Afghan War Blog

Monday, January 5, 2015

Bibliography for Resolute Support (Updated Jan 15)

The Annotated Bibliography for Resolute Support - has been updated and posted. The ISAF mission ended on 31 December 2014 and the NATO Resolute Support mission started on 1 January 2015. The Resolute Support mission is primarily Security Force Assistance along functional areas at the ministry, institutional, and ANA corps level. The bibliography will be very helpful for advisors at all levels in Afghanistan as well as staff members of the RS mission. It has links to hundreds of documents, papers, publications, and websites about advising, the Afghan National Security Forces, and Afghanistan. The bibliography is updated every month and posted the first day of the month. The publication is an Adobe Acrobat PDF, is almost 200 pages long, and is less than 3 MBs big. You can read online or download at the link below.

www.afghanwarnews.info/pubs/RSM-Bibliography.htm

SF Combat Dive School Changes Unit Motto

The U.S. Army Special Forces Combat Dive School located at Key West, Florida has quietly changed its school motto. The motto - "I Can't Breath" - is now a phrase that is politically incorrect since the civil rights movement has adopted the phrase. Students who undergo training at the physically demanding course often find themselves in circumstances where they are short of breath - thus the origin of the phrase. Of course, the dive school used to be a hard school when students had to do "cross-overs" and "bobbing"; but that was before the school got easy. Reportedly, the Special Forces community is somewhat dismayed that one of their best school slogans has been hijacked. Special Forces training is one of the most rigorous in the world and the Green Berets are reluctant to have to change any aspect of their Special Forces culture. Read more about the change of the dive school motto in "Army Dive School Quietly Changes 'I Can't Breath' Unit Motto", Duffel Blog, January 4, 2015.

Afghan COIN Lessons Learned

With the conclusion of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, the end of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan, and a "responsible end to the Afghan War" pundits are commenting on lessons learned of waging a counterinsurgency in Afghanistan. These lessons learned will inform the public and military for years to come in future counterinsurgency operations. Steve Metz is the director of research at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute and an author. He provides us with three lessons learned on the counterinsurgency effort in Afghanistan.

1. Political culture must shape any U.S. counterinsurgency campaign.
2. Success is not simply a matter of picking the right local leader.
3. A successful counterinsurgency is almost impossible when the insurgents have external sanctuary.

Read his complete article entitled "What are the real lessons of the Afghanistan War?", World Politics Review, January 2015.

China-U.S. Relations . . . and Afghanistan

Zhao Minghao writes about how China and the United States are interacting in relation to Afghanistan. With the withdrawal of American troops and a reduction in the U.S. financing of the Afghan government comes a reduction in the influence that the United States can wield in Afghanistan and the surrounding region. This vacuum will be filled - in part - by China. In this area of U.S. - China relations there is great possibility for some common ground. Read more in "Afghanistan and China-U.S. Relations", Exploring the Frontiers of U.S.-China Strategic Cooperation: Roles and Responsibilities Beyond the Asia-Pacific Region, edited by Melanie Hart, Center for American Progress, November 2014.

https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ChinaReport-Global-FINAL.pdf

USAID CHAMP

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has many programs to assist development throughout the world. One of these programs, Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program (CHAMP) is in operation in Afghanistan. Read a story on how CHAMP assisted an Afghan grape farmer to rebuild his farm and his life in "From Charikar to the World", USAID FRONTLINES, November/December 2014.

Book Review - "Why We Lost"

Carter Malkasian has penned a book review of retired LTG Daniel Bolger's book entitled "Why We Lost". LTG Bolger has been very critical of how the Iraq and Afghan War's were conducted. According to Malkasian, the book is a 500-page history filled with stories of Soldiers and Marines in firefights and close combat and provides input into how the United States should wage war. Malkasian points out the strengths and flaws of Bolger's book. Malkasian is the author of "War Comes to Garmser". He works at the Center for Naval Analysis (CNA), spent several years in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was the political advisor to General Joe Dunford (COMISAF) in Afghanistan from May 2013 to August 2014. Read "Book review: 'Why We Lost,' a general's account of two wars, by Daniel Bolger", The Washington Post, January 2, 2015.

India-Afghan Relations?

A news article by Shakti Sinha, a former civil servant who worked in Afghanistan for the UN for three years, examines India - Afghanistan relations. He states that the new Afghan government of President Ghani poses some challenges for India. He believes that India is becoming marginalized in regional affairs involving Afghanistan and states that India "seems missing in action". He believes that India should continue its practice of low-profile assistance in the economic, development, and reconstruction sectors. That continued assistance along with the ability to provide advanced medical care in India for Afghan citizens (at least those who can afford the travel costs) can provide much needed help to Afghanistan and maintain (at least to a small degree) some influence. Read "India-Afghan Relations: Road to Nowhere? - Analysis", Eurasia Review, January 2, 2015.

