Thursday, April 9, 2015

Afghan War News Snippets


News Report - U.S. Failing at Training Foreign Forces. According to one news report the U.S. military record on training other countries military forces is dismal. The U.S. is trying to stabilize Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan using a tactic that has rarely worked - by training and equipping foreign forces. The U.S. remains too focused on developing its own war-fighting capabilities rather than developing the capabilities of other nations. One problem is that while we might succeed in training another country's military that country's civilian government may be corrupt and not worth defending (Vietnam, Iraq, and possibly Afghanistan). Many of these conflicts require a political solution (get rid of corruption in Afghanistan's government, include Sunnis in political affairs in Iraq, etc.). Read more in "U.S. Counts on Training Foreign Forces Despite Years of Failure", Bloomberg News, April 8, 2015.

Taliban Ambush in Kunar. The Taliban attempted an ambush on Afghan police but kill two civilians by mistake. (Fox News, April 8, 2015).

Afghan Interpreter Settles (Uneasily) Into Seattle. An Afghan translator who helped U.S. forces is having difficulty adjusting to life in the United States. While in Afghanistan he worked for the U.S. Corps of Engineers. He was the subject of many death threats from militants because of his work for the U.S. government. While the State Department says that the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program provides a Visa and a support structure once entering the United States; the support is rather meager because of a lack of funding. Read the story in Seattle Weekly Times, April 7, 2015.

Reintegration of Military Nurses After Combat Deployments. The Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services has published an article entitled "After the Parade: Military Nurses' Reintegration Experiences from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars", (April 8, 2015).

Video - "Mentoring the Afghan Forces". International forces in Afghanistan having moved from a combat role to one focusing on advising, training and assisting. In this video we get a look at the realities of the new Resolute Support mission on the ground and how advisors working with the 201st Corps are doing their job. (NATO TV, April 8, 2015, posted on YouTube.com, 4 minutes long).

U.S. Army Drones. Drones (or UAVs) have been used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. And they are not going away. The U.S. Army is drafting doctrine for the first time that will govern its robotic and unmanned systems. Learn more in "US Army Readying Unmanned Systems Doctrine", Defense News, April 8, 2015.

Bde Cdr Sheds Light on Dealing with Afghan Warlord. James L. Creighton, a former U.S. brigade commander, recounts his experience dealing with a recently assassinated Afghan warlord. In 2010 Creighton was in command of Team Uruzgan, a diverse force of coalition soldiers from ten countries (U.S., Australia, Singapore, France, New Zealand, Netherlands, and more). His "team" mission was to push back Taliban influence in the province and encourage the 'transition' process. Read about his situation of having to work with a very effective Taliban fighter who was also a subject of human rights allegations. Read "Shades of Gray in Afghanistan", The Diplomat, April 8, 2015.

Retrograde Opns in Kandahar. A recent news story by the U.S. Air Force describes the heavy workload of retrograde operations and working with the U.S. Army. Read "Ready, set, retrograde", af.mil, April 8, 2015.

Afghan MoD Nominee Drops Out. The Afghan government's latest choice for the Minister position for the Ministry of Defence has dropped out. General Mohammad Afzal Ludin explained that his appointment had caused some turmoil and he feared it would be divisive. Ludin is a Pashtun which may have angered the countries CEO Abdullah Abdullah and his northern alliance supporters. Read more in a news report by the Daily Mail, April 8, 2015.

Zulfiqar Operation in Helmand Province Concludes. The Afghan national Army (along with some help from the Afghan National Police) has concluded its extensive operation in Helmand province. The Zulfiqar military operation was launched two months ago in an attempt to rid local villages of insurgents. Much of the fight took place in or around Sangin district - an area where the British and U.S. Marines have spent much time in.

46 Million Rounds Expended. The British Army fired over 46 million rounds at the Taliban costing the UK taxpayers 200 million pounds. The Mirror, April 7, 2015.

"The State of Afghan Libraries". The Afghanistan Analyst Network has published a story about the increasing need for a functioning public library system. With Afghanistan's educated class growing rapidly the need for libraries is expanding tremendously. This article highlights the need for a national and international plan to further develop the libraries of Afghanistan. Read "Reading in Kabul: The state of Afghan Libraries", (April 9, 2015).

Tsarnaev Guilty. In the spring of 2013 I was sitting in the DFAC at FOB Lightning in Gardez having breakfast when I first learned the news on the DFAC TV showing scenes from the bombing of the Boston Marathon. Having attended college in Boston I was immediately drawn to the developing story. It now appears that the surviving bomber (one of two brothers) has been found guilty in the bombing that killed three people and wounded many more people. The next step is the jury deciding on life in prison or sentence of death.

Book Review - "Warrior Diplomat".  Daniel R. Green has penned a book review of Michael Waltz's new book. Waltz is a Special Forces officer with deep experience at the policy level as well as on the ground in combat. Read the book review in - "Our Own Worst Enemy: How America Defeated Itself in Afghanistan", The South Asia Channel Blog, Foreign Policy, April 7, 2015.

Afghan Helicopter Project Officer Guilty. A former project manager at Redstone Arsenal has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges stemming from inflated contract payments for work on Russian-made helicopters bound for the Afghan Air Force. AL.com News, April 8, 2015.

One Year - No Government. It has been one year since the Afghan presidential election and there still is no government (cabinet still has to be formed). Read more in a news report in BBC News Asia, April 7, 2015.

Book Review - "The Illuminations". Andrew O'Hagan has wrote a book about the British in Afghanistan. Read a book review on this fiction book posted in The Washington Post, April 7, 2015.

