DoDIG Report on ANP Log / Maintenance

The Department of Defense Inspector General's office has published a 100-page report entitled Assessment of U.S. and Coalition Efforts to Develop the Logistics and Maintenance Sustainment Capability of the Afghan National Police. The report, DoDIG-2015-067 dated January 30, 2015, contains 11 observations and 29 recommendations.

Observations:
Core deficiencies n the ANP logistics system
Afghan budget laws
MoI logistics policy
ANP requirements generation
ANP logistics asset availability
Sustainment of ANP facilities
ANP fleet management
Regional Logistics Centers (RLCs)
ANP transition to organic maintenance
ANP attendance at the ANA CSS School
Advisor resources

There were key logistics issues found in three areas - resources, policy implementation and enforcement, and emerging logistics processes. One observation is that there are insufficient numbers of skilled, experienced candidates available to Coalition forces to serve as ANP logistics advisors. One recommendation is that incoming advisors meet rank, skill-level, and experience requirements (good luck with that one - see info on historic problems with advisor selection). The report contains recommendations to the leads for EF 1, EF 4, and EF 5. The EFs - or Essential Functions - are the way Resolute Support HQs has organized its advisory effort. the DoDIG report can be found at the link below.

www.dodig.mil/PUBS/report_summary.cfm?id=6230

U.S. Spec Ops Needs 5,000 Troops

A recent news article says that the United States special operations forces needs another 5,000 troops. There is a need for 3,000 Special Forces candidates this year alone. In addition, candidates are needed for Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs. There is a great need for both enlisted and officers. With the downsizing of the U.S. Army there is more reliance on special operations forces. There are some benefits in going Special Forces. Promotion rates are higher. Specialists and corporals who successfully complete the Special Forces Qualification Course will be automatically promoted to sergeant - based on the 1 1/2 year long course and leadership skills learned during the course. Soldiers must pass through the Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) course prior to entering the Special Force Qualification Course (SFQC). Read more in "Spec ops needs 5,000 soldiers", Army Times, February 23, 2015.

CIVCAS - Afghanistan in Free Fall

An observer of the Afghan conflict writes about the increase in violence in Afghanistan - pointing to the departure of international combat troops as a contributing cause. Read more in "Blood and horror surge in our absence in Afghanistan", The Star World, February 19, 2015.

Corruption and Losing Wars

Arnold R. Isaacs writes about the devastation that corruption causes to a counterinsurgency operation. He writes on the corruption he witnessed during his three year work period in the last years of the Vietnam War. He comments further expressing concern that counterinsurgency efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan are hampered by rampart government corruption - eroding support for the host nation government and providing support to insurgents. Read "Can Corruption Lose Wars?", Cicero Magazine, February 19, 2015.

Map of Islamic State Presence in Afghanistan

There is a lot of apprehension about whether the Islamic State (IS) will be able to establish a significant presence in Afghanistan. While initial reports by Resolute Support HQs indicate that IS is not yet a significant problem other observers seem more concerned. The Long War Journal has published a news article on IS in Afghanistan with an accompanying map. Interesting reading. See "Mapping the emergence of the Islamic State in Afghanistan", March 5, 2015.

Pessimism vs. Optimism

SIGAR (pessimism) and RS HQs (optimism). If ever there was a difference in reporting on the situation in Afghanistan it is found in the differing accounts of how things are going in Afghanistan according to SIGAR and RS HQs. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has consistently pounded ISAF and now RS HQs on the reconstruction effort while Resolute Support HQs (formerly ISAF) has always seemed to paint a 'sunny' picture. Having spent part or most of 2010-2014 in Afghanistan in both Kabul (ISAF HQs) and on the ground at COP and FOB level with tactical units I can say that my perspective is somewhere in between the two outlooks provided by SIGAR and RS HQs. The staff at RS HQs, in many cases, are clearly out of touch with what is happening within the ANSF below corps level (ANA) and regional level (ANP); while SIGARs reports are sometimes a little off the mark. Read more in "IG hints at command cover up of shrinking forces", Washington Times,  March 3, 2015 and "Campbell-Sopko feud on public Afghan audits spills to hearing", The Washington Times, March 4, 2015.

History - '3 Hut Uprising' of 1980

Thomas Ruttig of the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) has provided us with a synopsis of the '3 Hut Uprising' that took place in Kabul in early 1980. An uprising that protested the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Read Six Days that shook Kabul: The '3 Hut uprising', first urban protest against the Soviet occupation dated 22 Feb 2015.

Daily News Snippets Afghanistan

Foreign Policy - The Cable Blog - reports on the recent disclosure by Resolute Support headquarters about the personnel strength of the Afghan army. The information was classified last fall (it previously had been unclassified) but due to public pressure RS HQs has declassified the data. And . . . it isn't good news. It is very clear that the Afghan army is much weaker than we had been led to believe. It seems there were some 'accounting errors' in how ISAF maintained the strength numbers as well  - contributing to the gloomy news. The number of troops in the ANA has declined by over 15,000 (the figures differ depending on how you interpret the data) or by 8.5 percent since February of last year. Read more in "Watchdog: Afghan Army Far Weaker Than Initially Believed", March 3, 2015.

