President Ghani and CEO Abdullah visited NATO headquarters in Belguim and made some remarks at a joint press conference. His spokesman posted a video on YouTube with his comments in English. (December 2, 2014, 2 minutes).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YSCVqrxh1Y
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Night Raids and Counterbureaucracy
The loosened up rules for the conduct of night raids will go a long way to strengthen the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency fight. The targeting of al Qaeda and Taliban leaders can increase and hopefully provide some good results that will improve the overall security situation in Afghanistan. This is especially true given the recent resurgence of the Taliban and demonstrated ability and will to continue attacks well beyond the end of the traditional fighting season. So President Ghani's enlightened approach to night raids is refreshing. Now if we can just get the ISAF (and the U.S. headquarters) bureaucracy to cooperate we will be on the right track. Read one experienced Special Forces officer's frustration with the "excessive bureaucracy that has hobbled our ability to conduct effective night raids" in "Back to Night Raids: Counterinsurgency or Counterbureaucracy?", War on the Rocks, December 1, 2014.
Troop Drawdown is Evident
A correspondent for the Fayetteville Observer, Drew Brooks, writes about the evident drawdown of troops from the once bustling military bases in Afghanistan. He comments of the ghost town that once was the military side of Kabul International Airport (KIA) and Kandahar Air Field (KAF). Read more in "Troop drawdown is evident at Afghanistan bases" (November 30, 2014).
Mongolia Stays on the Team
From 2003 to 2014 Mongolia has deployed over 3,000 trips in ten rotations. Mongolia will continue to be a troop contributing nation during the Resolute Support mission starting in 2015. Read more in "Mongolia to deploy 120 servicemen in the second stage of "Resolute Support" mission in Afghanistan", InfoMongolia.com, November 30, 2014.
Video - Taliban Rehearsed for Bastion Attack
The recent attack by the Taliban against Camp Bastion (the former British base in Helmand province vacated last month) was well rehearsed. The rehearsal was captured on video and posted to the Internet. It can be viewed here: "Taliban video shows training and planning for Camp Bastion attacke", The Threat Matrix - Blog of the Long War Journal, November 29, 2014.
Critic - "We Can't Defeat the Taliban"
A critic of the war and author of a recent book on the conflict, Jack Fairweather, has penned an opinion piece stating that we have ignored the Pushtun tribes in the east and south to our detriment. He states that the Taliban support within the tribes is well-entrenched and is not going to go away. And neither are the Taliban. He believes that the United States needs to learn to live with the tribes to prepare Afghanistan for long-term stability. Read more in "Stop trying to destroy the Taliban", New York Daily News, November 30, 2014.
Afghan Daily News Snippets
According to a study by the Civil and Liberal Initiative for Peace (CLIP) the Afghan tradition known as baad has tremendously decreased since 2001. Baad is the giving away of a girl or woman in marriage as blood price to settle a conflict or debt. Read more in "Decrease in the Tradition of Baad", Tolo News (AF), December 1, 2014.
An editorial by The Guardian on December 1, 2014 states that the western nations should remain committed to the security and development of Afghanistan. It says that western policy should not be short-sighted and there should be no dashing to the door.
The Afghan cabinet was supposed to be formed weeks ago but there are some small step being taken by President Ghani. See "Afghan Fires His Cabinet; Police Chief Offers to Quit", The New York Times, November 30, 2014.
A war correspondent writes about her relationship with the military and the "embed" program. Read "Ground Wars End, and So Does a Chapter in Military-Press Relationships", The New York Times, November 30, 2104.
Provincial governors to be changed out? A news report says that the Afghan president reportedly has plans to purge some provincial leaders. Ghani feels that there is a need for a change of leadership in government and the military at the provincial level (he is absolutely correct in my view). Changes are likely in five provinces - Kunduz, Baghdis, Ghazni, Nangarhar, and Helmand. (Fox News, December 1, 2014). The Associated Press reports that the Afghan president plans to overhaul security (December 1, 2014).
The country of Iran has spoken out against the ratification of the Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO SOFA. See a news report in Khaama Press, December 1, 2014.
Secretary of State John Kerry has met with Pakistan's top military commander. Kerry says that the meeting was "productive". Perhaps that means Pakistan will stop supporting the Haqqani Network? (probably not). (Radio Free Europe, December 1, 2014).
