Afghan War Blog

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Guest Bloggers Welcome

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 And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.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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Friday, January 9, 2015

LTG Mulholland to CIA

Lieutenant General John F. Mulholland Jr. has been selected to be the new Associate Director for Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). LTG Mulholland has had a distinguished career in Special Forces. His unit, the 5th Special Forces Group, spear-headed the initial invasion of Afghanistan in the fall of 2001 weeks after the terrorist attack on 9/11. Over 300 of his SF operators along with 100 CIA operators linked up with the Northern Alliance and toppled the Taliban regime. Read more about his new job in a press release by the CIA dated January 7, 2015.

AAF Fly-Away Security Team Training

Eight Afghan Air Force security forces airmen graduated from the first Kabul Air Wing Fly-Away Security training course. The five-day training consisted of six Mi-17 helicopter insertions and extractions. The Mi-17 was operated by Afghan pilots. The training enables the security team to conduct both aerial and ground operations. The training was assisted by advisors from the 439th Air Expeditionary Advising Squadron. Read more in "Kabul Afghan Airmen complete FAST training", U.S. Air Force news release, January 7, 2015.

Video - 789th EOD to Deploy to Afghanistan

The 789th Explosive Ordinance Disposal Company from Fort Benning, GA will deploy to Afghanistan to advise and assist the Afghan EOD units, and also to provide support for US military Soldiers active in the region. A news video depicting their departure is posted on YouTube by the Ledger Enquirer. (2 mins long).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i07qVJKKx8

Sharing Intel and Maps with the ANSF

One of the biggest problems confronting Intelligence Advisors of Security Force Assistance Advisory Teams (SFAATs) working in Afghanistan was/is the sharing of intelligence and maps with their Afghan intelligence counterpart. Most Intel was/is classified and as such - cannot be turned over to the ANSF unless it is re-packaged by a Foreign Disclosure Officer (FDO). Using an FDO is a time-consuming event and there are only so many FDOs in theater. The same is true of maps. The maps used by the U.S. and in some cases the Coalition are marked with classifications and are not releasable (in most instances) to the ANSF. An awkward situation at best. Everyone knows that intelligence drives operations in a counterinsurgency effort. ISAF wanted the ANSF to take the lead in the fighting but we didn't want to or couldn't share intelligence or maps with the ANSF.

U.S. Army Special Forces are used to working with NATO and non-NATO partners around the world. To be effective the SF teams need to be able to share intelligence with their partnered units. One work around was to use mapping software (such as iSpatial by Thermopylae) that was commercially available. A retired SF officer, Stuart Bradin, was one person who encountered this problem and helped to find a work-around. Read more on this topic in "How US Special Forces Uses Google Maps", Defense One, January 7, 2015.

SIGAR Report on ANA Camp Commando

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has issued a report on construction projects undertaking to provide power and facilities to Camp Commando. This camp, located on the outskirts of Kabul, used to be called Camp Morehead when it was run by the U.S. Special Forces. (The camp was named after MSG Kevin Morehead). It seems that the generators do not function properly, fueling points are unused, and a dining facility is drastically overcrowded.

Read a news report entitled "Watchdog: Afghan commando camp plagued with electricity and refueling problems", The Washington Post, January 8, 2015. You can view the SIGAR report online at the link below. See ANA Camp Commando Phase II: Power Plant and Fuel Point Not Fully Operational Nearly Two Years after Project Completion, SIGAR 15-25 Inspection Report, January 2015. www.sigar.mil/pdf/inspections/SIGAR-15-25-IP.pdf

AAN: What comes in 2015 for Afghanistan?

An author, observer of Afghanistan, and co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) - Martine van Bijlert - provides us with a review of the past year (2014) in Afghanistan and a glimpse of the future. Read After the Rollercoaster Comes What? Afghanistan in 2015?, Afghanistan Analysts Network, January 7, 2015.

SACEUR Visits Afghanistan

General Phil Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, visited Kabul and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan on January 6-8, 2015 to speak with senior Afghan officials and troops to get a firsthand look at NATO's new Resolute Support mission. Breedlove met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah as well as NATO and Afghan National Security Force leaders. Read more in "SACEUR Visits Resolute Support", NATO Allied Command Operations, January 8, 2015.