Retrograde has been one of the prime missions of U.S. forces in Afghanistan since 2012. Getting troops and equipment out of Afghanistan has been a huge undertaking. One of the organizations providing this retrograde support has been the CENTCOM Material Recovery Element or CMRE. Read more about the CMRE in "Responsible retrograde in Afghanistan", Army.mil, March 4, 2015.
www.army.mil/article/143259

Troops from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment have returned to Fort Hood after a deployment to Afghanistan. They were away on an eight month long tour. Read more in "Brave Rifles return to Fort Hood", DVIDS, March 4, 2015.

There is a lot of pressure on the Afghan government to ensure that women are present at the negotiating table for any peace talks with the Taliban. Concerned observers and activists want to ensure that Afghan women are not sold out to the Taliban. Read more in "A Step Forward for Afghan Women", Foreign Policy,  March 3, 2015.

Catherine Powell, writing for the Development Channel Blog of the Council of Foreign Relations has penned an article entitled "Female Police Face Danger in Afghanistan" (March 4, 2015).

Nasir A. Andisha, a visiting fellow at the School of International, Political & Strategic Studies at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra and also a senior career Afghan diplomat, has provided us his thoughts on Afghanistan's neutrality as an initial step toward diplomatic solutions for conflict in Afghanistan. Read "Neutrality in Afghanistan's Foreign Policy", posted on the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), March 4, 2015.

 A recent study on humanitarian aid has yielded some surprising results and it makes for some uncomfortable reading for aid agencies. It appears that recipients of the aid find "Aid agencies are partial, unaccountable and potentially corrupt, and they fail to meet refugees' most pressing needs". Read more in "What refugees really think of aid agencies", IRIN Humanitarian News and Analysis, March 5, 2015.

China is slowing and 'silently' making inroads into Afghansitan - filling the gap left behind by the international community. The author explores the change in China's policy towards Afghanistan, the ramifications of the "Trilateral Strategic Dialogue" between China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and the challenges these developments present to India.  Read more in "China Silently Making Its Way to Afghanistan - Analysis", by Anuradha Rai in Eurasia Review, March 5, 2015.

A female Afghan pilot of the Afghan Air Force (AAF) has been selected for a International Women of Courage Award 2015. Eight women from around the world were selected for this award in 2015. The U.S. First Lady, Michelle Obama, will present the award. Read more in Khaama Press, March 5, 2015. www.state.gov/s/gwi/programs/iwoc/2015/bio/index.htm

Seven Afghan policemen were poisoned at their post and shot dead in the Greskh district of Helmand province on March 4, 2015.

A regional conference called "Issues of Peace and Stability in Central Asia and Afghanistan" was recently held in early March 2015 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The two-day event was attended by diplomats and ambassadors from around the region along with representatives from the UN, OSCE, EU, and others. (Silk Road Reporters, March 4, 2015).

Kabul is experiencing some electrical power shortages due to an avalanche in late February that damaged three transmission towers and a short distance of 220 kilo-Volt transmission lines. See a Facebook posting by USAID on this topic and how a USAID-funded Diesel Power Plant is helping to supply some backup electricity. (USAID, March 5, 2015).

A report published by the Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs of Princeton University entitled Lessons for US Doctrine: Challenges in Stabilization Operations, February 2015 provides us with an understanding of the experiences of the experiences of government and non-government organizations in stabilization operations in Afghanistan as well as other parts of the world.

Former leaders of the Afghan mujahideen that participated in the jihad against the Soviet Union and later the communist regime of Afghanistan are flexing their muscles. Some feel excluded from the political process (Ismail Khan, Abdul Rab Rasul Sayef, etc.). Others, however, are now part of the political process (Dostum, Abdullah, etc.). Some observers feel that the continuing role of mujahideen leaders in Afghan politics puts the country's future at risk. Read more in "Afghanistan's Mujahideen and a Fragile Peace", by Ali Reza Sarwar - The Diplomat, March 4, 2015.

The Kabul Medical University and USAID announced a new engineering degree program that is designed to train technicians on how to repair critical medical equipment. Read a press release by USAID dated March 5, 2015.

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) in Tampa, Florida has awarded a $405 million contract for " . . . theoretical analyses, exploratory studies, and/or experiments in various fields of science and technology . . .".  I wonder if they need a blogger? This will be my last blog post of the day as I am editing my resume . . .  to send to the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory!
www.defense.gov/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=5490

Sharpen Your Writing Skills

The Afghan War News Blog and the Afghan War News website are constantly striving to keep its blog, daily newsletter, and website factual, current, and relevant. If you have a link to a website or document you feel should be shared with the greater community then please send it to us. In addition, we are looking for individuals with some knowledge, experience, and expertise in Afghanistan on a wide range of topics to contribute blog posts and articles to our blog and add content to our website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Coffee and News in AM

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.