A left of center columnist, Murray Polner, laments Obama's "expansion" of the Afghan conflict in "Deja Vu, Afghans: We're BA-A-A-A-CK!", History News Network (HNN), November 26, 2014.
A new film has come out depicting the British forces time in Helmand province. Named "Kajaki" after the Kajaki Dam - it certainly cannot be described as a recruiting film with its depiction of real live curcumstances. Read more in "Dam and blast", The Economist, November 29, 2014.
The aid group that recently was attacked in Kabul is closing up shop. The Partnership in Academics and Development (PAD) stated on Monday that it closed its Kabul office where the office's director and his two teenage children were killed. In addition, two Afghan citizens were also killed. Werner Groenewald, a 46-year-old South African, led the group's charitable activities in Kabul. Three militants stormed the small office - one with a suicide vest and two with guns. All were killed in the attack.. PAD, with an office in Redlands, CA, has operated in Afghanistan since 2002. (ABC News, December 1, 2014).
Six Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack in western Badghis province. There is suspicion that it might be an insider attack. (Khaama Press, December 2, 2014).
The aid group that recently was attacked in Kabul is closing up shop. The Partnership in Academics and Development (PAD) stated on Monday that it closed its Kabul office where the office's director and his two teenage children were killed. In addition, two Afghan citizens were also killed. Werner Groenewald, a 46-year-old South African, led the group's charitable activities in Kabul. Three militants stormed the small office - one with a suicide vest and two with guns. All were killed in the attack.. PAD, with an office in Redlands, CA, has operated in Afghanistan since 2002. (ABC News, December 1, 2014).
Six Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack in western Badghis province. There is suspicion that it might be an insider attack. (Khaama Press, December 2, 2014).
Land ownership is a problem in Afghanistan. One aspect of the problem is the legal ownership. Between bad record keeping and corruption there is a lot of uncertainty as to who owns what. Nathan Hodge reports on this in The Wall Street Journal, December 2, 2014. (subscription required).
The new Afghan leaders (Ghani and Abdullah) have met with the NATO chief in Brussels. Read more in Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe (December 2, 2014).
China, Central Asia, and Afghanistan. "Can China and the US Work Together on Counterterrorism?" This topic is explored by Kevin Peters in The Diplomat, (December 2, 2014). Another article posted on Radio Free Europe and penned by Bruce Pannier explores "China's Limits in Central Asia" (November 30, 2014). And while we are looking at China we should note that members of the Afghan House of Representatives are urging the government to move foward with plans to exploit the Aynak copper mine to increase government revenues and improve the economy. (China has the rights to the mining of the copper mine). Speaking of mining operations the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has published (Dec 1, 2014) an article by William A. Byrd and Javed Noorani entitled "Exploitation of Mineral Resources in Afghanistan".
The London Conference is taking place this week where pledges of support by the international community for Afghanistan will be expressed. President Ghani and others from Afghanistan are attending. Read "Return of the Goodwill? London conference as symbol of a new start", by Christine Roehers, posted on Afghanistan Analysts Network on December 1, 2014. Australia is taking part in the London Conference and will be represented by the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Alexander Downer. (The West Australian, Dec 2, 2014). There is an expectation that Afghanistan will outline its future strategy to fight corruption and improve the human rights situation in the country (Radio Free Europe, Dec 2, 2014). Visit the UK page on the London Conference.
The drug problem in Afghanistan has reached new heights. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has released a new report citing the failure of the war against drugs in Afghanistan. One commentator believes that we should look at legal medical uses for opium and strive to get Afghanistan to become engaged in the worldwide opiate medical field in an effort to decrease the illegal drug trade. Read the thoughts of Sohrab Rahmaty on this topic in "A Solution for Afghanistan's Opium Crisis?", The Diplomat, December 2, 2014. On another related story see "Documenting Drug Addiction in Kabul", Time.com, December 2, 2014.
The U.S. Army has recently published a new version of ATP 3-93, Theater Army Operations, November 2014. It is available to read online or download at:
http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/DR_pubs/dr_a/pdf/atp3_93.pdf
A new counterintelligence unit has been established by the Director of National Intelligence (James Clapper). The National Counterintelligence and Security Center combines the functions of government security programs (background checks, investigations, countering spies, etc.).