Police Sergeant Course Graduates. Over 800 police candidates of the Police Sergeant Training command graduated from their training course held at Mazar-e Sharif. The course included subjects such as weapons training and legal science classes. Members of the Afghan Border Police, Afghan Uniform Police, and Afghan National Civil Order Police attended the training. The Afghan Police Sergeant Command is assisted by the German Police Project Team (GPPT). Read more in the news report by Resolute Support News, April 8, 2015.

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If you have published a paper on the Afghan War or Afghanistan in general send us a link. We will put a blurb about in the Afghan War News Blog and post a link to your paper on our Afghan War News website.

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Pre-Deployment Reading - the AWN Newsletter!

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Report - VSO and ALP

From 2010 to 2013 the special operations forces in Afghanistan dedicated a significant part of their manpower and resources to the Village Stability Operations (VSO) and Afghan Local Police (ALP) programs. ODAs, SEAL teams, and MARSOC teams were aligned against key districts with the dual-role of implementing the VSO program and establishing, training, and advising ALP units at the community or district level. In this 95-page long paper Dr. Mark Moyar outlines the history of the VSO and ALP programs. He covers the history of the two programs from their inception to the end of the VSO program and the transition of the ALP program to the Afghan Ministry of Interior (MoI). He notes the complementary role that VSO/ALP played to the counterterrorism effort - using the 'indirect approach' to employ population mobilization and other counterinsurgency techniques to secure the Afghan populace. He describes how the two programs, VSO and ALP, provided not only security for some key districts in Afghanistan but also governance and development. Read his paper "Village Stability Operations and the Afghan Local Police", JSOU Report 14-7, October 2014.

http://jsou.socom.mil/JSOU%20Publications/JSOU14-7_Moyar_VSO_FINAL.pdf

Afghan War News Snippets (Apr 8, 2015)



Hostage Beheaded by IMU. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a group allied with the Taliban and which operates in Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, released a video depicting a beheading of one of its Afghan hostages. A news report from BBC (link provided) says militants had kidnapped 31 Haraza's off buses in Afghanistan in February as they traveled from Iran to Kabul through Zabul province. There has been much speculation as to who controls the hostages with some saying the Islamic State has a hand in the situation. Other news reports see (NDS statement) say the beheaded hostage was NOT one of the 31 Hazara hostages.
(BBC News, April 5, 2015, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32200835).

NDS Vows to Pursue Beheaders. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) vowed to identify and arrest the militants who beheaded an ex-member of the Afghan National Army (ANA). In the video the IMU pledges allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). (Khaama Press, Apr 7, 2015).

Six Insurgents Killed in Paktika. According to a recent news report a well-known Haqqani commander and five other insurgents were killed in an Afghan National Army operation in southern Paktika province on Monday afternoon. (Tolo News, Apr 7, 2015).

Kabul - Everyday Game of Life and Death. A news correspondent recounts his experience filming in Kabul. He says that Afghanistan remains a dangerous place for locals and visitors. (Channel Asia News, Apr 7, 2015).

EU in Afghanistan. The European Mission (EU) is playing a big role in assisting Afghanistan during its 'transformation decade'. Read more in "EU-Nato coordination key to advancing Afghan transition", The Parliament Magazine, April 7, 2015.

U.S. Fusion Cell for Hostages? The U.S. is thinking about establishing a fusion cell involving subject-matter experts from agencies including the FBI, DoD, DoS, and intelligence community. The cell will review hostage policies and recovery strategies. (The Washington Post, Apr 6, 2015).

Taliban to Outlast Coalition. The international Coalition, along with Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), have been fighting the Taliban for 13 years. Last fighting season (2014) the Taliban inflicted great casualties on the ANSF and the prospect is the same for this year. The 2016 deadline for the withdrawal of the 12,000 international troops is not far off and there is very little prospect for the defeat of the Taliban before the deadline. There is little hope for a diminishing of the insurgency unless Pakistan takes concrete steps to reduce its support of the Afghan Taliban. Read more in "Afghanistan, the US, and the Taliban", by Aryaman Bhatnagar, Observer Research Foundation, (India), April 7, 2015.

Afghan Interpreter Refused Asylum by UK. An Afghan interpreter who worked for the British army claims he has been targeted by the Taliban but the UK Home Office says it does not believe he would be in danger if he returns to Afghanistan. (The Guardian, Apr 7, 2015).

Tom Ricks on Afghanistan. Tom Ricks, writing in Foreign Policy,  tells us "Why I remain more optimistic about Afghanistan's future than about Iraq's" in his April 6, 2015 column. He sees a way forward for Afghanistan. He thinks that Kabul needs to find ways of living with regional overlords, keep the ring road safe for transit of goods, keep the Taliban out of Kabul (but let them have Oruzgan), don't worry too much about the hinterland, and encourage the Iranians to build some railroads in Afghanistan.

Military Review. The March-April 2015 edition of Military Review is now posted online. Articles include topics of "The Army Operating Concept", "SHARP Realities", "Women in Combat", "Women in the Infantry", "Female Engagement Teams", "Art of Command and the Science of Control", "The Ignorant Counterinsurgent", "Anbar Awakening", "Retaking a District Center - A Case Study in the Application of Village Stability Operations", and more.