Afghan MoD Rejects SIGAR Report

A recent report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has revealed some alarming statistics about the Afghan National Army (ANA). In January 2015 SIGAR released its quarterly report to Congress on the reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. SIGAR relies on ISAF (now called Resolute Support) to provide statistics on the ANSF. Last fall ISAF provided some ANSF information but - for the first time in years - some important data was classified. The news media and Congress questioned this new practice of classifying information that in years prior was released to the public. Resolute Support HQs reversed itself and released the data in early 2015. SIGAR has now issued a supplement to the January 2015 report to Congress which includes the updated, once classified figures.

The statistics provided in the updated SIGAR supplemental report are troublesome. ANA desertions, casualties, and discharges among its personnel is at an all-time high - and the ANA personnel strength is down almost 20,000. The ANA strength is now at 2011 levels (4 years ago). This is an alarming statistic. Couple this report about the ANA with a recent report about the personnel strength of the Afghan National Police (ANP) and its numerous "ghost policemen" and there would seem to be a big problem in the ANSF - one that Resolute Support Headquarters must be aware of but does not seem to be raising alarms about - at least publicly.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD) issued a statement on March 4, 2015 rejecting the SIGAR report that indicated ANA soldiers were deserting en mass. But it did acknowledge a significant decline in its ranks. MoD claims it is exploring solutions to fix the problem. It should start with a review of its leadership and reduce corruption.

Leadership. The ANA has at all levels too many commanders who are ill-suited to be in leadership positions. Many do not take proper care of the soldiers in their units. Food is marginal, living conditions inadequate, medical care sometimes slow or non-existent, pay is erratic, and leave policies not followed. If ANA soldiers were treated better by their commanders then many would opt to stay in beyond their contracts and some less would be likely to desert.

Corruption. This remains one of the biggest problems in the ANA. Pay is taken from soldiers, food and fuel diverted to markets and the profits go to commander's pockets, and equipment meant for the ANA (vehicle repair parts) find their way into the bazaars. If corruption within the army was reduced more soldiers may be tempted to remain in the service of their country.

Correction: Inaccurate Number Cited

In yesterdays newsletter I inaccurately reported that the ANA personnel numbers had fallen to the lowest since "2001". I should have said "2011". Sorry for the mistake. The corrected blog post is at the link below:

http://afghanwarnews.blogspot.com/2015/03/ansf-suffer-heavy-losses-in-2014.html

ANP in Baraki Barak District - Logar Province

A very interesting and revealing news article about the Afghan National Police (ANP) in Baraki Barak district, Logar province. The author is Azam Ahmed, the Kabul bureau chief for The New York Times. He spent some time in the district hosted by the District Chief of Police (DCoP). This district is one where the Taliban control over 50% of the terrain depending on the time of day. At one time, as late as 2012, there was a U.S. infantry company, U.S. Special Forces detachment, many enablers (Intel, interpreters, LEPs, SFAAT, etc.), an ANA company, an ANASF detachment, the district police and an Afghan Local Police unit. Since that time the SF dudes, U.S. infantry company, SFAAT, enablers, and ANA company have departed. The Afghan police are on their own. As many observers of insurgencies realize the police are in the forefront in a counterinsurgency effort. This article provides us a glimpse of how the counterinsurgency fight in Afghanistan is going.

The " . . . war, by most accounts, has been lost. the nation is not pacified, the political future remains deeply uncertain and the death toll has never been higher. For the central government in Kabul, the real fight is to persuade the population, not to kill insurgents. And the police, local and national, are the only ones who can win it."

Read the article in "The Hardest Job in Afghanistan", The New York Times Magazine, March 4, 2015.

SIGAR Prompts Contract Review by Ghani

It appears that President Ghani is following through on some of his campaign promises. He stressed that the massive corruption within the Afghan government and Afghan National Security Forces has to be addressed. Officials from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) recently met with President Ghani to discuss concerns about reports of corruption. Twelve logistics contracts - from uniforms, rice, fuel, and more are being scrutinized in an inquiry. Read more in "Afghan leader orders graft review for all army supply contracts", Reuters, March 4, 2015.

Afghanistan NGO Security Incidents - 2014

The International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) provides analysis & advise for humanitarians. The organization is dedicated to supporting the safety of humanitarian aid workers who often risk their lives in the service of the world's most vulnerable people. INSO provides data on NGO security incidents. Below is a chart depicting security incidents in Afghanistan involving NGOs during 2014. The data reflects incidents, fatalities, injuries and abductions. (source INSO website).

Gen Campbell Testimony (Mar 4, 2015)

General John Campbell, commander of the Resolute Support Mission, testified before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on March 4, 2015 about the situation in Afghanistan. The general says that it is " . . . unlikely the Taliban have the ability to best Afghan forces on the battlefield or topple the government . . . ". He believes that the Taliban offensive will increase over the next fighting season and that the government forces will " . . . maintain control over all key territory and populated areas including the country's 34 provincial capitals and its major cities". No mention of whether the Afghan National Security Forces can conduct a counterinsurgency campaign to rid the country of insurgents. He mentioned the early beginnings of an effort by the Islamic State to recruit groups to their cause.