How Advisors Build Rapport

A recent post online discusses how trainers and advisors conducting Foreign Internal Defense or FID can build rapport with their counterparts. Special Forces personnel receive extensive training in how to advise foreign military units. One aspect of this training is building rapport. The SF students first exposure to rapport building during Special Forces training takes place during the unconventional warfare exercise called Robin Sage. Good information for those personnel training up to deploy on a Security Force Assistance mission to Afghanistan. Read more in "Foreign Internal Defense Tips, Pt. 3, Rapport Building", SOFREP, January 3, 2015.

Video - CNN clip on New ISAF Mission

A recently published news video explains ISAF's new mission in Afghanistan - Resolute Support. There is a massive change in the size of the international forces and its mission. There is a transition from combat operations to a Train, Advise, and Assist mission. The size of the international force is now down to about 13,000 of which 11,000 are U.S. personnel. Combat operations are restricted to force protection and self-defense. There will be operations that will continue to target remnants of al-Qaeda still in Afghanistan. In addition the Coalition will provide limited air support to the ANSF. Watch "U.S. mission is changing", CNN International, by Jim Sciutto, December 30, 2014.

Who are the Taliban?

Azam Ahmed writes about how unruly factions hurt the Taliban's bid to capture Afghan hearts and territory. (New York Times, Jan 2, 2015). Kidnappings and robberies hurt the Taliban's cause in Helmand province. Article examines what happened to the senior leaders of a decade ago and who the Taliban are now.

Daily News Snippets (Jan 5, 2015)

Afghanistan's orphans live a very vulnerable life. Funding of orphanages is limited and hampered by the corruption of the Afghan officials. Read more in "A decade of aid cash brings little cheer for Afghan orphans", France 24, January 4, 2015.

Afghan news outlets say that a dozen rebels were killed in a Ghazni province clash recently.

Six foreign militants are believed to have been killed in an American drone strike in the North Wazirstan tribal region of Pakistan on Sunday morning (Jan 4, 2015). According to a Pakistani security official two drone missiles were fired into a compound on early Sunday morning. Reportedly a small group of Uzbek militants were killed. (The New York Times, Jan 4, 2015).

38 % of the U.S. public thinks the Afghan War was worth the costs. This figure is reportedly rising according to a ABC poll. (The Washington Post, Jan 4, 2015).

It seems that members of the U.S. military are the best customers of the Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select whiskey. Read more here. (The Tampa Tribune, Jan 4, 2015).

Afghan Cabinet. Reportedly the new Afghan cabinet will be announced on Wednesday. President Ghani had promised to announce the cabinet within 45 days of taking office. It has been three months. The delay is attributed to disagreements on the cabinet selections between President Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah (CEO). (Khaama Press, Jan 4, 2015).

Tamim Asey writes about the year to come (2015) for Afghanistan. He identifies six key trends to watch. 1) NUG survival, 2) parliamentary election, 3) peace process, 4) security sector reform, 5) dwindling economy, and 6) reform agenda. (Eurasia Review, Jan 3, 2015).

Task Force Sabre and USAID met with members of the Parwan provincial leadership recently to discuss future coordination and the changing nature of international assistance for Afghanistan. The shura was organized by the program director for USAID on Bagram Airfield and hosted at the Justice Center in Parwan by general officers of the Afghan National Army. (DVIDS, Jan 4, 2015).

A female doctor from eastern Ghazni province was shot dead by militants late on Saturday night. The motive is not clear. (Khaama Press, Jan 4, 2015.).

The Georgian defense minister paid a visit to Afghanistan to meet Georgian troops stationed there. (Radio Free Europe, Jan 3, 2015).

Two Afghan soldiers have been arrested in connection with the deaths of people attending a wedding party in Helmand province. Eight more soldiers are under investigation. The incident took place in Sangin district. It appears that it was either mortar or artillery fire - news reports are unclear. (ABC News, Jan 2, 2015).

There are quite a few illegal armed individuals in the Kabul area - many of them involved in criminal activities in the city. The Kabul police will soon be launching an effort to disarm these illegal individuals and groups. (Khaama Press, Jan 4, 2015).