IO Weaknesses Identified in DoDIG Report. In a recently released (March 27, 2015) report the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Defense identified some Information Operations (IO) challenges and weaknesses in operations conducted in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Africa. The report covers IO activities from 2006 through 2013. Some of its findings include "communication activities that were not optimal at the operational level in Afghanistan", a lack of a fully integrated IO capability in Afghanistan", and "the need for strengthened controls over IO assessments in Afghanistan". The report is Information Operations in a Contingency Environment: Summary of Weaknesses Identified in Reports Issued from October 6, 2006, Through November 7, 2013, DoDIG-2015-100.
www.dodig.mil/pubs/report_summary.cfm?id=6304

Sleeping Badly and the Military. "Given the unprecedented demands placed on U.S. military forces since 2001, there has been growing concerns about the prevalence and consequences of sleep problems for servicemembers. Sleep problems often follow a chronic course, persisting long after servicemembers return home from combat deployments . . ." Read more about a military deprived of sleep and recommendations for better sleep in "Sleep in the Military: Promoting Healthy Sleep Among U.S. Servicemembers", The RAND Corporation, April 2015.
www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR739.html

Soldiers Sleep Tips. The Defense Health Agency offers Soldiers some sleeping tips for the sleep-deprived military culture. (Army.mil, Mar 16, 2015).
www.army.mil/article/145285

The Afghan Diaspora. An extremely informative article about the impact that out-migration of Afghans has had on education in Afghanistan and more. Read "Diaspora and Knowledge Societies in Making: individual challenges and communal opportunities", by Dr. Yahia Baiza, posted on Afghan Professional Network (APN), April 7, 2015.

Pashtun Diaspora Women and Marriage. A writer examines the situation of Pashtun women living abroad and the prospects for marriage. Read "The Changing Face of Marriage for Pashtun Diaspora Women", Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, April 7, 2015.

Report - Afghan Women Abandoned. Amnesty International has released a report (Yahoo! news report, Apr 6, 2015) saying that the government of Afghanistan and the international community have abandoned Afghan women. Afghanistan has regularly been named as one of the worst places to be born female. Afghanistan: Their lives on the line: Women human rights defenders under attack in Afghanistan, Amnesty International, April 6, 2015.
www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa11/1279/2015/en/

Afghan Women's Poetry. A recently released collection of poetry, Load Poems Like Guns: Women's Poetry from Herat, Afghanistan, brings together a selection of works from eight Afghan women. Read more in "Darkness and Hope in Load Poems Like Guns", By Catherine Putz, The Diplomat, April 7, 2015.

Photo Essay on Afghan School. National Geographic has published a photo essay on an Afghan school - a yearbook of the school's students. (April 6, 2015).

Practice 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. If you wrote a paper on a relevant topic and would like to share it send it to us for posting on the blog and website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Afghan News w/ Morning Coffee

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Taliban Make Gains in Kapisa Province

A recent online post by the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) highlights two districts of Kapisa province that are experiencing greater instability. The map to the left shows the outline of Kapisa province in relation to the rest of Afghanistan (map courtesy of Wikipedia). The province, located 80 kilometers northeast of Kabul, has always been an area of conflict. The security situation has gotten worse with the departure of Task Force Lafayette (France) and its supporting aviation unit - Task Force Musketeer. The author, Obaid Ali, reports that the Afghan government is losing its grip on Kapisa. Kapisa, due to its geographical location, serves as a crossroads for the Taliban and as a support zone for insurgent attacks into Kabul. A variety of insurgent and local armed militia groups exist in Kapisa as well as a mix of ethnic groups consisting of Tajiks, Pashtuns, Pashai, and Kuchi.


Two of the districts, Alasai (pink in the map to the left) and Kohband (yellow in the map to the left) are presented as examples of how the Afghan government is failing in Kapisa. (map courtesy of Wikipedia). In the Alasai district, for the past two years, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) - this includes the police and the army - are only allowed out of their bases, camps and offices for one hour per day - and only to go to the district center's bazaar. The remainder of the district is controlled by the Taliban. The Taliban's district government, in effect, runs the district with a legal system, security council, finance department, and district prison. A second district - Kohband - is plagued by a variety of illegally armed groups that fight among each other. Both of these districts are in mountainous areas of the province with little agricultural activity and a shortage of education and medical resources.

Read the article by Obaid Ali, Fire in the Pashai hills: A two-district case study from Kapisa, Afghanistan Analysts Notebook (AAN), April 6, 2015.
www.afghanistan-analysts.org/fire-in-the-pashai-hills-a-two-district-case-study-from-kapisa/                               

Afghan War News Snippets (Apr 7, 2015)


Qarabagh Blast Kills Afghan Police. An explosion killed four police and two civilians in a blast on Monday, 6 April. They were killed in the Qarabagh district on Kabul after a police vehicle struck a roadside mine. (Tolo News, Apr 6, 2015).

MoD Minister Nominated - Finally. General Afzal Ludin has been nominated at the new Minister for the Ministry of Defense (MoD). He will soon be introduced to Parliament for a vote of confidence. (Tolo News, Apr 6, 2015).

New Taxes Protested by Kabul Businessmen. Afghan traders have shut their shops and are marching in Kabul to protest tax hikes. They say the taxes are unfair hikes in what they must pay the government. (Yahoo! News, Apr 6, 2015).

Two of 31 Harzara Hostages Dead. According to Khaama Press (Apr 6, 2015) two of the 31 abducted Hararas were found dead in Zabul province. Their bodies were found in Khak-e-Afghan district. One was murdered and the other (an older man) died of weakness. The hostages were abducted on February 24, 2015 by militants suspected to be part of the ISIS group in Afghanistan.

ISIS Recruiting in Taliban Territory. In what some observers see as a changing of the guard the Islamic State is recruiting in Afghanistan. (CNN News, Apr 6, 2015).

Bergdahl - "Attempted to Go Over to the Other Side". Computer forensics may derailed Bergdahl's defense. (The Weekly Standard, Apr 6, 2015).