You can watch the testimony on C-SPAN (2 hours 10 mins) at the link below:
www.c-span.org/video/?324603-1/general-john-campbell-testimony-us-policy-toward-afghanistan

The Adobe Acrobat PDF is about 27 pages long. You can read online or download a prepared transcript of his statement at the the link below:
http://www.rs.nato.int/images/media/PDFs/150304campbellstatement.pdf

To support his testimony General Campbell provided a slide brief entitled "Changing the Narrative". It appears that the General is at odds with what the media presents as the situation in Afghanistan so he has provided us with some 'feel good' news at the link below:
www.rs.nato.int/images/media/PDFs/150304campbellsupportdoc.pdf

If you don't have time to read the transcript or watch the video then you can read a press release by the U.S. Department of Defense that summarizes the testimony.
www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=128293

DoDIG Report Faults CSTC-A

A recent Department of Defense Inspector General report faults CSTC-A for failure to provide oversight and to develop the proper mechanisms to ensure direct funding assistance to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is used properly. The report, Acquisition Processes and Contract Management, DoDIG-2015-082, February 26, 2015 determined that the Ministries of Defense and Interior (MoD and MoI) have not established effective controls over the contract management process. Sounds like an EF 1 PPBE task.

" . . . CSTC-A has not fully developed the capacity of the ministries to operate effectively, independently, and transparently. This occurred because CSTC-A did not hold the ministries accountable for not instituting the necessary controls over the contract management process and did not enforce the requirements within the commitment letters."

www.dodig.mil/pubs/report_summary.cfm?id=6269

Farah - Afghanistan's Wild West

With the departure of international troops from Farah province the Taliban and other insurgent and criminal groups are consolidating their control. The drug trade has picked up significantly and Afghan government control of much of the province has eroded. Read more in "Awash in opium, Afghan 'wild west' slips from Kabul's grasp", DNA India, February 18, 2015.

News Report - Who Are the Taliban?

So just who are the Taliban? There are lots of opinions out there but one that comes closest to the truth is reflected in an article by Ankit Panda - "Afghanistan's 'Complex' Insurgency", The Diplomat, February 19, 2015. The group has lost its monolithic identity. The various Taliban groups have differing types of ideology and various degrees of religious viewpoints. Many are looking more and more like regional criminal networks. This provides opportunities and challenges. On one hand, it becomes more difficult to conduct peace talks with Taliban representatives who don't really represent the various insurgent groups. On the other hand, the fractured nature of the Taliban is a benefit for the ever-increasingly competent Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and for the possibilities of reintegrating small groups at a time back into Afghan society.

Paper - NGOs and PRTs in Afghanistan

"Members of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been critical of the Provincial Reconstruction team (PRT) initiative in Afghanistan since its inception, claiming that the mixture of military and humanitarian operations has resulted in 'blurred lines' that inhibit insurgents from identifying who is and is not a combatant. Certain organizations have hypothesized that aid workers are more likely to come under attack as a result of this mixture. Although this claim has surfaced in multiple outlets over the years, there was a lack of empirical evidence to support it. This study tests this hypothesis using a panel-corrected standard error regression model of all 34 Afghan provinces in 2010 and 2011. Preliminary results show that NGOs were likely to encounter a greater number of security incidents in provinces with PRTs; however, further analysis reveals this was only the case in provinces with teams not led by the US. This calls into question the validity of a general 'blurred lines' explanation for decreased worker security."

Read "Blurred Lines? Provincial Reconstruction Teams and NGO Insecurity in Afghanistan", by David F. Mitchell in Stability: International Journal of Security & Development, 2010-2011, March 2015.
www.stabilityjournal.org/article/view/sta.ev

Report - "Losing the Forgotten War?"

Anthony H. Cordesman of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) has wrote a report entitled Transition in Afghanistan: Losing the Forgotten War?, February 6, 2015. In this report he states the need to reshape US Strategy in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia. This detailed report is 242 pages long and can be read online or downloaded (Adobe Acrobat PDF) at the link below.

http://csis.org/files/publication/150206_forgotten_war.pdf

Women's Shelters in Afghanistan

One of the most provocative legacies of the Western presence in Afghanistan has been the funding and establishment of women's shelters. The idea that women can go to a shelter is very alien in Afghanistan. Read more in "A Thin Line of Defense Against 'Honor Killings'", by Alissa J. Rubin, The New York Times, March 2, 2015.

Afghan War News Snippets (March 5, 2015)

Radio Free Europe reports that Afghan refugees are flocking home amid claims of intimidation and harassment from Pakistani police. (RFE, March 4, 2015).

The Islamic State appears to be getting the attention of Afghan authorities as well as the security forces of the Central Asian states on Afghanistan's northern border. Afghan officials have confirmed the presence of IS militants in the northeastern province of Kunduz - which borders Tajikistan. (Gandhara Blog, Mar 4, 2015).

Islamic State. A researcher, Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy, with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) provides us with some insight into the beginnings of the Islamic State (IS) in the Af-Pak region. Read more in this news analysis posted on Eurasia Review (Mar 4, 2015).

