Afghan War Blog

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Daily News Snippets (Jan 7, 2015)

The inability of the Afghan government to appoint a cabinet has been the topic of online humor. Read more in "Taliban 'joke' joins online mockery over delayed Afghan cabinet", Reuters, January 6, 2015.

A compelling story of an Afghan, age 66, who transports the dead of both sides (Taliban and government) to their homes. Read "Ferrying the Dead of Both Sides in a Cruel Afghan War", The New York Times, January 6, 2015.

Critics point to the Guantanamo detention center as a recruitment tool for al- Qaeda and the Taliban. It appears that an increased number of transfers is taking place that may allow the closing of the detention facility at some point in the future. Read more in "The Path to Closing Guantanamo", The New York Times, January 5, 2015.

The newly appointed Ambassador to Afghanistan - P. Michael McKinley - presented his diplomatic credentials to President Ghani at a ceremony on Tuesday in Kabul.

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 And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.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

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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Lara Logan Interviews COMISAF

Lara Logan interviews General John Campbell and President Ghani for a "60 Minutes" segment. The interview (about 14 mins long) is entitled "Ending America's Longest War". During the interview several topics are presented and discussed: retrograde operations, the lights of Kabul at night, the ability of the ANSF to fight alone, the ANSF special operations forces, funding of the ANSF post-2014, operating on President Obama's timeline, frustration with Pakistan, worries about ISIS, concern about an Iraq situation in Afghanistan post-2014, President Ghani's outlook on Afghanistan, Ghani's expression of a flexible timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops, and the topic of sanctuaries in Pakistan for the Taliban comes up as well.

www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-war-60-minutes-lara-logan/

U.S. Drone Fleet Almost Broke

According to senior military leaders the U.S. drone fleet is at the breaking point. Too many missions and too few drone pilots are threatening the readiness and combat capability of the United States unmanned Air Force. There are enough Predators and Reaper drones just not enough manpower. Those drone operators who are fully trained are over-worked with many leaving the service because their service careers have been damaged due to lack of professional schools, cancelled leaves, and unsatisfactory work conditions. In addition, the drones require maintenance workers to keep the UAVs flying and intelligence analysts to collect the information, analyze it, and disseminate the resulting intelligence in reports. Read more in "Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at 'Breaking Point', Air Force Says", The Daily Beast, January 4, 2015.

Video - COMISAF Interview

General John Campbell, ISAF Commander, was interviewed by ABC News. He addressed the purpose of the mission under Resolute Support - which is Train, Advise, and Assist (TAA) at the Corps and ministry level. In addition, special operators, in a TAA will accompany their Afghan counterparts at the lower unit level. He addressed whether the war was worth fighting - saying he was in the camp that says the war was worth it; dismissing a recent poll that reflected a contrary view by the U.S. public. He also answered questions on the high profile attacks in Kabul that have increased lately. No big news here - good to hear the General is staying on message!

http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/full-interview-gen-john-campbell-27990189

Corruption - Drug Kingpin Goes Free

Afghanistan's judicial system is a farce. We are once again confronted with another example of how corrupt the Afghan police and judicial system is with the news that a leading opium trafficker has been released from prison. Haji Lal Jan Ishaqzai has been on the U.S. kingpin list but is now free - having been released. He has fled to Pakistan. His high-profile prosecution by Afghan authorities had been trumpeted by ISAF as proof that the Afghan judicial system was working. Not so much. Mr. Ishaqzai bribed his way out of prison - paying off a cross-section of people in the criminal justice system with millions of dollars. Read more in "Bribery Frees a Drug Kingpin in Afghanistan, Where Cash Often Overrules Justice", The New York Times, December 31, 2014.

Eikenberry: "The Great Draft Dodge"

Karl Eikenberry, a retired 3-star general and former ambassador to Afghanistan, is interviewed about the military-civilian compact, the elimination of the draft for military service in the early 1970s, and Afghanistan (where he served two tours with the military). Read "The Great Draft Dodge", National Journal, December 12, 2014.

C-17 Flying Hospital

A news article describes the C-17 Globemastter III that is a 'flying hospital'. It is used for MEDEVACs from the war zone to a hospital for patients requiring advanced care. In the case of Afghanistan, the C-17 would transport the patient(s) from Bagram or Kandahar to Landstuhl, Germany. Read more in "The Flying Hospital That Rushes Wounded Soldiers to Safety", Danger Room by Wired.com, January 5, 2015.

Ghani Suggest Troop Timetable Change

President Ghani of Afghanistan believes the end of 2016 may be too soon for the complete withdrawal of international troops. 2014 was the deadliest year for the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and some critics are voicing concern about the ANSF ability to go it alone once the international forces depart. Read more in "Afghanistan president suggests US 'reexamine' troop withdrawal timetable", Fox Politics, January 5, 2015.

And . . . drum roll . . . after hearing about Ghani's thoughts on a re-examination of the troop withdrawal timeline the White House issued a statement saying that President Obama has been "really clear" about the U.S. strategy. Read more in "White House: Obama 'clear' about Afghanistan withdrawal", The Hill, January 5, 2015.

