinders Afghanistan

Afghanistan has not had a real census of its population for quite a long time. This hinders the proper administration of many government programs and also casts the results of the country's elections in doubt. It is difficult to effectively plan long-term development projects. In addition, lack of demographic knowledge aids corruption during elections and the favoring of regional allies. Read more in "Afghanistan's Demographic Drought", The South Asia Channel of Foreign Policy, October 22, 2014.

Book - Interview with Author

The Swedish journalist Jenny Nordberg is interviewed about her book entitled The Underground Girls of Kabul. The book is the result of several years of investigation into the cultural practice (hidden from westerners) of having a girl pose as a boy until puberty. Read more in "Book Talk: Women in Afghanistan, through a looking glass", Reuters.com, October 23, 2014.

Constitutional Issues with NUG

Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief now that the election dispute between Ghani and Abdullah is settled. The question is how long will the honeymoon last. The National Unity Agreement or NUG provides for a power-sharing agreement between the two candidates but once they start opposing each other on issues the resolution process may be in question. Many observers are now looking into the possibility that the NUG could present unintended consequences - especially in regards to the Afghan constitution. Ghizaal Haress is an Assistant Professor at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) where she teaches Constitutional Law. She has posted an article entitled "Did Politics Compromise Afghanistan's Constitution?", South Asia Channel of Foreign Policy Magazine, October 23, 2014.

Map of 2014 Large Taliban Offensives by District

The Taliban conducted a very intensive 2014 fighting season in Afghanistan. The fighting season typically runs from April to October. The 2014 fighting season saw the Taliban massing forces in larger numbers and taking over several district centers for as long as a month before the ANSF could dislodge them. Many times the Taliban operated in groups as large as 100 members. This is something that would not be done in the past due to ISAF air power. However, ISAF air power was withheld from the ANSF during much of the 2014 fighting season; and only used in greater numbers in August and September when it became apparent the ANSF desperately needed some assistance. You can view a map (produced by Jason Lyall of Yale University) of where the Taliban operated in large formations by district at "Taliban Offensives (April-October 2014)", CARTODB, October 2014.

Start Off Your Day With Afghan War 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.

Article - Promise and Pitfalls of Partners

A recent paper provides us with an optimistic (yet realistic) look at the use of partners in our goal of deterring adversaries and maintaining stability. He references the recently distributed Army Operating Concept provided by the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ACIC). The AOC lists security cooperation as one of the eleven key missions for the U.S. Army. The author praises the AOC's "measured approach towards security assistance". Three reasons are provided for "partnering" 1) US troops in harm's way is fraught with political difficulties, 2) decision-makers are seduced by low cost and risk, and 3) for every security assistance failure there is a quiet success. Read more in "Army #Operating Concept: The Promise and Pitfalls of Partners", by Crispin J. Burke, on The Bridge, published October 22, 2014.

New Afghan President's Style

A New York Times correspondent in Kabul, Azam Ahmed, provides us with a behind the scenes look of President Ghani. The newly elected president has been developing some momentum in his administration. He immediately signed the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). He very quickly re-opened the Kabul Bank fraud investigation; putting the corrupt Karzai clan into the HP mode. To the consternation of conservative religious leaders his wife is publicly on display. Sometimes though, it is the little things that matter; and Ghani has shown that all aspects of governance are important to him at every level. He seems to prefer institutions over politics. While he may not be successful, it certainly is a refreshing change over the crook Afghanistan had for a president previously. Read more in "Learning a New Afghan President's Style", The New York Times, October 23, 2014.

Book - "Future of Blackwater and Guns for Hire"

Linda Robinson reviews a book entitled The Future of Blackwater and Other Guns for Hire by Anne Hagedorn. The book is in two parts. The first provides background information on the rise of the private security firms on the battlefield (spending a little too much time on the few instances of wayward behavior). The second part of the book delves into the operational need and financial benefits of using contractors. Read the book review here.

Paper - Airpower and COIN in Afghanistan

Jason Lyall of Yale University has wrote a paper entitled Bombing to Lose? Airpower and the Dynamics of Violence in Counterinsurgency Wars (August 9, 2014). The use of close air support during an insurgency is vital if used properly. Lyall's paper is posted on the Social Science Research Network at the link below. An abstract of his paper follows:

"Are airstrikes an effective tool against insurgent organizations? Despite the question's historical and contemporary relevance, we have few dedicated studies, and even less consensus, about airpower's effectiveness in counterinsurgency wars. To answer this question, I draw on declassified United States Air Force records of nearly 23,000 airstrikes and non-lethal shows of force in Afghanistan (2006-11), satellite imagery, and a new SQL-enabled form of dynamic matching to estimate the causal effects of airstrikes on insurgent attacks over variable temporal and spatial windows. Evidence consistently indicates that airstrikes markedly increase insurgent attacks relative to non-bombed locations for at least 90 days after a strike. Civilian casualties play little role in explaining post-strike insurgent responses, however. Instead, these attacks appear driven by reputational concerns, as insurgent organizations step up their violence after air operations to maintain their reputations for resolve in the eyes of local populations."

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2422170

U.S. Army Chief of Engineers Tours Afghanistan

The U.S. Army Chief of Engineers recently visited Afghanistan touring several bases. He received mission update briefings, met with U.S. and Afghan engineers, and learned about efforts of building partner capacity, supporting base master planning, force protection, and Afghan engineer development. On a visit to Camp Ghazi he visited the Afghan National Engineer Brigade. Read more in "Chief of engineers visits Afghanistan", DVIDS, October 22, 2014.

Interview - Former Foreign Minister Lafraie

The former Foreign Minister of Afghanistan between 1992 and 1996, Professor Najibullah Lafraie, was interviewed recently and provided his assessment of the political and security situation of Afghanistan. An interesting look from an Afghan statesman's perspective. Read "US Troops Surge in Afghanistan, Repetition of  Mistake Committed in Iraq", Eurasia Review, October 19, 2014.