The 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) commemorated the culmination of their mission in Afghanistan in a ceremony on December 1, 2014 at Bagram Air field. The 3rd ESC was responsible for a good part of the retrograde operation (DVIDS, Dec 1, 2014).
The Army has published TC 7-102, Operational Environment and Army Learning, November 2014.
http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/DR_pubs/dr_a/pdf/tc7_102.pdf
The War is Boring website has posted a new story entitled "Clash of Strykers and Taliban: Armored vehicles versus guerrillas in Afghanistan's Arghandab Valley." (December 2, 2014).
A posting by the Institute for War & Peace Reporting entitled "Afghan Raisin Producers Hope for Sweeter Future" (December 2, 2014).
Contribute to Afghan War News Blog
The Afghan War News Blog and the Afghan War News website are constantly striving to keep its blog, daily newsletter, and website factual, current, and relevant. If you have a link to a website or document you feel should be shared with the greater community then please send it to us. In addition, we are looking for individuals with some knowledge, experience, and expertise in Afghanistan on a wide range of topics to contribute blog posts and articles to our blog and add content to our website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.
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Afghan News and Coffee at Five
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Tuesday, December 2, 2014
ANP Training Responsibilities Transferred
"Four Corners" of Resolute Support
The Resolute Support mission begins in January 2015 with a total of 9,800 (plus or minus) troops from the United States and a contingent of Europeans and other contributing nations (probably a few thousand). The mission is going to be mostly Security Force Assistance (SFA) with a little bit of counter-terrorism. The SFA mission will concentrate at the ministry, institutional, and corps level. Only four of the six Afghan National Army Corps will be covered down by advisors. The areas to be covered are referred to as the "Four Corners" - Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad, and Kandahar. The four corners is depicted on the map below.
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| Map depicting the "Four Corners" of Resolute Support (map from NATO video, Dec 1, 2014) |
Suicide Bomber Attacks Funeral in Baghlan
A suicide bomber attacked a funeral in Baghlan province killing two police officers and a number of civilians (7?). The incident took place in Burqa district on December 1st. At least 18 people were wounded in the attack. The attack occurred during a funeral ceremony for a Baghlan tribal leader; Read more in "Suicide Attack at Afghan Funeral Kills Nine", Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, December 1, 2014.
Book - "Worth Dying For"
Opium - A Binding Aspect of Afghanistan
The fight against the drug trade in Afghanistan, although expensive, has been futile. The opium economy undercuts progress in security, rule of law, and the economy. 90 % of the world's opium comes from Afghanistan. More than a million Afghans are drug dependent. Almost all aspects of Afghan society is complicit in the drug trade to include government, police, and the army. Read more in "Opium: Tragic tie that binds Afghanistan's government, Taliban, warlords and people", World Tribune, November 30, 2014.
Two Interpreters Finally Make it to U.S.
Afghan interpreters, who risked their lives to assist the U.S. military, are finding it difficult to get to the United States on a visa. Two interpreters finally did complete their journey but it was not easy. The two interpreters, with their families, have re-located to Alexandria, Virginia. But getting to the United States was a four-year-long ordeal. Read more in "Two Afghan interpreters, targeted for helping the US military, finally make it to America", Public Radio International, November 29, 2014.
News Reporting by DoD on Afghanistan
Every once in a while we take a look at the news reporting by the U.S. Department of Defense on Afghanistan by looking at their DoD News Release site. There were about 173 news articles in the month of November 2014 on this site (listed chronologically). Of the 173, 28 were on ISIL/Iraq, 13 on Ebola, 6 were about Native Americans in the military, 5 on a snow storm in upper New York, and 3 were about Afghanistan. Sort of puts things into perspective about what DoD is concentrating on.
Domestic Violence in Afghanistan
There is concern that domestic violence against women in Afghanistan is rising. Learn more in a report by The Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) published on November 20, 2014 entitled "Shame and Impunity: Is domestic violence becoming more brutal?"
Photos of Old Kabul
A professor at Arizona State University spent some time in Kabul with UNESCO teaching at the Higher Teachers College. While there he took some photos of Kabul in the late 1960s. Interesting contrast from Kabul of today! View the photos at this link on Radio Free Europe (November 29, 2014).