The Afghan first lady is engaged in coordinating for the dispense of relief supplies to those endangered by the arrival of winter weather. Read more in "Afghanistan's first lady steps into public eye with rural aid project", The Los Angeles Times, January 4, 2015.

The former chairman of the high office of oversight and anti-corruption, Azizullah Ludin, has died in the United States. He was undergoing medical treatment in the U.S.

Blog Contributors 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

Get a Jump on the 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. Go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and submit your subscription request in the "Follow by Email" dialogue box at the top of the right hand column. The only info needed is your email. No personal data, forms to fill out, or passwords needed. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Students of Afghan Air Force

Flying students in the Afghan Air Force (AAF) attend their training at Shindand Airbase in western Afghanistan. The aircraft they learn on is the Cessna 182T. Shindand Airbase is about 60 miles south of Herat and 75 miles from the Iranian border. The airfield, a former base for the Soviet Union, opened for flight training in September 2011 with the arrival of the first C-182T. The U.S. Air Force is working in conjunction with Integration Innovation, Inc. (www.i3-corps.com); the firm that provides contract instructors for the flight training program. The first I3 class started in December 2011. The students learn to fly Cessna 182Ts, Cessna 208s, and other aircraft. Find out more about the Afghan Air Force flight training program in "Learning to fly in a war zone", Blue Force Tracker, December 29, 2014.

Cost of Afghan War

Cost of Afghan War. Mark Thompson @MarkThompson_Dc has penned an article entitled "The True Cost of the Afghan War May Surprise You", Time.com, January 1, 2015. Thompson says there are different ways to calculate the cost of wars. For instance, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) says the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has cost us $1.6 trillion. He says a truer measure of the wars' total cost could come in at between $4 trillion and $6 trillion. A large part of his argument pins on the cost of long-term expenditures such as medical care for the injured, disability payments for the injured and wounded veterans, retirement payments and health insurance for the increased size of the military, social and economic costs, and costs of military equipment that may not have been bought (MRAPs, drones, etc.) if the wars were not fought.

Turkey's Role in Afghanistan

Turkey has been a key player in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and in the development of the Afghan national security forces. They have contributed troops, staff and leadership to the NATO-led Coalition in Afghanistan from the very start of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission. Turkey will continue that strong involvement into 2015 as part of the Resolute Support mission. Read more in "Turkey's role in post-2014 Afghanistan", Todays Zaman, January 2, 2015.

Refugees Find Hard Times

Winter is a tough season for the many thousands of refugees who have returned home from Pakistan. More than 5.8 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan since 2001 and the fall of the Taliban. There are still 2.5 million Afghan refugees in other countries; principally Iran and Pakistan. Unfortunately, for the returning refugees there is little economic opportunity. Read more in "Limited options leave Afghan refugees reluctant to return home", Stars and Stripes, January 2, 2015.

German Probe into NATO Hit List

German lawmakers called for an investigation into reports that German military and intelligence agencies contributed to a NATO list of Taliban targets in Afghanistan. It seems, according to NATO documents, Germany added names of insurgents to the alliance's Joint Prioritized Effects List or JPEL. Hmmmm. Seems to me that when using intelligence in a counterinsurgency you would want to identify insurgents and place them on a priority list so they can be detained, captured, or neutralized. One method is to use the F3EAD process to 'attack the network' and maintain a prioritized list for targeting. Guess I am missing something here! Read more in "German Opposition Urges Probe Into NATO 'Hit List'", The New York Times, December 30, 2014.

Taliban Delegation and China

China is emerging as a possible facilitator of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. According to reports a delegation of Taliban officials recently visited China to meet with Chinese officials. Read more in "Taliban delegation hold talks with Chinese officials on Afghanistan", Khaama Press, January 2, 2015.

SPECTRUM Management Program

In a sign that progress is being made in the development of the Afghan National Army (ANA) into a professional military the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense will take the lead on SPECTRUM - a critical Command and Control (C2) responsibility. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) recently signed states that Afghanistan communication units will lead the way in effectively targeting insurgents and ensures special operations will continue to be conducted with full respect for Afghan sovereignty, Afghan law, and the Afghan constitution. The MOU moves forward the process where the Afghan military will successfully command and control the development of the Ministerial Spectrum Management Office (MSMO) and the transfer of the spectrum management authority from ISAF to MSMO. SPECTRUM XXI is a client/server, Window-based software system that provides frequency managers with a single info system to address spectrum management automation requirements. Read the full story by Capt. Nicole White from Resolute Support HQs in "ANSF takes lead on SPECTRUM Management Program", RS News, December 29, 2014.