"The Real Afghan War". An essay taken from chapter five of Anand Gopal's "No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes", - or "How an American Fantasy Conflict Created Disaster in Afghanistan". (The Huffington Post, April 6, 2015).

Info about Korean Hospital at Bagram. Korea has been operating a hospital at Bagram Air Field (BAF) in Parwan province since 2010. The hospital provides quality medical care for Afghan citizens. Read more in "Koreans sow seeds of hope in Afghanistan", The Korea Times, April 5, 2015.

Biometrics and the Changing World of Spies. The use of biometrics is hampering the ability of spy agencies to conduct their business. Iris scans and facial recognition software coupled with more and more public cameras in airports, train stations, stores, and public areas are making life difficult for the spy world. The routine collection and analysis of fingerprints, iris scans, and facial images are helping to ferret out terrorists and immigration fraudsters all over the world - but it is also making it difficult for undercover agents to remain anonymous. Read more in "To Catch a Spy", Foreign Policy, April 6, 2015.

Senators Visit to TAAC-E. A number of U.S. Senators recently visited Train, Advise, Assist Command East at Tactical Base Gamberi in early April 2015. The TAAC-East commander, BG Bentley, says that one example of how TAAC-E is assisting the 201st Corps is in helping to establish the Regional Military Training Center (RMTC) for the 201st Corps which will give the corps the capability to train new soldiers assigned to the corps. This is probably a bad example - as advisors assigned to the 201st Corps have been "assisting" with the establishment of the RMTC at least since 2010 (see press release by CJTF-101, August 2010). I would have to say that is very slow progress. In 2012 FedBizOpps.Gov issued a solicitation for the construction of the RMTC. (DVIDS, Apr 5, 2015).

Post Your Paper Here!

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. If you wrote a paper on a relevant topic and would like to share it send it to us for posting on the blog and website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Subscribe to AWN Daily Newsletter

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Paper - "Building Partner Capacity"

Harry R. Yarger of the Joint Special Operations University has wrote a paper entitled "Building Partner Capacity", JSOU Report 15-1, February 2015. This 125-page long paper explores the sources of instability that pose security concerns to the United States and the various ways of mitigating those security concerns. It says that, in addition to humanitarian assistance and security assistance, building partner capacity is one of the best ways to diminish instability and should be a major part of the nation's grand strategy. The author provides us with the multiple ways of viewing the role of building partner capacity as part of a U.S. grand or defense strategy and the place of special operations forces in these strategies.

Building Partner Capacity (posted on JSOU website).

Afghan War News Snippets (Mar 6, 2015)


Explosion in Kunduz City. The north of Afghanistan continues to experience growing unrest. Reports came in about an explosion in Kunduz on Sunday, April 5th.

Khost Suicide Attack by Haqqani Network. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) says that the Haqqani Network was involved in the deadly suicide attack that took place in Khost province. The bomber detonated his explosives among anti-corruption demonstrators. At least 20 people were killed and over 60 others injured in the attack. (Khaama Press, April 4, 2015).

High Peace Council Review Urged. A member of the executive board of the High Peace Council wants to see the government conduct a review of the organization's structure before serious peace talks with the Taliban commence. (Khaama Press, Apr 5, 2015).

Opinion - Speed Up Afghan Withdrawal. Doug Bandow, a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, says that the "Administration Should Speed, Not Slow, Military Withdrawal From Afghanistan", The World Post, April 5, 2015. Doug says that the United States quickly accomplished its two main goals in Afghanistan early on - destroy al Qaeda and oust its Taliban hosts. The quagmire began in a half-hearted effort (the nation's leadership shifted its attention to Iraq) to nation-build in a country not quite ready for nation-building. He says it is time to leave and to let the Afghans sort things out by themselves.

Opinion - "Slow Motion Retreat" Bad for Afghanistan. Sean Parnell, an Army veteran of the Afghan conflict and book author, writes that our slow retreat from Afghanistan is placing that country's future in jeopardy and will erase hard-fought gains by the U.S. (The Washington Times, April 4, 2015).

Is Mullah Omar Dead or Alive? Speculation still abounds as to whether the 'leader' of the Taliban is dead or alive. The Taliban leadership recently released a biography of the leader. Read more in a news article by BBC News, August 5, 2015. See also a news report by Radio Free Europe, April 5, 2015.

Operation Freedom's Sentinel Award Criteria. The Army has spelled out the eligibility criteria for the award of the Global War on Terrorism Medals to Soldiers serving in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel. See news report by Army Times (April 5, 2015).

A-29 Super Tucano Next Best Thing to an A-10. Rick Smith writing for The Motley Fool (an investment newsletter) cites the value of the A-29 soon to be given to Afghanistan as a close support aircraft. His article (April 5, 2015) provides us with the operational details of the A-29 as well as the likelihood of additional purchases of the aircraft for the Afghan Air Force beyond the initial 20 aircraft fielding to take place in 2016-2018.

Video - Profile of a RSM Police Advisor. Major Russell Waight, an AFPAK hand and advisor to the Ministry of Interior, talks about his career, being an Advisor, and working with the Afghan people. (4 minutes long).
www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153204572713454

Female War Journalists and Adrenaline. Read the story of a female photojournalist who keeps going back to the war. (The Guardian, April 5, 2015).

Women in the CIA. A recent rash of television shows have depicted women in the Central Intelligence Agency in a manner not totally consistent with real life. At least according to an Op-Ed by Maureen Dowd who recently interviewed several career CIA female employees about 'real life' in the CIA. According to some TV shows alcoholism and bed-hopping is a way of life for female CIA employees. Read "Good Riddance, Carrie Mathison"The New York Times, April 4, 2015.