Retrograde. Over the past two years the U.S. has moved tons and tons of equipment, vehicles, and personnel back to the states (sometimes to Europe, or Kuwait, or other destinations). As part of the retrograde process in Afghanistan, something had to happen to the bases where the personnel and equipment came from. In many cases the bases were closed down - sometimes reduced to their original state - as in everything removed and the area reduced to dirt. Many instances of base closure saw the COP or FOB turned over to the ANSF or some other Afghan governmental organization. Read more about base closures in Afghanistan in "Base closure assistance team: a valuable resource for closing FOBs", by 1st Lt. Joseph Fumo posted on Army.mil, March 4, 2015.
www.army.mil/article/143262

A rescue operation for the Hazara hostages (30 of them) is still ongoing. ANSF authorities estimate that almost 50 militants have been killed in the operation thus far. (Tolo News, March 4, 2015).

If you ever wonder who makes sure that service contracts in Afghanistan are monitored then you may be interested in this recent news article by Army.mil. Read "Auditing service contracts in Afghanistan" (March 4, 2015). 

The 304th Engineer Company , US Army Reserve (Ohio) has recently returned from a Middle East deployment. Some of the tasks of the vertical construction company was deconstruction tasks throughout Afghanistan. Read more in this DVIDS news release (March 3, 2015).

Residents in Herat (city in western Afghanistan) are on a two-day strike to protest an increase in electricity rates. (Tolo News, March 4, 2015).

Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani is attempting to reset relationship with Pakistan. Read more in "An Olive Branch in AfPak", by Tamim Asey in Foreign Policy,  March 4, 2015.

More on Drones in Afghanistan. Lauren Walker writes in Newsweek that "the Afghan War is over, but U.S. drone strikes continue" (March 3, 2015).

Although combat operations (sort of) have ceased in Afghanistan U.S. service members are still going out in harms way to provide advise and assistance to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). At the regional level the Train, Advise, and Assist Commands or TAACs conduct the advising mission. An article recently posted on DVIDS (DoD) provides insight on how this is done. The article informs us about a Police Advisory Team (PAT) visit to the Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP) 2nd Brigade headquarters in Nangarhar on March 3, 2015. The PAT met with the ANCOP commander " . . . to discus topics ranging from current operations to readiness for the upcoming fighting season and beyond." Read more in "Advisors focus on ANCOP readiness, sustainment", DVIDS, March 3, 2015.

Major General Abdul Wahab Wardak, commander of the Afghan Air Force (AAF), recently attended the International Military Helicopter Conference in London in January 2015.While there the general was interviewed about the status of the AAF. Read more in this news article in Aviation Today (Mar 3, 2015).

Writers 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

Afghan News Every Morning

You can receive the Afghan War News Daily Newsletter each day. It should arrive in your e-mail inbox at 5:00 am Eastern Standard Time. It is easy to subscribe. 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.

MEC, UNCAC, HOO and TAO (EF 2)

Logo of HOOAC

The Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring & Evaluation Committee (MEC) has published a news release that provides recommendations aimed at improving the Afghan Government's UNCAC self-assessment. The Afghan government is a signatory to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and is required to comply with its provisions and conduct a two-phase review of their implementation. In the past (under Karzai) this has been entrusted to the High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption (HOOAC). MEC has accused the HOOAC of being deficient in a number of ways - not unsurprising giving Karzai's influence (remember that under Karzai Afghan corruption started at the top) over the HOOAC in the past. MEC is recommending that the new government (under Ghani) conduct a comprehensive review of the UNCAC self-assessment and to designate a more competent agency to oversee the second phase of the self-assessment which is slated to begin this year. Resolute Support Headquarters is striving to ensure that the international community donors have "confidence" in the ability of the Afghan government to be transparent about its activities (where the IC's money is going) as well as the ability of the Afghan government to institute accountability and oversight processes that reduce corruption. Resolute Support HQs is providing Advisors working out of the Essential Function 2 (TAO) group to achieve these objectives. Read the MEC news release, dated Feb 15, 2015.

Combat Rations Database

Did you ever wonder what you were really eating in those Meal-Ready-to-Eat (MREs)? Well now you can find out. Check out the nutritional value of the Meal, Ready-To-Eat (MRE), First Strike Ration (FSR), and the Meal, Cold Weather / Long Range Patrol (MCW/LRP) at the "Combat Rations Database" (ComRad) at http://hprc-online.org/comrad/.

"Taliban's Foot Soldiers" - Foreign Policy

James Weir and Hekmatullah Azamy write about the Taliban's rank and file and what motivates them to take part in the insurgency. They state that the three prime motivators in priority is 1) money, 2) local grievances, and 3) ideology. The authors believe there is a vast difference in motivation between the Taliban leaders in the Quetta or Peshawar Shuras and the foot soldiers of the various local Taliban groups. The existence of the Taliban has more to do with making money than changing the Afghan government. Read more in "Afghanistan's 'Transformation Decade' Depends on the Taliban's Foot Soldiers", Foreign Policy, March 2, 2015.

SIGAR Quarterly Report to Congress (Jan 2015)

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has published its quarterly report to Congress. This latest report is dated 30 January 2015. This report covers the activities of the last three months for SIGAR - listing audits, inspections, and other activities. The report has several sections. The report is over 200 pages long and contains some updated information on the ASIs and ANSF.