Afghan Daily News Snippets
On November 29, 2014 several General Officers of the ISAF staff (General John Campbell, MG Ed Reeder of SOJTF-A, and others) visited the Ahmed Shah Massoud Mausoleum in the Panjshir Valley. View pictures from the visit on Facebook.
While Americans enjoyed the holiday weekend their allies in Afghanistan grew increasingly weakened. Read more in "The Drumsticks of War", Time.com, November 30, 2104.
Many Afghans see corruption as the enduring legacy of President Karzai. Read more in "Afghans See Corruption as Enduring Legacy", Institute for War & Peace Reporting, November 30, 2014.
The international donor conference for Afghanistan will soon be held (early December 14) in London. Ahead of the London conference, concern is growing that the world could forget Afghanistan - and the country could forget its commitments to women's rights. Read more in "Afghanistan: what will happen when the troops - and their dollars - depart?", The Guardian, November 27, 2014. Also see "Return of the Goodwill? London conference as symbol of new start", Afghanistan Analysts Network, December 1, 2014. It appears that both Ghani and Abdullah will attend the meeting.
John Kerry, Secretary of State, congratulated the people of Albania on their 102nd Independence Day held on November 28, 2014. He stated that Albania was a strong and reliable NATO ally and thanked the Albanians for their support of the ISAF and Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.
A recent news article laments the plight of Afghan interpreters who thought they could immigrate to the United States but instead have been abandoned. Read more in "Left to the mercy of the Taliban", BBC News, November 26, 2014.
The Pentagon plans to impose strict standards of private security firms that provide support in war zones in the future. (The Washington Post, November 26, 2014).
Members of the 21st "Mountain" Brigade of the Polish Army have arrived at FOB Gamberi in Laghman province to provide security and force protection to the Train Advise Assist Command - East (TAAC-E). Many of them will be used in the "Guardian Angel" role. (DVIDS, November 24, 2014).
Paul D. Miller writes a comprehensive article saying that America should stay the course in Afghanistan - extending its support and commitment for years to come. Read more in "America, Don't Give Up on Afghanistan", The New Republic, November 30, 2014.
A paper entitled "Revisiting the Social Movement Approach to Unconventional Warfare", wrote by Doowan Lee and Glenn W. Johnson has been posted to Small Wars Journal (December 1, 2014).
A recent news report says Afghan roads are too expensive to maintain. While the growth of roads in Afghanistan is commendable the bottom line is there is no money in the budget to maintain the roads so they deteriorate rather quickly. (Tolo News, December 1, 2014).
John Nagl, a retired Army officer who served in the first two Iraq wars and an author, has penned an opinion piece for The New York Times entitled "The President Needs a Secretary of War" (November 30, 2014).
President Ghani is reportedly conducting backdoor talks with the Taliban according to Tolo News (Dec 1, 2014). See "Ghani Resumes Backdoor Talks with Taliban".
The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has published an online post entitled Ten Years of Afghan Constitution: Why Dialogue is Important (December 1, 2014).
Kabul Police Chief to Stay. It appears that President Ghani has rejected the resignation of the Kabul police chief and that he will stay on the job. See "Kabul police chief to stay on job after resignation rejected", Stars and Stripes, December 1, 2014. Other news reports say that the police chief will stay on the job until a successor is appointed.
A Special Forces officer, Thomas Doherty, has penned a paper entitled "Letting Them Scrape a Knee: Advising for Third Order Effects", Small Wars Journal, December 1, 2014. He writes on advising the ANSF in Afghanistan and how helping with logistics can actually hurt.
Some international aid agencies are sending some of their foreign staff out of country due to the security situation in Kabul. So far in 2014 36 aid workers have been killed and 95 wounded throughout Afghanistan (according to the Aid Worker Security Database). Read more in a recent news article by The New York Times (December 1, 2014).
A U.S. Army officer, LTC Daniel L. Davis, writes a piece on counterinsurgency for The American Conservative entitled "COIN Is a Proven Failure" based on his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The relationship between Afghanistan and NATO has improved significantly with the replacement of "Karzai the Crook" with the new President Ghani. The new president is hoping that the new phase will bring peace and stability to the country. (Stars and Stripes, December 1, 2014).
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Afghanistan will face more violence but that the local Afghan forces are capable. (Yahoo! News, December 1, 2014).
Develop Your Writing Skills!