North Waziristan: A Reading List

Alex Strick Van Linschoten has posted a reading list for North Waziristan. A very comprehensive listing of books, reports, news articles, and websites.

www.alexstrick.com/a-different-place/2014/12/north-waziristan-a-reading-list

Daily News Snippets (Jan 8, 2015)

Candace Karp and Michael O'Hanlon have penned an article about the future of Afghanistan. They believe that the mission is on the verge of being successful. But it could easily fail if the international community proceeds on its current plan of complete withdrawal by the end of 2016. Read their article entitled "Protecting the Gains in Afghanistan", The Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2015.

A story in a German newspaper examines the past year in Afghanistan and looks at what can be accomplished over the next two years in the newly started Resolute Support mission. Read "What can NATO's new Afghanistan mission achieve?", Deutsche Welle (DW), January 6, 2015.

The new Army Operating Concept (AOC) rolled out this year helps the Army to assess the current threat climate and then to help the Army plan for the future. The commanding general for Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), General David G. Perkins, has an article in Army AL&T Magazine (January-March 2015) explaining the AOC. Read "Win in a Complex World - But How?", pages 106 to 115.

http://usaascinfo.info/docs/armyalt-jan-mar-2015.pdf

Michael Kugelman writes for Foreign Policy that four big items will need to be addressed in Afghanistan in 2015. They are the Kabul Bank scandal, Uzbek militancy, abandoned U.S. military hardware, and unexploded devices. Read his article published on January 7, 2015.

Jim Fallows recently wrote a long article in The Atlantic about the U.S. military and it was well-received by some and raised eyebrows with others. Read one critique in "Not so Chickenhawk: Pushing Back Against Fallows", War on the Rocks, January 7, 2015.

A roadside bomb killed a Uruzgan policeman on January 8, 2015.

General Philip Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander - Europe, says that the U.S. must be prepared for more casualties in the new Resolute Support mission. (Stars and Stripes, Jan 8, 2015).

The government of Afghanistan has approved special military operations in and effort to tackle the terrorist activities of insurgents. The approval came during a meeting of the Afghan National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. (Khaama Press, Jan 8, 2015).

The Institute of Land Warfare has published an article entitled "Terrorists, Insurgents and the Lessons of History" by Richard Lee dated 22 Dec 2014. Available here.

An argument against a military draft of U.S. citizens is made by Harvey Sapolsky - a Professor of Public Policy and Administration at MIT. He says that our current military is better than a draft military. What the U.S. needs to do - he says - is to start paying a higher percentage of its GNP for the military. Read more in "The One Percent Problem", E-International Relations, January 5, 2015.

The 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron was inactivated on January 1, 2015 on Bagram Airfield. The men and women of the 455th EAPS were charged with the responsibility of coordinating the bi-directional movement of assets from the U.S. to Bagram and Bagram to nearby forward operating bases. It also, most recently, assisted in the huge retrograde operation over the past 18 months. Read more in a news release by the U.S. Air Force (Jan 7, 2015).

Soldiers of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's Battery B, 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery, 45th Field Artillery Brigade has returned home after duty in Afghanistan. Read more in a news release (Edmonsun.com, Jan 7, 2015).

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Thursday, January 8, 2015

ANP & AAF Conduct MEDEVAC Training

Rotary wing air evacuation training was recently conducted for members of the Afghan Border Police (ABP) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) in Nangarhar province. The one-day training event held in December 2014 covered aircraft familiarization, ambulance procedures around the aircraft, movement of patients and loading and unloading litters. The Afghan Air Force (AAF) had a Mi-17 on hand for the training. U.S. aviation and medical advisors were on hand to observe the training and provide insight with their training and experience. Read more in "Police Advisory Team, Afghan National Police, and Afghan Air Force complete air evacuation training", DVIDS, January 1, 2015. (Photo by Capt Matthew Kukta, 3d Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs Office).

4 Airmen Disciplined after Friendly Fire Incident

Four U.S. Air Force airmen were disciplined through administrative means for their role in a friendly fire incident last June in Afghanistan where five U.S. Army Soldiers and one Afghan Soldier died during a Special Forces operation in Zabul province. The incident took place on June 9, 2014 when a B-1B Lancer dropped two bombs on the Special Forces position. The aircrew incorrectly thought the bomber's Sniper pod could detect the infrared strobes carried by the Soldiers on the ground. This, as well as other miscues, caused the six deaths. Read more in "4 airmen disciplined after June friendly fire incident in Afghanistan", Air Force Times, January 7, 2015.