Section 1 - Coordinating Aid: An Elusive Goal
Section 2 - SIGAR Oversight Activities
Section 3 - Reconstruction Update
Section 4 - Other Agency Oversight

www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2015-01-30qr.pdf

HRW - Report on "Strongmen"

The Human Rights Watch organization has released a report entitled "Today We Shall All Die: Afghanistan's Strongmen and the Legacy of Impunity". The report is 96 pages and

" . . . profiles eight "strongmen" linked to police, intelligence, and militia forces responsible for serious abuses in recent years. The report documents emblematic incidents that reflect longstanding patterns of violence for which victims obtained no official redress. The impunity enjoyed by powerful figures raises serious concerns about Afghan government and international efforts to arm, train, vet, and hold accountable Afghan National Police units, National Directorate of Security officials, and Afghan Local Police forces."

You can read the Human Rights Watch press release here - "Afghanistan: Abusive Strongmen Escape Justice", March 3, 2015. You can read online or download the report here. Read additional news reports about the warlords of Afghanistan.

Video - "Spotlight on Security in Kabul"

A NATO Channel video about security in Kabul is posted on YouTube.com. The video explains the security situation in Kabul and what the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are doing to improve security. General Rahimi, the new Police Chief of Kabul, is interviewed about the security problems facing Kabul. In late 2014 there was a rise in violence by the Taliban, Haqqani Network, and other insurgent groups. A number of ANSF casualties were inflicted as well as attacks against foreign Soldiers and members of the humanitarian community. The video is narrated by Lauren Muchan and published on March 3, 2015.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU2ppVHuZYc

ISAF Data on ANSF Now Declassified

ISAF HQs (now Resolute Support) had unexpectedly classified data about the Afghan National Security  Forces (ANSF) that for over a decade had been unclassified. After criticism from Congress and the media the Resolute Support HQs declassified the data so it is now once again available to Congress and the public. Read the newly declassified material in a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), published in late February 2014. One key graphic in the now unclassified report depicts a decline in end strength for the ANA force levels. In February 2014 the total for ANA personnel was almost 185,000. The figures for November 2014 show a figure of 169,000 - a significant drop in personnel.

www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/Supplement_2015-01-30qr.pdf

UNAMA Torture Report

The United Nations has released a report about torture in Afghanistan. Seems that some detainees are still 'roughly handled' but not as many as before. Read more in "UN: Torture 'regular and prevalent' in Afghanistan", Stars and Stripes, February 25, 2015. The Afghans have responded to the report with this online message posted on February 25, 2015 on the "Office of the President" website. As a result of the report the Afghans are launching  a new program called "National Program for Elimination of Torture". The program will be implemented in coordination with Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Civil Society organizations, and other relevant international partners.

Guide to Change Management for RoL - EF3

Dr.Vivienne O'Connor of the International Network to Promote the Rule of Law (INPROL) has penned a practitioner's guide entitled Guide to Change and Change Management for Rule of Law Pratitioners, January 2015. A good reference for Rule of Law advisors working in Essential Function 3 RoL. Chapters in the guide include: I. Introduction, II. Theory of change for RoL Assistance, III. Applying Change Concepts to RoL - Assessment to Design and Implementation, and IV. Creating a Change Management Strategy.

COIN and Carter Malkasian

Carter Malkasian - book author, advisor to COMISAF, and political advisor for DoS in Afghanistan - was recently interviewed by Octavian Manea about the effectiveness of counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan. He provides his opinion about COIN at the tactical level and COIN at the strategic level (having seen both during his tours in Afghanistan). Read "Thoughts from Garmser and Kabul", Small Wars Journal, February 14, 2015.

UN Report - Taliban and Drugs

A recent report for the United Nations Security Council states that the Taliban are now engaging more and more in drug trafficking and criminal activities. According to the report there is a new "scale and depth" to the Taliban's integration with criminal networks. Read more in "Afghan Taliban now smuggle drugs and gems like mafia: U.N. report", Reuters, February 11, 2015.

ANSF Suffer Heavy Losses in 2014

The Afghan Army lost more than 20,000 fighters last year largely because of desertions, discharges and deaths in combat. It also saw a significant decline in personnel end strength - casting doubts on its ability to provide security for the nation. Staffing levels have fallen to the lowest levels since 2011. Read more in "Figures From U.S.-Led Coalition Show Heavy Losses for Afghan Army", The New York Times, March 3, 2015. See also "The Afghan military is shrinking as the Pentagon withdraws its troops", The Washington Post, March 3, 2015.

Video - "Sandhurst in the Sand"

NATO Channel has produced a video about the "Sandhurst in the Sand" officer academy located near Kabul. The officer academy is forging the next generation of Afghan National Army (ANA) officers. Watch this 5 minute long video posted on YouTube.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXaUULKNZ0I

Daily News Snippets (Mar 4, 2015)

The remnants of the Karzai administration are still in place. This is especially true of the Acting Governors that remain in charge of provinces. There is a lack of any accountability to the new government. As of February 2015 only three governors have been introduced (Farah, Paktika, and Kunduz). The remaining 31 provinces are governed by appointees of Karzai. Therefore corruption still remains a major problem and a root cause of the insurgency. Read more in "Accusations of Corruption, Negligence Against Acting Governors Increase", Tolo News, February 19, 2015.