The Afghan War News Blog and the Afghan War News website are constantly striving to keep its blog, daily newsletter, and website factual, current, and relevant. If you have a link to a website or document you feel should be shared with the greater community then please send it to us. In addition, we are looking for individuals with some knowledge, experience, and expertise in Afghanistan on a wide range of topics to contribute blog posts and articles to our blog and add content to our website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.
staff@afghanwarnews.info
staff@afghanwarnews.info
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Monday, December 1, 2014
AAF - Tucano Plane Under Fire
Ranger School Open for Women
Kabul Police Chief Replaced
Kabul has seen a string of high-profile attacks in the past two weeks. It is apparent that the Taliban are ignoring the traditional end of fighting season routine as they have stepped up the attacks quite a bit. The Kabul police chief, General Zahir, has resigned (or maybe he was fired). The new police chief is General Abdul Rahman Rahimi, who was the Balkh Provincial Chief of Police (PCoP). This will surely change the political landscape of Balkh province! Read news reports on the Kabul Police Chief: Gandhara Blog, Radio Free Europe, NBC News, Reuters.
ANSF Ill Equipped to Fight Taliban
ISAF keeps pumping out the positive feel good messages about how the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have "overmatched" the Taliban in 2014 but the situation on the ground seems to indicate otherwise. Some districts controlled by the government forces amount to the district center (a few buildings with a wall around the compound) in the control of the police but the remaining 99% of the district land area is controlled by the Taliban. The last few months of the fighting season (actually, it seems not to have ended yet) have seen the Coalition provide increased close air support to the ANSF to turn the tide of some of the battles. The Afghan Air Force is not yet able to provide the air support needed to the degree necessary. Read more in "Afghan forces ill equipped to fight Taliban without NATO", Reuters, November 30, 2014.
Corruption Number One Issue in Afghanistan
A columnist, Doyle McManus of the Los Angeles Times, argues that corruption is the number one recruiting tool for the Taliban. Government corruption ". . . makes it easier for insurgent movements to win support among aggrieved citizens". Relatively few Afghans support the Taliban, according to opinion polls, yet the Taliban is still able to attract recruits every year. Read more in "How corruption abroad threatens U.S. national security" (Nov 30, 2014).
Mefloquine and Mental Health
A recent news article about Mefloquine (Lariam) calls into question the medication used to fight malarial. According to UK studies Soldiers given Mefloquine are four times as likely to suffer from mental health problems. Lariam was developed by the US Army in the 1970s for preventing and treating malaria. In April 2013, prompted by the risks of psychosis and suicide, the US labeled it a drug of last resort. The United States Special Operations Command banned its use over a year ago. However, British soldiers are still given the drug. Read more in "Soldiers still suffering serious mental illness linked to controversial anti-malarial drug Lariam", The Independent, November 28, 2014.
Video on History of Drones
A video about drones is available for viewing on the Popular Science website. The video (9 mins) is a brief film (animated) that highlights the century-long evolution of unmanned aircraft. Topics include early drones up to the CIA's targeted killing program in Pakistan and elsewhere. View The History of the Drone in 9 Minutes:
www.popsci.com/watch-brief-history-drone
www.popsci.com/watch-brief-history-drone
Ambassador Cunningham Says "Goodbye"
The United States Ambassador to Afghanistan, James B. Cunningham, is saying "Goodbye". He has spent 3 1/2 years here in Afghanistan - having been posted to Kabul in the summer of 2011. Read the transcript of his departure speech in an embassy press release (November 29, 2014) "Ambassador James B. Cunningham's Remarks at Official Farewell Reception".
Daily News Snippets
According to the Ministry of Interior (MoI) the Kabul guest house attacked on Friday night belonged to a family working for "Partnership in Academics & Development (PAD). Originally it was reported in the press that they worked for a group called "PATH". The victims are reported to be South Africans - a man, his son, and his daughter as well as one Afghan. The family lived in Afghanistan for over 12 years. The father worked for charity organizations and the mother is a doctor. The son, 17 years old, was applying to U.S. universities. The daughter was 14 years old. The organization is reportedly based in Redlands, California.
www.padaf.org
www.purecharity.com/pad
WBTV.com news report
Over 100 members of the Arkansas National Guard have returned home. They just completed a six-month rotation to Afghanistan. The 216th Military Police Company left for Afghanistan in May. The 1038th Horizontal Construction Company of the Arkansas National Guard is still deployed in Afghanistan. See article in Army Times (Nov 28, 2014).
www.padaf.org
www.purecharity.com/pad
WBTV.com news report
Over 100 members of the Arkansas National Guard have returned home. They just completed a six-month rotation to Afghanistan. The 216th Military Police Company left for Afghanistan in May. The 1038th Horizontal Construction Company of the Arkansas National Guard is still deployed in Afghanistan. See article in Army Times (Nov 28, 2014).