But wait . . . there is more. It seems that the "discipline through administrative means" is not quite as harsh as it seems. Another news report says that "Air Force clears crew in 'friendly fire' deaths", The Washington Times, January 7, 2015. According to the Air Force the mistakes by its B1-B air crew when they targeted the American Soldiers did not directly cause the Afghan Wars's worst case of 'friendly fire' casualties. A CENTCOM investigation conducted by a two-star Air Force general place the blame on the SF team. Meanwhile, the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Commander, LTG Charles Cleveland, has cleared the team leader and team sergeant of the SF team of wrongdoing - attributing the blame on the Air Force JTAC attached to the team and the B-1B air crew. Supporters of the A-10 point to this incident as an example of why the Air Force needs to keep the Warthog as the primary close air support aircraft.

Pakistan: Waiver or Certification?

In order for the United States to provide financial aid to Pakistan the State Department has to certify that Pakistan is doing what is mandated by US law. Certification means that Pakistan is combating terrorism and is going after the Haqqani Network, the Quetta Shura and other terrorist or insurgent groups found within its borders. If "certification" is not provided then the State Department can provide a "waiver". Either way, the U.S. provides the financial aid and Pakistan can continue to support the insurgent groups conducting operations against the Coalition (including U.S. troops) and the Afghan National Security Forces. Since 9/11 the U.S. has provided Pakistan with $28 billion. Read more in "Money for nothing & weapons for free", Economic Times (India), January 7, 2015.

Dismantling of Bagram Air Base

The retrograde of U.S. personnel, vehicles, and equipment has been ongoing for the last few years. Hundreds of small and large Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) have been closed or transferred to the Afghan security forces. Those remaining bases - Herat, Camp Marmal at Mezar-e-Sharif, Kandahar Air Base, and Bagram Air Field are collapsing their perimeters and demolishing living and work areas. Read about the transformation of Bagram Air Field in "What Afghanistan's Largest Military Base Looks Like Now", Business Insider,, January 6, 2015.

EUPOL and Rule of Law

EUPOL has posted an explanation of their Line of Operation 3 (LO3) for training up the Afghan National Police. LO3 is the Rule of Law Component and it is further sub-divided into the Police-Justice Linkages Unit and the Legal Reform Unit. Read more in "EUPOL's new Lines of Operation explained: Rule of Law", January 6, 2015.

Assessment of ANSF

Franz-Stefan Gady, an Associate Editor with The Diplomat, provides us with his assessment of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). For all their flaws, he believes there is reason to think Afghanistan's security forces can hold their ground. They will likely be successful in maintaining control of the major population areas and the major lines of communication. Some districts will remain in control of the Taliban. Some ANSF units will come to an accommodation with the insurgents. But the Taliban cannot take over the country. Read more in "Can the Afghan Army Prevail on the Battlefield?", The Diplomat, January 7, 2015.

Article - "Why Soldiers Miss War"

Participating in a war has a great effect on people and some have trouble recovering. Many suffer from varying degrees of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while others just miss the experience and adventure of the war. Some PTSD experts say many experience a combination of both. Some are able to leave it all behind. I don't know for sure as I am not an expert on the topic. Many Afghan veterans spent the war on large FOBs behind large concrete walls - seeing little combat; although some of these "fobbits" were on the receiving end of daily rocket attacks. FOB Shank in Logar province was referred to as "rocket city". Then there are the combat veterans who drove the IED-seeded roads or fought the many small combat engagements from isolated outposts scattered across the Afghan countryside. In the last few years the troops have been participating in advisory missions. One thing is for sure, over the course of the 13-year long war - everyone's experience is different and unique and yet there is a lot of commonality. In addition, upon returning to the states - there is a varied reaction to no longer being in the war. Some combat veterans certainly miss the war; others not so much.

One writer tries to capture this aspect of the Afghan War. He writes about rocket attacks on FOB Shank and then goes on to discuss PTSD. He explains to us that returning combat veterans see life a little bit different from the other 99% of the U.S. population who are not in the military. And he explains PTSD in a different manner than I have heard before; but with which I can certainly understand.