Women in Special Forces - American Odyssey. This new show premiered on Sunday night (April 5th). It is interesting to note that it features a women Soldier of a Special Forces unit who is the sole survivor of her team that went in to enemy territory on a counterterrorism mission in Africa. She, according to one online review, is a member of a Female Engagement Team or FET. Hmmmm. I thought that the FETs were assigned to the Army and the Cultural Support Teams or CSTs were assigned to Special Forces teams. Looks like Hollywood knows something I don't. Evidently we are to suspend reality and push that "I Believe" button to swallow the story line presented by American Odyssey. Its great that the TV series attempts to portray women in the military in a positive light but sad that they can't shake Hollywood's concept of reality. The premiere showcased many of the left-wing causes - big, bad corporations, high-ranking military officers not caring of their Soldiers, drones are bad, hacking government computers is good (Snowden?), private military corporations are bad, and counterculture movements (Occupy?) are good. I am sure for the uninformed masses it is great entertainment - especially if you are a big-government conspiracy theory believer. It is too bad - as there was a lot of potential to highlight women of the FETs, CSTs, HTTs, and other like units in a positive light. Read a preview of the show by The Daily Beast, (April 5, 2015).

Guest Articles 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. If you wrote a paper on a relevant topic and would like to share it send it to us for posting on the blog and website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Daily Newsletter in your Inbox

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Article - COIN as False Narrative

In the aftermath of the counterinsurgency campaigns of Afghanistan and Iraq some observers are evaluating counterinsurgency as a strategy, doctrine, or concept. Many believe that the concept of counterinsurgency is sound while others discount its importance. Two members of the Kings' College in London have penned an article discounting the importance of COIN saying that "COIN is therefore a false narrative and should not be regarded as a formula for prescibing the principles of action to be used in future wars. COIN-centric readings of history, like all grand social science theorising, should be treated with scepticism". Read their thoughts in "The Strange Death of the Counter-insurgency Era", International Relations and Security Network (ISN), April 2, 2015.

Afghan News Snippets (Apr 5, 2015)


Combat Aviation Advisors. The 6th Special Operations Squadron is home to combat aviation advisors of the U.S. Air Force. Its' mission is Foreign Internal Defense (FID) and Combat Foreign Internal Defense (CFID). The combat advisors conduct assessments, provide training and advice and support to foreign aviation combat units across the world. These advisors are familiar with various types of foreign aircraft to include Russian Mi-17s, French A-332 Super Pumas, and others. The 6th SOS stood up in 1994 and is still a very small part of the Air Force despite the overwhelming demand for air advisors in Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa and other parts of the world. Read more in "A day in the life of Combat aviation advisors", Special-Ops.org, July 22, 2014.

MD-530 Helicopters. This coming Thursday the MoD will officially enter the new MD-530 helicopters into the Afghan Air Force (AAF). Six armed MD-530s arrived last month from the United States. Read more in a news article in Khaama Press (Apr 4, 2015).

Video - "Afghan Police and Army Spending". The NATO Channel presents a 4 minute long video detailing how the Resolute Support hqs is helping the ANSF and the Afghan Security Institutions (ASIs) with fiscal discipline. This includes advising them on facilities divestiture and fuel auditing.

Factsheet on U.S. Leadership in Landmine Clearance. On April 3, 2015 the U.S. Department of State published a Fact Sheet on "U.S. Global Leadership in Landmine Clearance and Conventional Weapons Destruction".

Motorbike Mine Blast in Kunduz. 10 people (perhaps more) were injured early Saturday in a mine blast in northern Kunduz province. The explosion took place near the police headquarters. (Tolo News, Apr 4, 2015).

Blast in Baghlan Province. According to Pajhwok News five civilians were killed and 7 others wounded in a mine blast in Baghlan province.

Peace Talks - Who are the Players? NBC News provides us with background material for the peace talks that may (or may not) occur between the Afghan government, the Taliban and other parties. Read "Afghan Peace Talks with Taliban: Issues, Players and Challenges", April 4, 2015.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/afghan-peace-talks-n333801

Women in as "Operators" in Special Operations. Surveys conducted by special operations units indicate that there are big concerns about integrating women into some SOF positions. While there are a number of positions currently open to women in SOF units (support and staff) the "operator" positions are the ones that are currently closed. These positions require attendance at grueling and physically demanding qualification courses such as Special Forces training and then assignment to units that sometimes deploy as a small element in geographically remote and austere locations. Read more in "Special ops troops doubt women can do the job", AP Big Story, April 4, 2015.

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. If you wrote a paper on a relevant topic and would like to share it send it to us for posting on the blog and website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Subscribe to Afghan War Newsletter

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

SIGAR Sidelined?

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was replaced by Operation Freedom's Sentinel. The Department of Defense (DoD) has named a new Inspector General for the re-named operation in Afghanistan. The DoD maintains that this is a new contingency operation and therefore they need an IG. However, some in Congress are crying foul - saying this is an attempt to sideline the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). SIGAR has made enemies within the Pentagon with its very factual and hard-hitting reports about the waste involved in the billions of dollars spent on Afghan reconstruction and the corruption within the Afghan government, Afghan National Security Forces, and ministries. The Pentagon would love to get rid of SIGAR as they continue to receive a beating from that organization.