The Army plans to return to "full-spectrum training" is being hampered by budget cuts. Despite the fact the Army will most likely face hybrid or asymmetric threats in the future it feels compelled to know how to fight the "big battles" as well; and switching over to that type of training takes time and money. Read more in a news article by Stars and Stripes (Nov 2, 2014).
The Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), an independent non-profit research organization based in Kabul, has been tracking women's issues in Afghanistan for several years. The AAN offers online a "thematic dossier" on Women Rights and Politics. Available here (30 Nov 14).
The attack at Camp Bastion in Helmand province is finally over. The attack against the (now) ANA base recently vacated by the British occurred on Friday. It appears that some of the Taliban were holding out over the past few days but were finally killed/captured on Sunday. Some critics have pointed out the attack as evidence that the ANA are not ready to take the lead for security in Helmand province. On a good note: apparently no Harrier jump jets were lost in the attack.
Afghan Cabinet. Although the cabinet ministers have not been announced it appears that the Deputy Ministers will take over for the time being. President Ghani has dismissed most ministers in the government (The New York Times, November 30, 2014).
President Ghani ratified the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) and NATO SOFA that the two houses of the Afghan Parliament recently approved.
President Ghani signed two additional pieces of legislation. One dealing with a national census (which should help in the establishment of national ID cards) and another with protection of information.
A recent news story (see NBC News and UPI) circulating websites and Twitter was about an endangered bird (bustard) that was shot down by Afghan Security Forces for having a GPS and VHF transmitter. Some news reports indicated that the bird also was carrying explosives. Now it appears the mystery is solved. (On Twitter @KateClark66 pointed us to a news story entitled "2,000 endangered bustards released in Kazakhstan", Yahoo! News India, May 7, 2014. The story outlines a conservation effort to increase the wild population of bustards. The GPS and VHF transmitter were providing data to scientists of the migratory patterns of bustards; no explosives though. Score one victory for the ANSF and one loss for science.
The Washington Post writes about how the Taliban is bringing the war to Kabul threatening stability and endangering foreigners. (November 30, 2014).
The Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), an independent non-profit research organization based in Kabul, has been tracking women's issues in Afghanistan for several years. The AAN offers online a "thematic dossier" on Women Rights and Politics. Available here (30 Nov 14).
The attack at Camp Bastion in Helmand province is finally over. The attack against the (now) ANA base recently vacated by the British occurred on Friday. It appears that some of the Taliban were holding out over the past few days but were finally killed/captured on Sunday. Some critics have pointed out the attack as evidence that the ANA are not ready to take the lead for security in Helmand province. On a good note: apparently no Harrier jump jets were lost in the attack.
Afghan Cabinet. Although the cabinet ministers have not been announced it appears that the Deputy Ministers will take over for the time being. President Ghani has dismissed most ministers in the government (The New York Times, November 30, 2014).
President Ghani ratified the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) and NATO SOFA that the two houses of the Afghan Parliament recently approved.
President Ghani signed two additional pieces of legislation. One dealing with a national census (which should help in the establishment of national ID cards) and another with protection of information.
A recent news story (see NBC News and UPI) circulating websites and Twitter was about an endangered bird (bustard) that was shot down by Afghan Security Forces for having a GPS and VHF transmitter. Some news reports indicated that the bird also was carrying explosives. Now it appears the mystery is solved. (On Twitter @KateClark66 pointed us to a news story entitled "2,000 endangered bustards released in Kazakhstan", Yahoo! News India, May 7, 2014. The story outlines a conservation effort to increase the wild population of bustards. The GPS and VHF transmitter were providing data to scientists of the migratory patterns of bustards; no explosives though. Score one victory for the ANSF and one loss for science.