Read Nolan Peterson's piece entitled "Why soldiers miss war", posted on Blue Force Tracker, January 4, 2015.

www.blueforcetracker.com/article/Why-soldiers-miss-war

Paper - JIIM Approach to IW

An extensive paper has been posted on the Small Wars Journal entitled "Countering 21st Center Threats: The Need for an Increased Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental and Multinational (JIIM) Approach to Irregular Warfare." The three authors are a diverse group: a commander in the ROK Navy, a major in the Danish Army, and a major in the U.S. Army. It is a long paper full of information to include a bibliography as well as 53 footnotes. The paper makes several recommendations worth considering.

Read or download the paper off the SWJ website.

A-T Solutions Wins TREX RSM CJ7 Contract

A-T Solutions has won the NATO Resolute Support Mission contract to provide advisory and assistance services to support the Resolute Support Combined Joint Staff 7 - Training and Exercises section. This is more informally known as RSM CJ-7 TREX. The company will develop, design and present field training material and course to ISAF/RS advisors on advisory skills, cultural awareness, insider threat, security force assistance (SFA) and other subjects. Read more in a news release at Business Wire, January 7, 2015.

Afghan News Snippets (Jan 8, 2014)

The Wall Street Journal reports (Jan 6, 2015) that China is creating a new avenue for Afghan peace talks. The Chinese are hosting a delegation of Afghan Taliban officials.

The Afghan public is becoming increasingly frustrated with the delay in forming the Afghan cabinet. Read more in "Afghan Cabinet Delay Creates Pessimism", Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, January 7, 2015.

A news story about the Train, Advise, and Assist (TAA) effort at Tactical Base Gamberi is provided by Kay Johnson in "Smaller NATO mission has big job to train Afghan army in time", Reuters, January 7, 2015.

A bombing in the city of Jalalabad, Nangarhar province killed a judge who served in the neighboring province of Laghman. The bomb was attached to the judge's car by a passing vehicle (magnetic?). (Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, Jan 7, 2015).

A commentator writes about the newly released movie "American Sniper" - about the Navy SEAL Chris Kyle - and the disconnect that America has with the people who fight in the nation's wars. Read more in "If Only America Cared About Actual Wars as Much as War Movies", Defense One, January 6, 2015.

Jim Michaels, a writer, has penned an article that tells us Afghan women's gains are in jeopardy as U.S. troops leave. (USA Today, Jan 6, 2015).

Six employees of a construction firm were shot dead in northern Baghlan province on Wednesday morning. (Afghanistan Times, Jan 7, 2015).

The house of the District Governor (DGov) of Sayed Abad district in Maidan Wardak province was set on fire by the Taliban on Tuesday, Jan 7th.

Two police officers were wounded in a Taliban suicide attack on a police training center in the eastern Afghan city of Khowst on January 7th. (Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, Jan 7, 2015).

Marines from Camp Lejeune are preparing for their deployment to Afghanistan. The 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company received word of their deployment and have been conducting pre-deployment training. (Marine Corps Times, Jan 6, 2015).

A funny YouTube spoof entitled "Civilians Try Military Food". Video depicts civilians trying MREs. Funny entertainment if you need some time away from work. The civilians express their appreciation for what deployed military members must endure. (3 mins).

An asylum decision has been delayed for an Afghan military officer who skipped his training on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and tried to cross the border to Canada. (Military.com, Jan 6, 2015).

Are "functional physical fitness tests" in the future for the U.S. Army? Could happen. Read more in "Army Looking at New MOS-Specific PT Tests", Military.com, Jan 6, 2015.

EUPOL is beginning its next chapter in supporting the Afghan police by working at the strategic level. The EU mission mandate has been extended until the end of 2016. The new acting head of mission, Pia Stjernvall, provides us with her outlook on the EUPOL mission and its next chapter in Afghanistan in the years 2015-2016. (EUPOL, Jan 7, 2015).

Tolo News (AF) has wrote that the ANA are mounting a massive operation in Sangin district in southern Helmand province. (Jan 7, 2015).

A news report in a British media outlet provides info on the signal intelligence that the British GCHQ provided to its troops during the deployment to Helmand province. The GCHQ was credited with spoiling an attack on Camp Bastion. The GCHQ worked in 10 different secret listening posts in the province during the British deployment timeframe. (Gloucestershire Echo, January 6, 2015).