Afghan News Snippets (Jan 4, 2015)

Nolan Peterson writes why soldiers miss the war. (Blue Force Tracker, January 2015)

The Afghan public is frustrated with the delays in forming the government cabinet and in the continuing Taliban attacks. (The Washington Post, Jan 2, 2015).

A book review by Brock Dahl of Jack Fairweather's "The Good War" can be read here. (The Washington Free Beacon, January 3, 2015).

An editorial by The New York Times (Jan 3, 2015) says that President Ghani is over-reaching. They cite his insistence that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) relinquish responsibility for the management of the fund provided by western donors to operate and pay for the Ministry of Interior and the Afghan National Police. The Law and Order Trust Fund managed by the UNDP has been criticized by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) for miss-management and a lack of oversight. President Ghani appears to be over-confident about the Ministry of Interior's (MoI) ability to manage funds. The MoI is notoriously corrupt and President Ghani, despite being in office over three months, has failed to appoint his cabinet.

A book review of "The Dogs are Eating them Now" can be read on The LA Times (Jan 4, 2015). Graeme Smith's book, a Canadian, focuses on his observations in Kandahar based on over 17 stints between 2005 and 2011.

Afghan intelligence foiled a suicide attack by the Haqqani Network in Laghman province. The NDS says the would-be suicide bomber was to use a motorcycle packed with explosives. (Khaama Press, Jan 3, 2015).

It appears that Afghan National Army (ANA) members will be court-martialled over the wedding rocket attack in Helmand province. 17 people, mostly women and children, died in the attack and over 53 others were wounded. The numbers of killed and wounded are in dispute with conflicting reports. (Khaama Press, Jan 2, 2015).

Bulgaria. Over 8,000 Bulgarian soldiers served in NATO's Afghanistan mission. The first contingent arrived in 2002 and the last Bulgarian contingent left in December 2014. Currently only 110 Bulgarian military advisors and instructors remain in Afghanistan. (Sofia News Agency, Jan 3, 2015).

Max Boot comments on the recent ceremony held at ISAF headquarters celebrating the end of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. He feels, despite statements to the contrary by President Obama, that the Afghan War is in full swing. He cites Helmand province as an example - where not only combat troops have been pulled out but advisors as well. Read more in "Max Boot: Afghanistan is still at war", The Gulf Today (AE), January 3, 2015.

A retired Pakistan general offers his observations of the United States involvement in the Afghan War. Read "NATO Wraps Up its Flag from Afghanistan", Scoop Independent News (New Zealand), January 3, 2015.

Guest Contributors Needed

Daily News - Start off Day Right!

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Khowst and CIA - 5 Years Later

"Five years ago, on a cold, gloomy December afternoon in the mountainous region of Khowst Province in southeastern Afghanistan, an al-Qa'ida terrorist detonated a bomb strapped to his chest and killed seven CIA officers and injured six others; one of the deadliest attacks ever conducted against Agency personnel. The suicide bomber had been recruited as a CIA informant and taken to Afghanistan to infiltrate the upper ranks of al-Qa'ida. For months, he provided the Agency with independently verifiable intelligence on the terrorist network, and he promised to lead the CIA to the group's most senior members. Instead, the asset was an al-Qa'ida double agent"

Read the rest of this story published by the CIA in "Khowst - 5 Years Later", CIA News & Information, December 2014.

CIVCAS Afghan Wedding

News reports indicate that six members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) have been arrested in the wake of the civilian casualties from the recent attack on a wedding. The bride was wounded and is reported to have died of wounds in the hospital. The rocket exploded at a wedding in Sangin district, Helmand province on Wednesday, December 31, 2014. Many of the 17 victims were women and children. The incident took place while there was a government and insurgent fight in the area. Afghan officials have said that the ANA was responsible for the incident. Read more in a news story (Radio Free Europe, Jan 1, 2015).

Gen Raziq: Hero or Liability?

General Raziq, the Provincial Chief of Police (PCoP) of Kandahar province is also the "King of Kandahar". He is one of the most popular yet despised men in Afghanistan. Some say he rules Kandahar with an iron fist. He enjoys great support from the Americans (especially SOF). As much as he is good for the security of the province he also detracts from the pursuit of just governance. He is associated with the drug trade and controls the borders - extracting much of the customs revenue for his own purposes. It remains to be seen how President Ghani handles this warlord. Does he keep Kandahar secure by keeping Raziq on or does he push for a just and ethical provincial government risking the gains in security made thus far? Read more in "General Raziq Hero or President Ghani's liability", Khaama Press, January 1, 2015.