Defense Budget Leaves U.S. Vulnerable

A defense budget that concentrates the money on big-ticket, conventional warfare equipment and programs is taking resources away from the U.S. militarys ability to fight the most likely current and future threats. Expensive programs such as the F-35 fighter jet are a big part of the defense budget. However, today's and tomorrows conflicts will most likely be of a "hybrid nature". Our potential enemies in the world can't successfully take on the U.S. conventional forces (other than China or Russia). So the more likely course of action for these state and non-state actors is an unconventional approach (insurgency, terrorism, hybrid warfare, proxy warfare, political warfare, etc.). These non-conventional threats are represented by insurgents (Islamic State in Afghanistan and Iraq), terrorists (Somalis carrying out attacks in Kenya), and state-actors (Russia conducting "political warfare" or "proxy warfare" in the Ukraine). The United States has military organizations that are trained for the unconventional fight - and we need to resource these organizations at the appropriate level. Stuart Bradin, president and CEO of the Global SOF Foundation and a retired Army Special Forces colonel with over 30 years military service, provides us his thoughts on this topic in "Defense budget leaves US vulnerable to current, future threats", The Hill Congress Blog, April 1, 2015.

Afghan War News Snippets - (Apr 4, 2015)



Logar Landmine Kills 7 Civilians. Seven civilians were killed in a landmine explosion in Logar province on April 3rd. All of the dead were from the same family. They were traveling in a civilian vehicle from Kabul to Baraki Barak district of Logar province. (Khaama Press, Apr 3, 2015).

Hybrid Warfare in Europe Explained. Learn why some countries in Europe think that the use of the term "hybrid warfare" gives NATO and the U.S. a pass in confronting the danger posed by Russia. Of course, hybrid warfare is not a new concept - it is just the type of war that is fought unconventionally (such as the insurgency in Afghanistan). (War on the Rocks, April 3, 2015).

A Call for More Humanitarian Aid for Afghanistan. In a letter to the editor of The New York Times (April 3, 2015) David Miliband (former British foreign secretary and president of the International Rescue Committee) says that more humanitarian aid needs to be provided to community-based programs in Afghanistan (such as the National Solidarity Program).

Senator Worried on Afghan Withdrawal. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis recently visited Afghanistan. Following his trip the senator said that the U.S. military must remain in Afghanistan beyond President Obama's projected troop withdrawal in early 2017 to discourage prospects for the Islamic State militants to get a toehold there. The senator met with high-ranking U.S. generals as well as President Ghani. He stated that current counterterrorism efforts and advising Afghan forces gives U.S. leaders ground information about potential threats. North Carolina is the home of the USMC's Camp Lejeune and the Army's Fort Bragg. (Military Times, Apr 3, 2015).

OCP Uniforms Ready for Issue. The Army will soon start issuing combat uniforms in its new camouflage pattern to deploying Soldiers. The uniforms will also be available at military clothing sales stores in late summer or early fall. New gear matching the camouflage pattern will soon be issued as well. The new camouflage pattern is similar in appearance to Crye Precision's popular MultiCam.(Army Times, Apr 3, 2015).

Video - "Bridging the Civil Military Divide: The Role of the Media". The New America Foundation and the Yale Veterans Association presented this panel discussion about the civil - military divide. This 1 hour and 15 minute video features a number of panel participants to include Tom Ricks (war correspondent and author), Adrian Bonenberger (former Army and currently a journalist), and Kayla Williams (former Army and book author).
https://youtu.be/ZJF7nO9uAEM

Women's Rights - and Education. Despite Ashraf Ghani's pledges in the United States, Afghanistan still has a long way to go on women's rights. Read "Afghanistan's 'Separate but Equal' Education System", The Diplomat, April 2, 2015.

Fears of Abductions Grow. Recent abductions in northern Balkh and Sar-e-Pul provinces (as well as the ones that took place in Zabul and Ghazni) have put many citizens who travel on edge. Read more in "Increased Abductions Grow Fears of Citizens", Tolo News, April 2, 2015.

Afghan Cabinet Vote on Monday. The Afghan House of Representatives has scheduled a vote of confidence for approving or rejecting the 16 new candidates for the cabinet. The house is currently reviewing the academic documents, dual citizenship, and background of the candidates. (Khaama Press, Apr 3, 2015).

Date for Bergdahl Article 32. The Article 32 hearing for SGT Bowe Bergdahl is scheduled for July 8th at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Bergdahl was charge on March 25th with one count of desertion and one count of misbehavior before the enemy. General Mark Milley, the former commander of ISAF Joint Command (IJC), made the decision to charge Bergdahl. (Army Times, April 2, 2015).

ADT Member Talks about Developing Rapport. Deploying to Afghanistan is a cultural shock -especially if your job involves interacting with Afghans. There is the cultural differences and the language barrier. And lots of tea drinking. But sometimes a hot pepper can break the ice. Learn how eating a hot pepper helped a female member of an Agribusiness Development Team establish rapport in "One hot pepper equals three cups of tea", DVIDS, April 2, 2015.

Peace Talks. Under President Karzai - the United States and India played a leading role in trying to get peace talks under way with the Taliban. With President Ghani now in charge - the scene has changed - Pakistan and China are now leading the effort. China has a lot at stake here - a stable Afghanistan will be needed if China is to have ready access to the immense deposits of minerals (Mes Aynak copper mine) available in Afghanistan and can contribute to its vision of a "New Silk Road" connecting all of Central Asia to Europe and China. The wild card is Pakistan - will it stop supporting the Taliban? Read more in "Afghanistan Peace Talks: At a Geopolitical Crossroads", The Diplomat, April 2, 2015.

Mine Awareness Day - April 4, 2015. U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan - P. Michael McKinley - has published an Op-Ed in Khaama Press about how 80% of minefields from past conflicts have been cleared in Afghanistan. Since 1989 almost 600,000 mines of various types (anti-personnel, anti-tank, and explosive remnants of war) have been cleared. 