There has been a boom in counterfeit medicine in Afghanistan. The corruption and lack of border controls has opened the country up to a flood of substandard drugs that put poor, sick Afghans at risk. (The Guardian, January 7, 2015.)

A retired war veteran writes his thoughts about the end of the Afghan War in "The End of America's War in Afghanistan", U.S. Naval Institute, January 6, 2015.

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Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Contract Airlift for Afghanistan

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded contracts for about $40 million for the continuing of contract rotary-wing support in Afghanistan. Two firms - Columbia Helicopters and AAR Airlift Group have been awarded the contracts. They will move passengers and cargo until the end of April 2015. Read more in "US renews contractor airlift support in Afghanistan to end of April 2015", IHS Jane's 360, January 1, 2015.

USFOR-A Graphic Shows Transition and Drawdown

A USFOR-A graphic published in early January 2015 depicts how much personnel, vehicles and cargo containers have been moved out of Afghanistan during 2014. In addition, it depicts bases closed, meals served, and fuel consumed. Read the article and view the graphic at "2014 was a year of transition, drawdown for USFOR-A", NATO RS News, January 6, 2014.

Paper - Four Views of the Long War

Joseph J. Collins, a retired Army Colonel, former Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense, and now employed at the National Defense University (NDU) provides us with a paper that takes a look at four new books about the "Long War" and its lessons for the future. He discusses Robert Gate's memoir, Duty; a recent RAND study by Linda Robinson et al, Improving Strategic Competence: Lessons from 13 Years of War; LTG Daniel Bolger's book, Why We Lost: A General's Inside Account of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars; and John Nagl, Knife Fights: a Memoir of Modern War in Theory and Practice. His paper is informative and spot on. Read "The Long War: Four Views", Small Wars Journal, January 5, 2015.

Bergen: Stay in Afghanistan

Peter Bergen, a CNN National Security Analyst, has penned an opinion piece entitled "Why U.S. needs to stay in Afghanistan", CNN, January 5, 2015. He states that President Obama's policy of withdrawing by the end of 2016 may make good politics in the short-term but if Afghanistan slips backward (as did Iraq) then it could hurt the Democratic party over the long-term. He believes a small advisory contingent - heavy with Special Forces is needed to ensure Afghanistan continues to make progress.

Paper - Taliban Movement

A new paper by Michael Semple on the Taliban has been published. Semple is a peace practitioner and scholar who focuses on Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is currently a visiting professor at the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen's University Belfast. He previously worked as a political officer for the UN mission and the European Union for Afghanistan. In addition, he was a fellow at Harvard with the Kennedy School's Carr Center for Human Rights Policy.

His report offers insights into the Taliban movement's doctrine, organization, and rhetoric and is intended to inform efforts to end the Taliban violence. This report examines the evolution of the Taliban case for armed struggle and the adjustments the Taliban rhetoricians made to cope with the impending political change in Afghanistan in 2014. It considers how the Taliban might make a case for peace, should they take the political decision to engage in negotiations.

Read "Rhetoric, Ideology, and Organizational Structure of the Taliban Movement", United States Institute of Peace (USIP), January 5, 2015.

M-4 Carbine is Staying

A few weeks back retired General John Scales wrote an article in the January issue of The Atlantic on why the M-4 is a bad rifle for the U.S. infantryman. Kyle Mizokami examines the valid points of Scales but ponders other attributes of the M4 that make him say the M-4 isn't going anywhere soon. Read "The M-4 Carbine is Here to Stay", War is Boring, January 5, 2015.

Moderation Through Sufism

Jan Agha Iqbal, a former diplomat, writes about the role of moderate Islam through Sufism could provide stability in Afghanistan. He believes that Sufism is misunderstood by the western world. Read more in "In Search of Stability in Afghanistan: Discovering Moderation Through Sufism: OPED", Eurasia Review, January 5, 2015.

Taliban in China for Peace Talks

A Taliban delegation visited Beijing recently for peace talks with Chinese officials. The delegation was led by Qari Din Mohammad - a member of the Taliban political office in Doha. Read more in "Taliban Delegation Holds Talks in China", Radio Free Europe, January 4, 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.

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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).