The Washington Post writes about how the Taliban is bringing the war to Kabul threatening stability and endangering foreigners. (November 30, 2014).
Guest Bloggers Wanted
The Afghan War News Blog and the Afghan War News website are constantly striving to keep its blog, daily newsletter, and website factual, current, and relevant. If you have a link to a website or document you feel should be shared with the greater community then please send it to us. In addition, we are looking for individuals with some knowledge, experience, and expertise in Afghanistan on a wide range of topics to contribute blog posts and articles to our blog and add content to our website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.
staff@afghanwarnews.info
staff@afghanwarnews.info
News with Your Coffee in the Morning
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.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
U.S. MEDEVAC Crews Less Busy Train More
Old Landmines Still A Hazard
Tuberculosis in Afghanistan
Japan and the World Health Organization (WHO) are engaging in a partnership to combat tuberculosis (TB) in Afghanistan. The agreement provides funding for $12 million (USD) for the procurement of anti-tuberculosis medicines and implementation of other activities related to fighting TB in Afghanistan. In 2013, 58,000 new TB cases were documented with 13,000 deaths. Learn more in a press release by WHO (29 November 2014).
ANA Overrun at Sangin Base
A small Afghan National Army outpost in Helmand province was overrun by the Taliban on late Friday night. Fourteen ANA Soldiers were killed and several are missing. With the departure of the U.S. Marines and British troops observers have been predicting an uptick in violence in Helmand province. Read more in "Taliban Overrun an Afghan Army Base", The New York Times, November 29, 2014.
India Provides Soil Research Service
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), in collaboration with agricultural universities in Afghanistan, is providing soil research and training to improve agriculture. Part of this service is the use of a soil testing device (a digital meter) that checks the fertility of the soil for better fertilizer recommendations. Read more here in Sify News (November 29, 2014).
National Seminar - Ten Years of Constitution
The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has posted a video (2 hours November 29, 2014) of a National Seminar entitled "Ten Years of Constitution". (Not in English).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir7sIEoP3ss
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir7sIEoP3ss
Pomegranates Not Poppies
An entrepreneur from the United Kingdom is on a mission to replace poppy cultivation with pomegranates. It appears that his program is having some success in Kandahar and has attracted the backing of some influential personalities. He has set up a charity called Plant for Peace. Read more in a news report (November 29, 2014) in Scotland Now.
Video - "Crafting Afghanistan's Future"
During the civil war and Taliban regime, art in Afghanistan was non-existent. But thanks to the work of Turquoise Mountain, there is a new generation of young Afghan artists, like Storai and Saida, who are working hard to bring the traditional schools of craft back to Afghanistan as it moves forward. Watch "Crafting Afghanistan's Future", NATO TV, November 25, 2014 (2 mins).
Afghan Daily News Snippets
On November 29, 2014 the Taliban attacked the office of an organization that provides aid and services in Afghanistan. The attack took place near the Afghan parliament. The organization, PATH, operates around the world. www.path.org. IT APPEARS THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS "PARNERSHIP IN ACADEMICS & DEVELOPMENT (PAD)". Initial reports indicate that hostages were taken but then the CRU conducted an assault and rescued them. The Taliban claimed that it was a Christianity center and also used for intelligence gathering with many Australians attending a meeting. It was the 11th attack in Kabul in just two weeks. Read more in a news report by The Washington Post (November 29, 2014). See also a news report by Stars and Stripes.
The Mail Online (UK) has posted an article (28 Nov 14) about how Afghan interpreters have been left to the mercy of the Taliban. The news is that the Taliban are targeting interpreters who worked with US forces and that the interpreters live in constant fear of attack. Although a few have been fortunate to be able to get visas to immigrate to the U.S. many more have been denied visas for apparently trivial reasons.
President Ghani appears to be taking a different approach with his countries foreign policy by maintaining relations with international and regional players. Regional politics in South Asia and in greater Asia is complex and this article tries to explain some of it. Read more in "Signs of change in Afghanistan's foreign policy", DW.de, November 29, 2014.
A news report details the death of a British special forces officer, a member of the Special Boat Service (SBS), in a raid against the Taliban in December 2013. Read more in "Special Forces soldier died in perilous raid on Taliban haven", The Telegraph, November 27, 2014.