Guest Articles 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. If you wrote a paper on a relevant topic and would like to share it send it to us for posting on the blog and website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Coffee, Shower, Shave, & AWN Newsletter

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Report - World Bank Group in Afghanistan

The World Bank Group has issued a report (April 2015) on its activities in Afghanistan for development and emergency reconstruction projects. Some of the ongoing operations include the "Second Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP II)", "Afghanistan Skills Development Project", "Music Institute", "Afghanistan Financial Sector Rapid Response Project", "System Enhancement for Health Action in Transition (SEHAT) Program", "Afghanistan Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Sector Development Project", "Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000)", "Irrigation Restoration and Development Project (IRIP)", "Second Customs Reform and Trade Facilitation Project (SCRTFP)", and many more.

Raouf Zia, Abdul, 2015. The World Bank Group in Afghanistan: country update. Washington, DC: World Bank Group.
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2015/04/24231016/world-bank-group-afghanistan-country-update

Afghan News Snippets (Apr 3, 2015)


Khost Suicide Blast Kills 16 or more. Reports say that a suicide attack against an anti-corruption protest killed at least 16 and wounded around 40 in Khost province. An MP from Khost province was wounded in the explosion. The acting governor of Khost has been accused of land-grabbing (a common practice in Afghanistan) and rampant corruption (also a common practice among government officials). Civilian casualties have jumped by 22% in 2014.

Hope and Obstacles in Afghanistan. President Ghani's recent trip to the United States secured continued funding and a pause in the U.S. troop withdrawal. His visit also inspired some hope that Afghanistan can turn the corner; yet having hope won't fix the many obstacles in Afghanistan's path. Much work has to be done. Read "Tentative Hope, Continued Obstacles After Leaders' U.S. Trip", by Farishta Jalazai, Gandhara Blog, April 2, 2015.

China's Fiber-Optic Silk Road. One of the overlooked benefits of China's "New Silk Road" initiative (which involved connecting China with Central Asia and Afghanistan with rail and road LOCs) is the building of a fiber-optic regional network. The fiber-optic cable (1/10th the cost of satellite usage) can be laid alongside rail lines. This will benefit Afghanistan as well. Read more in "A Fiber-Optic Silk Road", by Nadege Rolland, The Diplomat, April 2, 2015.

Video - AMC Perspective on Afghanistan Retrograde. General Dennis Via, commanding general of Army Materiel Command provides an AMC perspective during the 2015 Global Force Symposium. (Posted by US Army TRADOC on YouTube.com on April 1, 2015, 30 mins).

SIGAR Questions USAID's PROMOTE Project. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is spending lots of money on the Promoting Gender Equity in National Priority Programs (Promote) project. This project is committed to provide support for Afghan women. However, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) office is concerned that USAID will not be able to effectively implement, monitor and assess the impact of Promote. Read a SIGAR letter (March 27, 2015) to USAID expressing its concerns and requesting additional information.

Expensive Wedding Cap. Afghan lawmakers have passed a law limiting the costs for weddings. The cap is now at $3,500. Over the past ten years the cost of weddings have grown significantly and become a huge social problem and a burden for families. The law caps the number of wedding guests to 500 and the cost per head at 400 afghanis (which is about $7 U.S.). (NBC News, April 1, 2015).

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. If you wrote a paper on a relevant topic and would like to share it send it to us for posting on the blog and website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Newsletter at 5:00 am EST

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

SIGAR Report on DoD Contracts for Afghanistan

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) released a report looking at the Department of Defense's contracts for Afghanistan reconstruction funding. The report notes that DoD contracts for Afghanistan reconstruction comprised $21 billion (out of $66 billion appropriated to DoD) through the award of 18,962 contracts to 2,542 vendors. The Afghan Security Forces Fund (ASFF) accounted for $17.3 billion in contracts. The Commander's Emergency Response Program (CERP) accounted for $795 million in contracts. The Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities Fund (DoD CN) accounted for $1.8 billion in contracts. The top recipient of DoD CN contracts was Academi Training Center (formerly known as Blackwater). You can read the full report on SIGAR's website at the link below.

Department of Defense Spending on Afghanistan Reconstruction: 2002 - May 2014, SIGAR, March 2015. http://www.sigar.mil/pdf/special%20projects/SIGAR-15-40-SP.pdf

Afghan War News Snippets (Apr 2, 2015)



Kabul Bank Case. President Ghani met with investigators of the Kabul Bank case as part of his commitments during his inauguration to finalize the country's largest corruption scandal. The Kabul Bank, once the country's largest institution, collapsed in 2010 due to corruption - much in part by the Karzai family.(Tolo News, 31 Mar 15).

Fighting in Helmand Gets Bloodier. The northern Helmand province area is seeing an upsurge in casualties as Afghan forces take the lead. (The Wall Street Journal, April 1, 2015, requires login).

10 Most Dangerous Countries in the World. Afghanistan made the list and is ranked fifth. Other countries include Nigeria, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine. (Radio Free Europe, April 1, 2015).

Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami Fight Each Other in Maidan Wardak. The Taliban and another insurgent group continue to fight each other in Wardak province. So there is a three-way fight going on there -  The ANSF, Taliban, and Hezb-i-Islami. (Khaama Press, Apr 1, 2015).

11 Passengers Kidnapped Sari-e-Pul. Passengers were kidnapped in Sari Pul. Looks like this is an ongoing event at least once a week across Afghanistan.

Ghani. One writer says things are different with Afghanistan. He wants us to "Give Ghani a Chance"The RAND Blog, March 31, 2015.

Females & Ranger School. Six more women qualified to attend Ranger School by passing the March rotation of the Ranger Training Assessment Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. That brings the number of women qualified to attend the 60-day course to 12 total. (Army Times,  April 1, 2015).