Ambassadors Fired. Some Karzai appointees are finding their futures uncertain. Reports indicate that President Ghani has sacked eleven Afghan Ambassadors on March 2, 2015. 

Police Officials Sacked. President Ghani has fired 27 senior police officers as part of a drive towards good governance. Many of them had strong connections with politicians, strongmen, or warlords. Most have found their way into other jobs - so don't cry too much for them. Read the news article (BBC News Asia, March 2, 2015).

Afghan Police Women. Press reports say that over 190 female police officers returned to Afghanistan after completing four months of training in Turkey. 

Kidnapped Hazaras. The 30 kidnapped Hazaras are still in captivity in Zabul province. They were taken off two buses traveling to Kabul when taken hostage. Reports indicate a rescue operation may be underway soon. Khaama Press says the rescue effort is taking place in the Khah-i-Afghan district of Zabul. There is speculation that the 30 passengers were kidnapped by DAISH (ISIS).

Avalanches in northern Afghanistan are taking its toll. Over 285 citizens have died thus far and three districts are heavily impacted. This is a yearly event. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has issued a condolence statement. General Campbell of Resolute Support HQs has done the same on Facebook. U.S., Czech, and Georgian troops are assisting with the delivery of aid. This year the avalanches have taken place in the Panjshir valley (Panjshir province). Recent snowfall accumulation has caused some flash flooding as well.

ANP Funding. International donors worry whether Kabul has the administrative capacity to oversee Western taxpayer money properly. Read "Afghanistan Struggles With Police Funding", The Wall Street Journal, February 28, 2015.

Rula Ghani. The First Lady of Afghanistan is now on the U.S. Afghan Women's Council (USAWC) along with Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. Read more in this news release by Georgetown University.

Interpreters who worked for the Coalition are under threat in Afghanistan. Read "Interpreter pleads for protection from Taliban killers", The Times, March 3, 2015.

The nonprofit organization - International Relief and Development (IRD) - has been suspended by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). IRD had some significant problems in meeting the contract stipulations of some of the aid projects it was in charge of in Afghanistan. Read more in a news report by Non Profit Quarterly, dated March 2, 2015.

A women serving a 20-year sentence in the women's section of Nangarhar Prison in Jalalabad, Afghanistan is a notorious character. She is convicted of taking part in the murders of 27 men. Read more in a news article by The New York Times, February 28, 2015.

Lack of Transparency in Mining Contracts. The Minister of Mines and Petroleum says that a team of technical experts will be reassessing the majority of the mining contracts because of a lack of transparency in the process that awarded the contracts. Read more in "Minister Says Mining Contracts to be Reexamined", Tolo News,  February 20, 2015.

For years commentators will be writing on whether we won the war in Afghanistan. Some say it is too soon to tell. Others want to declare victory now. I guess it depends on how you define victory. Read one view point in "Yes, we did win in Afghanistan", War Council Blog, February 23, 2015.

U.S. Navy in a Landlocked Country. Even though Afghanistan has no ocean the U.S. Navy has had a long-time presence in the country since the start of the conflict. This continues today under Resolute Support. For instance, the NATO Role 3 Multi-national Medical Unit on Kandahar Airfield has a diverse group of Navy reservists from 22 different states. (DVIDS, March 3, 2015).

The U.S. Army continues to sink money into its Distributed Common Ground System - Army (DCGS-A). This computer-based intelligence program has cost billions of dollars and is still wanting. See "Textron to enhance DCGS-A data", C4ISR & Networks, February 5, 2015. See also DCGS-A.

Sharpen Your Writing Skills

The Afghan War News Blog and the Afghan War News website are constantly striving to keep its blog, daily newsletter, and website factual, current, and relevant. If you have a link to a website or document you feel should be shared with the greater community then please send it to us. In addition, we are looking for individuals with some knowledge, experience, and expertise in Afghanistan on a wide range of topics to contribute blog posts and articles to our blog and add content to our website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Afghan News and Coffee at 5:00 am

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.

AAF Medics Teach Lifesaving Skills to ANA

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) is sending out small medical teams to teach MEDEVAC procedures to medics of the Afghan National Army (ANA). Recently two AAF flight medics traveled to Herat in western Afghanistan to train 19 ANA soldiers in the fundamentals of loading and offloading patients from the Mi-17 helicopter and the C-208 Cessna Caravan (a small fixed-wing aircraft). Both of these aircraft are used by the AAF to transport wounded and injured members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to medical care. While the Mi-17 can land in areas without an airstrip the C-208 has greater range (but requires an airstrip). Sometimes both aircraft are used in combination to transport the injured and wounded - called a hub-and-spoke principle of casualty evacuation. Read more in "Afghan Air Force medics teach lifesaving skills to ANA troops", RS News, January 28, 2014. (Photo by Capt. Jeff M. Nagan, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing).