Pakistani Balochs in Afghanistan

Some Balochs from Pakistan are seeking refuge in Afghanistan. There is a small insurgency in the Balochistan province of Pakistan that has been simmering for years. The Balochs are mostly nomads and are spread out among three countries - Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. The terrain and geography makes it a desolate place providing little economic opportunity. Most make their living from migratory animal husbandry and some smuggling. The Balochs have been at odds with the central Pakistani government since Pakistan gained its independence. There have been a number of attempts at independence and several insurgent movements. Many Balochs flee to Pakistan to avoid persecution by Pakistani security forces. Most Pakistani Balochs move to Nimroz province, Afghanistan where the majority of the population is also Baloch. Read more in "Pakistani Balochs seeking shelter in Afghanistan - analysis", Eurasia Review, January 4, 2015.

French Hold Ceremony for End of Msn

A ceremony was held in Kabul by French troops to mark the end of their deployment and the end of the NATO ISAF mission. Part of the French contingent ran the military side of Kabul International Airport. This function was turned over to the Turks. France withdrew most of its combat troops from Afghanistan over two years ago. The country had lost 89 soldiers and saw 700 wounded since 2001. Read more in "French ceremony as new NATO Afghan mission takes over", Daily Mail, December 31, 3014.

News - Brain Injuries

A "SEAL Breacher Study" will explore the way that Navy SEAL brains are affected by repeated blasts. Two researchers will conduct the study. A 'breacher' is someone who uses explosives to blow open a door. The researchers will use specific brain-scanning equipment and will study 10 former Navy SEALs who recently left the service. Read more in "Are Navy SEALs affected by repeated blasts", U-T San Diego, December 10, 2014.

Pub - "Tip of the Spear"

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has published its "Tip of the Spear 2014 in Photos" issue. You can view online or download off DVIDS at the link below:

www.dvidshub.net/publication/issues/24177

Daily News Snippets (Jan 6, 2015)

Afghan news outlets report that a EUPOL vehicle was attacked by a suicide bomber on Monday afternoon in east Kabul in PD9 on Pul-e-Charkhi road. Kabul police confirm that 1 civilian is killed and 5 other wounded. Estimates of damage and casualties differ.

A news report examines the implications of drawing down troops to an "unsafe level". Read more in "Taliban sees opportunity to gain ground in Afghanistan", Fox News, January 5, 2015.

On Monday an explosion occurred that killed two civilians and and injured eleven in Zabul province. The explosives were placed on the vehicle of an Afghan security officer - he escaped unharmed.

A reporter visits Tactical Base Gamberi in Laghman province and explores what our troops are doing there. Read "Smaller NATO mission has big job to train Afghan army in time", Reuters, by Kay Johnson, January 5, 2015.

The Afghan government is in the process of conducting a census of the Afghan population. One of the difficulties is that many Afghans have only one name. This is especially true in the more rural areas. Read more in "The Politics of Last Names", The Atlantic, January 5, 2015.

Australia remains committed to the mission in Afghanistan. They will continue to deploy troops for the new training and mentoring mission in Afghanistan. (Daily Mail, Dec 30, 2014).

The Nebraska Air National Guard's 155th Air Refueling Wing is sending about 50 airmen to participate in Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East. The airmen come from the Security Forces Squadron, Force Support Squadron, and Civil Engineer Squadron. Their deployment will last six months. (Omaha.com, Dec 30, 2014).

Afghan health care is at risk with the decrease coming in international aid. While great strides have been made in the health care sector much work still needs to be done. Critics say that the advances in health care have been exaggerated by some organizations (can you spell USAID?). Read more in "Afghan health care at risk as international aid is scaled back", Stars and Stripes, January 5, 2015.

According to news reports the new F-35 fighter will not be able to fire its 25mm cannon until 2019 - over four years from now. Yet the U.S. Air Force wants to retire the A-10 next year. Hmmmm. Read "New U.S. Stealth Jet Can't Fire Its Gun Until 2019", The Daily Beast, December 31, 2014.

The Afghan Army Chief of Staff, General Sher Mohammad Karimi, recently visited the 203rd ANA Corps headquartered in Paktia province on Monday. The 203rd ANA Corps is responsible for the security in seven southeastern provinces of Afghanistan. Read more about his visit and his comments to the troops in "Gen. Karimi Rallies Troops Ahead of Looming Push Against Insurgents", Tolo News, January 5, 2015.

James Stavridis, a retired 4-star Navy admiral and Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University , has penned an article about Afghanistan. He sounds optimistic about the ability of the Afghan security forces (with a little help from the Coalition) to "contain the Taliban insurgency". He sees the war lasting for a while. He says that the key to attaining a successful outcome will depend on three things. Read more in "All Is Not Lost in Afghanistan", Foreign Policy, January 5, 2015.

The 215th ANA Corps commander has been replaced by BG Dadan Lawang, a former commander of the 4th Brigade of the ANA 201st Corps in eastern Afghanistan. Lawang also headed the ANA Special Operations Command (ANASOC) for a few years. (Marine Corps Times, January 4, 2015).

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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.

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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.

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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.