ISIS in Afghanistan? Not So Much

A recent news article explores how much influence the Islamic State (IS) has in Afghanistan. The conclusion is - a small amount of activity that does not (at least for now) amount to much. Read more in "The Islamic State in Afghanistan: The boogeyman under the bed", Global Post, by Jean MacKenzie and Aziz Ahmad Tassal, December 31, 2014.

Complexities of Afghan Endgame

A news article explains the complexities of the Afghanistan mission and ultimate endgame. During his 2012 re-election campaign President Obama pledged to end the Afghan War in 2014. Well, he is withdrawing troops and cutting back sharply on U.S. involvement - but the war certainly has not ended. 11,000 U.S. troops still remain in Afghanistan at the start of 2015. Many are engaged in advising and assisting the Afghan National Security Forces and the Afghan Security Institutions but some are still advising on the ground with Afghan units (SOJTF-A) and others are conducting limited counter-terrorism operations. Read more in "Impossible to gloss over the complexities of the Afghanistan endgame", AJC.com, January 1, 2015.

Mission Ends? Sacrifices Not Over

While the U.S. militarys' combat mission in Afghanistan has ended the sacrifices continue. Thousands of U.S. military personnel will continue to serve in Afghanistan, and despite the "non-combat" role, some of them will remain in the path of danger. Still more thousands are going to spend the next several years - and perhaps all of their life - recovering from broken families, divorces, mental health issues, and serious wounds and injuries. Read more in "Mission Ends in Afghanistan, but Sacrifices Are Not Over for U.S. Soldiers", The New York Times, by Dave Philipps, December 31, 2014.

Fight in Dangam District Ongoing

The weeks long fight in Dangam district, Kunar province is continuing. Dangam district is a forested valley located adjacent to the Pakistan border; easily crossed by the Taliban. A few weeks back in December 2014 some of the local villages staged an uprising against the Taliban. There have been a number of local uprisings against the Taliban across the country; but not coordinated, not enough, and most are - in the long-term - unsuccessful due to lack of Coalition and Afghan government support. In Dangam district the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) jumped into the fray. The Taliban are not yielding territory just yet but are taking some hits. Coalition aircraft have assisted in limited airstrikes to support the 201st ANA Corps. Read more in "Afghan mountain hamlet a proving ground for the army", The Washington Times, December 31, 2014.

ANA Officers Graduate

The Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) graduated 1,200 new Afghan National Army (ANA) officers on Tuesday at a ceremony attended by top Defense Ministry officials. Read more in "1,200 ANA Officers Graduate, Prepare for Deployment", Tolo News, December 30, 2014.

Daily News Snippets (Jan 3, 2015)

A news report by Tom Bowman summarizes the change in mission for the United States and the international community in Afghanistan. Tom says while the 'combat mission' is at a close with the end of Operation Enduring Freedom there will actually still be some fight left in the U.S. military. For one, the U.S. will continue to provide (admittedly on a very limited basis) some air support to avoid a catastrophic failure of the Afghan National Army . In addition, SOJTF-A will still have some combat advisors deployed with the nine Afghan Army Commando Kandaks and other specialized elite units. And, of course, there is the counter-terrorism mission against senior Taliban and al-Qaeda. However, the main mission focuses on the train and advise mission. Read more in "After Years of Conflict, U.S. Mission Shifts in Afghanistan", NPR Parallels, December 31, 2014.

The 608th Construction Management Team (CMT) has departed Afghanistan. Their primary mission was the conduct of retrograde operations all over Afghanistan. They assisted with the closing and transfer of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and managed descoping projects. Read more in "608th Construction Management Team retrograde Afghanistan", DVIDS, December 31, 2014.

The Russians, who had their own long war in Afghanistan, are being slightly critical of the United States role in Afghanistan. Read more in "Kremlin Says NATO 'Bears Responsibility' For Afghanistan Security", Radio Free Europe, December 31, 2014.

Haroun Mir, an Afghan analyst in Kabul and founder of Afghanistan's Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS) provides us with his viewpoint on Afghanistan's future. Read "Is Afghanistan ready for the drawdown?", Yahoo! News UK, January 1, 2015.

Afghan Cabinet. There is still no Afghanistan government cabinet selected. Afghans are getting frustrated and the government is hampered in its efforts to improve the economy and security situation. Read more in "Still No Cabinet in Kabul: Who Loses Most?", United States Institute of Peace, December 31, 2014.

Four Azizi Bank employees were among 4 killed in a Helmand province explosion on Friday, January 2, 2015. The banks branch manager was among those killed.