A-10 Treason Patch

The A-10 Treason Bird Patch is now available for U.S. Air Force officers who wish to kiss their careers goodbye. The patch is now authorized for those officers who verbally express their support for the A-10 Warthog and who question the ability of the F-35 to provide adequate close air support to ground forces. The patch is available from Doctrine Man at the link below:

http://doctrineman.tumblr.com/post/112183832144/a-10-treason-bird-morale-patch

SIGAR Report - Testimony for Senate

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has provided a 17 page transcript on its testimony before a committee of the U.S. Senate about the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. The testimony was present to the committee for its upcoming deliberations for the Department of State Fiscal Year 2016 budget request for Afghanistan. The statement entitled Improving the Effectiveness of U.S. Reconstruction Efforts in Afghanistan by Enhancing Oversight and Addressing Key Areas of High Risk was published on February 24, 2015 and is available at the link below.

www.sigar.mil/pdf/testimony/SIGAR-15-36-TY.pdf

7th ID to form Kandahar HQs

Recent news reports indicate that the U.S. intends to maintain a presence in Kandahar into the foreseeable future. Perhaps into 2016. The Army is sending the 7th Infantry Division headquarters from Joint Base Lewis-McChord on a year-long deployment to Kandahar airfield in a few months. The hqs could stay on through the 2015 fighting season into early 2016. This would be a change to the "Kabul Centric" approach originally contemplated for 2016. It appears that the "hub and spoke" concept of 2015 (RS HQs in Kabul with TAACs in Gamberi, MeS, Herat, and Kandahar) will survive into 2016. The Germans are likely to stay in MeS beyond 2015. And now the Americans in Kandahar. Can the Italians be convinced to stay on in Herat? Read more in a news report by McClatchy DC dated February 24, 2015.

Fighting Season Not Quite Over

The Taliban have continued their attacks this winter. Usually attacks go down significantly when the cold weather and snow approaches. But last year and again this year the pace of the fighting has not decreased as much as in past years. Some of these attacks are highly effective - such as the attack against the Afghan National Police (ANP) in Pul-i-Alam, Logar province. Just 50 miles south of Kabul, this provincial police station suffered a devastating attack by four Taliban suicide bombers dressed as police officers. They killed at least 20 people and wounded many more. Read about the attack in "Taliban bombers kill at least 20 in Afghan attack", Stars and Stripes, February 17, 2015.

Germany Building New Engineering College in Balkh

Germany is continuing its development aid to Afghanistan in 2015. The country is providing funding (3.4 million Euros) for the construction of an engineering college in Balkh province. The college will provide education in railway construction, plumbing, electricity, road construction, and masonry. Germany is funding the project through its Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KFW) Development Bank. (Info taken from "Germany building new engineering college in Balkh", Khaama Press, February 16, 2015.

Book Review - "88 Days to Kandahar"

Retired CIA operative Robert L. Grenier has wrote a book entitled 88 Days to Kandahar: A CIA Diary. Alissa J. Rubin provides us a book review highlighting the positives and negatives of the book. Read her book review in "Robert L. Grenier's '88 Days to Kandahar'", The New York Times, February 11, 2015. Read more book reviews on 88 Days to Kandahar.

Grenier served as the station chief for the CIA in Pakistan during the invasion of Afghanistan by the United States. He was instrumental in the development of policy and execution of the invasion in the early days of the war. His story recounts how Hamid Karzai came to power and entered Kandahar with his resistance forces; toppling the Taliban regime in southern Afghanistan.

ISIS Threat in Afghanistan

The government of Afghanistan and Resolute Support Headquarters have finally admitted they have an ISIS problem. Although a small problem - it could get bigger quick if not managed properly. One only has to look at the rapid rise of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria to feel concern. Ministry of Interior (MoI) spokesman Siddiq Sidiqqi admitted there was an ISIS presence in Afghanistan on February 10, 2015. On a good news front Mullah Abdul Rauk Khadim, a prime recruiter for the Islamic State in Afghanistan, was killed in a recent military operation in Helmand province. The Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) confirmed that the capture or death of the former Taliban commander (recently released from Guantanamo prison) was a top priority. Another group, the Islamic Organization of Great Afghanistan has expressed its willingness to fight for the Islamic State. There is speculation that the newly minted Afghan Islamic State followers would clash with the resident Taliban groups in the south - and that support from 'outsiders' will not be forthcoming from the population of the region. It is hard to tell at this point according to most observers. There are also reports that ISIS is recruiting and forming guerrilla bands in northern Afghanistan. It should be an interesting fighting season this spring and summer. Read more in "Afghanistan Wakes Up to Islamic State Threat", Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, February 14, 2015.

Cordsman - Effective Use of Advisors

Anthony H. Cordsman, writing for the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), has penned a paper entitled "Boots on the Ground: The Realities in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria" published on February 13, 2015. He faults the U.S. advisory effort in several areas to include the lack of an integrated Civil-Military strategy, lack of an effective advisory effort in the field, advisors without the necessary mix of skills, and lack of effective combat support and enablers to assist our indigenous allies. Interesting reading.

http://csis.org/publication/boots-ground-realities-afghanistan-iraq-and-syria