A correspondent with time in Afghanistan writes a discouraging piece on the prospects of success for Afghanistan. He provides a long detailed explanation of all that is wrong with Afghanistan and why the future seems dim. Read "So long, good luck", The Economist, November 29, 2014.
Thanksgiving in Afghanistan is a bitter sweet time of the year for Americans. (I know having spent 7 Thanksgivings away from my family in the past 12 years in places like Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan). The break from the routine and the good meal served up by the dining facilities is a welcome event; but realizing your not with your family is a letdown. However, the military does try to make it a good day for all. Read how TAAC-S and the 1st Cav spent their Thanksgiving (DVIDS, November 28, 2014).
Kabul has seen a dramatic increase in attacks in 2014. Read more in a Stars and Stripes report (November 27, 2014) entitled "2 attacks in Kabul target foreigners".
The United States, despite overwhelming odds against success, is continuing its efforts to reduce the narcotics trade in Afghanistan. CACI International has been awarded a $62 million contract to support counter narco-terrorism for U.S. Central Command to include work to be done in Afghanistan. Read a press release by CACI (November 25, 2014) for more information.
Afghanistan's music culture is slowly taking shape. Read more in "Afghan band: We use love songs to make a statement", The Times of India, November 29, 2014.
Radio Free Europe has posted an article about Rula Ghani and her very open support of women's rights in Afghanistan. See "Afghanistan's First Lady Seeks to Blaze New Trail" (November 28, 2014).
The RAND Corporation recently conducted a survey and published a paper that reveals basic training 2014 to be much easier than training in earlier years. Apparently this trend is across all three services; although the report acknowledges that basic training for the Air Force was "always easy". Read more in "Survey: Basic Training Now Easier Than When You Were There", Duffel Blog, November, 28, 2014.
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Saturday, November 29, 2014
Afghan High Peace Council
Paper - Lessons Learned on Advising
Lt. Col. Remi Hajjar of the U.S. Army has published an article entitled "What Lessons Did We Learn (or Re-Learn) about Military Advising After 9/11?", Military Review, November-December 2014, pages 63-75. Hajjar is an academy professor at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point). His paper takes a look at the history of the U.S. military advising mission, recounts relevant lessons from the Korean and Vietnam Wars to the present, provides several major advisory lessons learned or re-learned since 9/11, lists conditions that characterize the U.S. military advising mission, defining military advisory success, and he provides a conclusion and recommendations for future advisory missions.
http://www.afghanwarnews.info/documents/LL-MilAdvisingMilRev20141231.pdf
http://www.afghanwarnews.info/documents/LL-MilAdvisingMilRev20141231.pdf
"Fly to Advise"
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| CPT Katherine Zamperini inspects xray machine at FOB Gamberi (photo SSG Houston) |
Video - "Female Food Entrepreneur"
The NATO channel has published a video about a woman from Herat that started her food business in a mud hut but now sells in numerous market places. The female entrepreneur spent the last nine years building up a successful business. Watch "The Female Food Entrepreneur", NATO TV, November 24, 2014.
Kabul Under Attack
The Taliban have forgotten that the fighting season is over. By this time of year they should be looking at making their way to the sanctuaries provided by Pakistan. Instead they seem to be hanging around the Kabul area and increasing the rate of attacks in Kabul. The number of attacks in Kabul in 2014 is double the number of attacks in 2013. The phrase "Kabubble" used to mean safety and security for the many foreign military and expats working in Kabul. But now it appears those days are over. Read more in "Afghanistan's heavily guarded capital no longer immune from violence", Stars and Stripes, November 28, 2014.
Paper - Foreign Culture and Train, Advise FSF
The United States is conducting train, advise, and assist missions in areas of the world where foreign cultures are sometimes perplexing and will complicate the mission. In many of these locations the private sector and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) have experience that DoD should learn from and adapt into its training and education programs. This paper presents some of those lessons gained in the non-security development sector that could be useful in future training and advising missions for foreign security forces. Read "Foreign Culture and its Effect on US Department of Defense Efforts to Train and Advise Foreign Security Forces", Small Wars Journal, November 26, 2014.
Book - "Knife Fights"
John A. Nagl is getting a lot of reviews of his book "Knife Fights: A Memoir of Modern War in Theory and Practice". Read one more review by Rosa Brooks in The Washington Post.
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