The U.S. Army is coming out with new Physical Fitness gear. The new outfit is all black with yellow lettering that says "ARMY". Very original. Also great wear for running down Gruber Avenue on Fort Bragg 6:00 am on a winter morning when it is still dark out. The new Army Physical Fitness Uniform or APFU drops reflective materials - which addresses stealth issues while working out in a war zone (I am serious!). Read more in "Costs for high-performance Army PT gear", Army Times, January 1, 2015.

The "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" - more commonly known as the Taliban - have released a video that showcases its operations and a training camp in the remote northeastern province of Kunar. Read more in "Taliban highlights training camp, operations in Kunar in video", The Long War Journal, January 2, 2015.

Do you want to know how the Department of Defense wasted the U.S. taxpayers dollars? Well, first off, there is the J-35. And there is more. Read "Here's How the Military Wasted Your Money in 2014", War is Boring, December 31, 2014.

A short (3 mins) video about the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) can be viewed here. (Facebook).

A political observer of Afghanistan, Tamim Asey, provides an insight into the future of Afghanistan and says that the country has three options to pick from to ensure a secure and economically prosperous future. Read "End of Longest American War and Uncertain Future of Afghanistan - OpEd", Eurasia Review, January 2, 2015.

Share Your Afghan Knowledge

Afghan War News and Coffee at 5:00 am

Friday, January 2, 2015

Police Advisors Pledge Support to MoI / ANP

An agreement was recently signed that coordinated the advisory efforts of several different international organizations that are training, advising, and assisting (TAA) the Afghan National Police (ANP) and the Ministry of Interior (MoI). Representatives from the European Union Police (EUPOL) Mission Afghanistan, the German Police Project Team (GPPT), and ISAF/RS signed a "Memorandum of Cooperation" on Monday, December 29th, 2014. The memorandum improves coordination and cooperation and transitions the TAA effort from a tactical focus to a more strategic level at the Ministry of Interior. The head of the International Police Coordination Board (IPCB) was also in attendance. It would seem that the 'memorandum' addresses what some might call an uncoordinated and disjointed police training effort in the past. So, the good news - the effort is now jointly coordinated. Hopefully it being coordinated by someone with some police experience and not an infantry or armor officer who read a book on police advising and who is on his first Afghan tour. And, the bad news - the memorandum seems to move the advising and training effort off the tactical level and up to the strategic level. So we are adopting a 'top down' approach to police training and advising - when the need is at all levels. Read more on this topic in "International police reps pledge support to Afghan National Police, Ministry of Interior", ISAF News, December 29, 2014.

To Apostrophe or Not - Freedom ( ' ) s Sentinel

There was some initial confusion on the way to refer to the new military campaign in Afghanistan. With the end of the ISAF mission - and President Obama saying that our war in Afghanistan had come to a 'responsible' end - we needed a name to replace "Operation Enduring Freedom". Just like we needed a new name in Iraq once we had won the war there - "Operation Iraqi Freedom" became "Operation New Dawn"; which, by the way - because the war wasn't really over in Iraq either, is now called "Operation Inherent Resolve".

So, back to the apostrophe . . . seems the Department of Defense has an apostrophe . . . and ISAF didn't. I was perplexed and didn't know how to type the phrase. So I went both ways; which in today's Army is now perfectly acceptable . . . I have been told - no first hand experience. But now, the word is out. Use the apostrophe. That makes it a real pain in the neck but I will struggle with it. It is now "Operation Freedom's Sentinel". And, just to clear away any confusion - "Operation Resolute Support" is the NATO term and "Operation Freedom's Sentinel" is the U.S. term.

Read more in "Amid Confusion, DoD Names New Mission 'Operation Freedom's Sentinel", Military.com, December 29, 2014.

President Obama and "End of Combat Mission"

President Obama marked the end of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan and the start of the Resolute Support Mission (RSM). Read "Statement by the President on the End of the Combat Mission in Afghanistan", The White House Briefing Room, December 28, 2014.

Poor Leadership = Poor Morale

An extensive article looks closely at the reasons for the poor state of morale in the military services. The author acknowledges that some benefits are being chipped away, the increases in pay are less than they should be (got to pay for that F-35 somehow), and deployments have been outrageous over the past decade. However, according to the author, ". . . the key factor is senior leadership that has not kept faith with its troops." There is a feeling that the admirals and generals are throwing the military under the bus to appease those in the administration and Congress. Read more in "The Real Reason For the Poor State of Military Morale", Task & Purpose, December 29, 2014.