Turkmenistan-Afghan Border History. Do you ever wonder why Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan looks so odd? Read "How the British and the Russians Drew the Afghan-Turkmen Border", by Akhilesh Pillalamarri, The Diplomat, March 31, 2015.

U.S. Vision for Central Asia. Antony J. Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State, addressed the Brookings Institute on March 31, 2015 and the topic was on Central Asia and how it relates to security in Afghanistan.

New Focus on Central Asia By U.S. Joshua Kurcera writes in The Bug Pit of Eurasia.net that Washington has rolled out a new Central Asia policy with a focus on counterterrorism. (April 1, 2015).

What's Next for Central Asia? Richard E. Hoagland, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the State Department, addressed a gathering at Georgetown University on March 30, 2015. Topic was Central Asia.

ISIL in Central Asia. Silk Road Reporters published a post by Joe Peerson on April 1, 2015 entitled "ISIL in Central Asia - Swiftly Becoming a Reality".

Blackwater and Afghan Drugs. An article in Fortress America says that the paramilitary firm "Blackwater Is Still Getting Rich Screwing Up Our War on Afghan Drugs". (March 31, 2015).

Relying on Pakistan. The Huffington Post has an article that says securing Afghanistan means relying on the Pakistani Army. (March 31, 2015).

Taliban Commander Captured. The NDA captured a senior Taliban commander who is involved in targeting foreigners in Kabul. (The Long War Journal, Mar 31, 2015).

IED Analysis Course. ANA soldiers have recently graduated from the "Improvised Explosive Device Analysis Course". The ten-day long course is intended to help the ANA students build on their existing intelligence analysis skills to assist them in countering IEDs.  IEDs are the number one cause of casualties for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. Learn more about this IED course in "Afghans learn to analyze IED threat", RS News, April 1, 2015.

Customs Revenue Increases. The Ministry of Finance announced a four percent increase in government financial income in the first quarter of this year. (Khaama Press, April 1, 2015).

$400,000 Helmet. An infantryman's kevlar helmet costs a few hundred dollars but the helmet that an F-35 pilot wears is much more expensive. Read "Meet the most fascinating part of the F-35: The $400,000 helmet", The Washington Post, April 1, 2015.

Resistance to DCGS-A Persists. The Army's main intelligence gathering component, the Distributed Common Ground System, continues to face criticism among lawmakers and members of the military. The DCGS will eventually cost the military over $10 billion. (GCN, March 31, 2015).

Parliamentary Election Postponed? Second Vice-President Sarwar Danish revealed on Wednesday that the parliamentary election will be postponed and held in 2016. (Khaama Press, April 1, 2015).

More on Ghani. Dr. Harland K. Ullman writes about President Ghani in an article entitled "Winston Spencer Ghani", The Huffington Post Politics Blog, March 31, 2015.

Submit Your Article for Posting

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. If you wrote a paper on a relevant topic and would like to share it send it to us for posting on the blog and website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Daily Newsletter Signup

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. You will receive a confirmation email asking you if you want to subscribe. Just confirm and you are done. It is also easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the newsletter click "unsubscribe" and you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Resolute Support Bibliography (April 2015)

Afghan War News has posted an update of the "Resolute Support Annotated Bibliography" (April 2015) on its website. The bibliography is an Adobe Acrobat PDF with over 200 pages filled with links to websites, documents, and publications about the Resolute Support Mission, Security Force Assistance, Advising, and Afghanistan. It will be extremely helpful to the advisor and staff working at the corps, zone, institutional, or ministerial level in Afghanistan. It is also a good reference for those conducting research or pre-deployment training for Afghanistan. You can view or download the publication at the link below.

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

DoDIG Report on "Train, Advise, Assist, and Equip"

The Department of Defense Inspector General (Do DIG) office has issued a report about the Security Force Assistance mission in Afghanistan and Iraq. The reports overall objective was to provide DoD military commanders and other stakeholders responsible for Operation Inherent Resolve a summary of lessons learned gleaned from DoD IG assessment oversight of U.S. and Coalition "Train, Advise, Assist, and Equip" efforts during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The DoD IG reviewed 30 assessment reports issued by the DoD IG between July 2008 and January 2015. These reports contained 342 observations related to U.S. and Coalition efforts to develop the national security forces of Iraq and Afghanistan. In this summary project the authors sought lessons learned that might apply to future contingency operations as well as to Operation Inherent Resolve. The report identifies five systemic challenge and problem areas, with related lessons learned.

  • Training and Equipping of Partner Nation Security Forces and Ministries
  • Advisory Assistance in Support of Partner Nation Security Forces and Ministries
  • Logistics Development and Sustainment
  • Accountability and Control of U.S.-Supplied Equipment
  • U.S. Contract Management

Summary of Lessons Learned - DoD IG Assessment Oversight of "Train, Advise, Assist, and Equip" Operations by U.S. and Coalition Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan
Report No. DODIG-2015-093
March 31, 2015

http://www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2015-093.pdf

Article - What I Learned from ANSF

Carl Forsling, in an article about his time spent with a battalion of the Afghan Border Police (ABP), writes about what he learned from the Afghan security forces. In Everything I Really Need to Know I learned from Afghan Security Forces, Task & Purpose, March 31, 2015 he makes the following observations.


  • There is such a thing as too much planning
  • Risk is part of war
  • Speed and mobility can be force protection
  • Minimize logistical requirements
  • Aggressiveness can make up for a lack of skill
  • Don't be afraid to leave a subordinate in charge
  • Uneducated does not mean stupid
  • No better friend. No worse enemy
  • Always make time for tea