Review of Books on War

Michiko Kakutani has penned an extensive article that reviews a host of books that have been published about the Iraq and Afghan Wars. Read "Human Costs of the Forever Wars, Enough to Fill a Bookshelf", The New York Times, December 25, 2014.

Troops in Afghanistan Beyond 2016?

Michael E. O'Hanlon predicts that President Obama will rethink his plan to have all operational U.S. combat forces out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016. Obama will recognize (hopefully) that although great progress has been made in Afghanistan - more needs to be done. The gains made thus far - at great cost - are fragile. Obama, irregardless of campaign promises, will not want to have his legacy ruined by loosing both Iraq and Afghanistan. Read more in "Prediction: Obama Will Decide to Keep U.S. Troops in Afghanistan beyond 2016", Brookings, December 22, 2014.

Afghan - Pak Deal on Taliban

It is common knowledge that Pakistan harbors, supports, and aids the insurgent groups that attack U.S., ISAF, and Afghan security forces in Afghanistan. Some speculate, and Pakistan accuses, that Afghanistan returns the favor. In effect, Pakistan's military and intelligence service supports the Afghan Taliban (so-called "good Taliban") while (supposedly) Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) provides support (or at least turns a blind eye) to the Pakistan Taliban (so-called "bad Taliban"). The terms "good" and "bad" are from the Pakistani perspective. There is hope that with a new Afghan President and new leader in Pakistan (and the end of the ISAF mission) that this situation will improve. Read more in "An opening in Afghanistan: Kabul's deal with Pakistan", New York Post, December 28, 2014.

Article - "Tragedy of American Military"

According to a recently published article ". . . the American public and its political leadership will do anything for the military except take it seriously. The result is a chickenhawk nation in which careless spending and strategic folly combine to lure America into endless wars it can't win." The writer, James Fallows, states that the American public knows little about the members of the military. According to Fallow - ". . . about 2.5 million Americans, roughly three-quarters of 1 percent, served in Iraq or Afghanistan at any point in the post-9/11 years, many of them more than once". The other 99 per cent might know someone who served in the military. In his article he examines what he calls the "chickenhawk war, chickenhawk politics, and chickenhawk economy". He discusses the role of Congress and the newly elected members who are veterans of the Iraq and Afghan Wars. While the author has some valid points there are some detractors out there criticizing his work. A long read but worth it if you have the time. Read "The Tragedy of the American Military", by James Fallows, The Atlantic, January 2015.

Restoring Historic Afghan Landmarks

Afghanistan has a rich history and this is reflected in some of the historic landmarks left behind by older civilizations. Unfortunately, many of these historic sites have been destroyed by the Taliban, are decaying, or are suffering from neglect. There are some organizations and individuals striving to reverse this trend. Read more in "Meet the Afghan Workers Restoring Historic Landmarks Destroyed by the Taliban", Vice News, December 28, 2014.

Podcast on Transitions in Afghanistan

Thomas Ruttig, a long-term observer of all things Afghanistan and co-founder of the Afghan Analysts Network (AAN), provides his comments on the 2014 elections, democracy, and governance in Afghanistan. Listen to the podcast here (AAN, Dec 26, 2014, 9 minutes).

Daily News Snippets - (Jan 2, 2015)

A suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden vehicle (some reports say 'truck' and others 'Toyota Corolla') into an ANA base in central Maiden Wardak province on Tuesday. (Tolo News, Dec 30, 2014). The bomber was killed and one Afghan soldier was injured (some reports say killed). The incident took place in the Sayed Aabad district.

Joshua Keating, a staff writer at Slate focusing on international affairs, asks "Is America's Longest War Really Over?", Slate, December 29, 2014. He seems to think that the conclusion of combat operations in Afghanistan felt awfully anticlimactic and less than definite.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) published a statement on their website saying the 'so-called governor' of Kapisa was killed with two of his aides. I would link to the statement on the MoI website but China has infected the Afghan government websites with malware and I don't know if the problem has been cleared up!

And about that malware attack by China . . . Khaama Press (an Afghan news outlet) has more on that story in "Cyber attack on Afghan Government Websites? Was it really an attack?" (Dec 30, 2014).

Anna Mulrine writes in The Christine Science Monitor about the ending of the ISAF combat mission and move to continue advisory and counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan. Read her story here (Dec 29, 2014).

John McCain says that Afghanistan is on the verge of becoming another Iraq. He says pulling troops out for political reasons is a mistake that could lead to instability and violence similar to what we now see in Iraq. (Defense News, Dec 30, 2014).

A blue-ribbon commission on military compensation and retirement is coming to the end of its two-year long study and will be releasing its proposals for change in early February. The Defense Department will review the proposed changes and then send its recommendations to President Obama. Those who currently serve in the military and those who have retired are holding their breath. There is concern that the retirement system could be changed (for the worse) and that Tricare could get folded into Obamacare or Medicare (oh, that would hurt). Then, of course, there are our admirals and generals who like big ships and expensive planes (can you spell J-35) and feel that lower pay and reduced benefits could help fund the big ticket items. It is hard to see how the enlisted man comes out ahead on the upcoming changes. Read more in "DoD braces for political battle over military pay", Military Times, December 30, 2014.

While President Obama has declared a "responsible end" to the Afghan War - others seem to think that the war is still on-going. Read "Afghan's War Remains Fierce After Coalition Ends Combat Mission", The Wall Street Journal, December 30, 2014.

It seems a lot of money was spent on women's programs in Afghanistan but that some of it may have been poorly spent resulting in less than anticipated gains. Read more in "U.S. failed to track spending on aid for Afghan women, auditor finds", Los Angeles Times, December 30, 2014.

A news article by Dan Murphy, a staff writer for The Christian Science Monitor, entitled "The Afghan war that didn't really end yesterday ended in defeat" (Dec 29, 2014). He states that none of the claimed long term objectives for the war in Afghanistan,either from the Bush or Obama administrations, have been achieved.

It appears that the Australians were present for the "Secret Ceremony" that marked the end of the ISAF mission and the beginning of the Resolute Support mission. There are still about 400 Australians in Afghanistan who haven't got the word that the war is over; several attended the ceremony. Read more in an Australian news report (Dec 30, 2014).

Guest Bloggers Wanted!

Start the New Year off with Afghan War Newsletter

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

ISAF Mission Complete

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

ANP doing ANA's Job

The outgoing head of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL) had some insightful comments about the current state of security in Afghanistan. Karl Ake Roghe (Sweden) has led the EUPOL mission for over 2 1/2 years. He stated that the main problem for Afghanistan is how the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is dividing the responsibilities for fighting the insurgency. He states that the police are bearing the brunt of the counterinsurgency fight; more so than the Afghan National Army. Afghanistan has 157,000 police that were created, trained and funded (partially) by the European Union. These police are under attack every day from the Taliban; especially in remote districts centers, outlying checkpoints, and in rural areas. The police receive little backup from the army and do not enjoy air support, medical evacuation, and hospitals. The emphasis given to police training is almost insignificant when compared to the money, training, and equipment provided to the Afghan National Army.

Of course, everyone familiar with counterinsurgency tactics, techniques, and procedures knows that the police are in the lead in a counterinsurgency effort (read FM 3-24 if you didn't and see note 1 below). Unfortunately, the Ministry of Interior was terribly corrupt and incompetent for many years (probably still is), and the Afghan National Police ill-trained, under-equipped, and also very corrupt. ISAF's efforts (as opposed to EUPOL) in improving the MoI and Afghan National Police (ANP) suffered from over emphasis on the Afghan National Army (ANA) and less than effective police training programs (see note 2 below). Read more in "Head of Afghan police training says high casualties are deadly cost of doing the army's job", Fox News, December 28, 2014.

Note 1: According to FM 3-24, para 6-90, page 6-19, (15 Dec 2006) "The primary frontline COIN force is often the police - not the military" . . . "Because of their frequent contact with populace, police often are the best force for countering small insurgent bands supported by the local populace." However, the police need the support of other government institutions (judicial, prosecutors, government officials, etc.) and the army. In Afghanistan, these institutions were poorly developed or corrupt.

Note 2: In the 2012-2013 period the United States deployed hundreds of Security Force Assistance Advisor Teams (SFAATs). Some of these teams were tasked with advising police district centers. The SFAATS advising the police were supposed to have a senior U.S. Army Military Police NCO on the adviser team - but rarely did this happen. In addition, the police advisor teams were supposed to be augmented with four Embedded Police Mentors (EMPs) - contract civilian policemen from the U.S. - but the contract for the EPMs was not amended in a timely manner to provide the required number of EPMs. The experience level of some EPMs left a lot to be desired. In addition, the SFAATs received very little training in police operations in a COIN environment and knew very little about the ANP prior to deploying to Afghanistan. In effect, the U.S. Army's attempt to professionalize the ANP was not at the level needed; the U.S. Army expended a lot of time, money, effort and personnel on the police training effort but not in a coherent and wise manner.