Afghan War News Snippets

Badakhshan. Reports indicate that the ANSF have started an operation against the Taliban in the Jurm district of Badakhshan province on April 25th.

Jalalabad Road. Hostages were taken by insurgents on Friday evening on the Kabul-Jalalabad highway. Reports say 7 were released (or rescued) but 3 remain in captivity.

Family Killed in Mortar Attack. At least five members of a family were killed and eleven others wounded following a mortar attack in eastern Laghman province. Militants are said to have fired the mortar round. (Khaama Press, Apr 25, 2015).

CEO Office Budget. It looks like the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah can buy some furniture for his office. The Parliament approved his position as a budgetary unit.

Top 10 Lessons from Afghan War. The Peace Stability Journal, Volume 5, Issue 3, April 2015 has an article entitled "Top Ten Lessons from the Afghanistan War, Negative and Positive Outcomes". The authors have put together an impressive list of the top ten positives and top ten failures. It is not too late to remedy a few of the failures.

Australian and New Zealand Military Observe ANZAC Day. ANZAC Day was observed in Kabul, Afghanistan. Watch an Australian Defense video.

PTSD and Sexual Dysfunction. A board-certified clinical psychologist who served two tours in Iraq provides info on PTSD and its relationship with sexual dysfunction.(Military Times, Apr 25, 2015).

Pentagon's New Cyber Strategy. In a speech at Stanford University U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter unveiled the Pentagon's new cyber strategy and made the case for greater collaboration between the government and the private sector (like those who work in Silicon Valley).

Cultural Support Team (CST). The role of two women on a Cultural Support Team while deployed to Afghanistan is profiled in "Meet the Real-Life G.I. Janes Who Served with Special Ops in Afghanistan", People Magazine, April 24, 2015.  

Hidden Cost of Drone Combat. The mental health of drone operators is discussed in "The Hidden Cost of Drone Combat: Soldier's Mental Health", Harvard Law School National Security Journal, April 24, 2015.

Hostage Rescues Hard to Do. The United States has some intelligence shortfalls when it comes to tracking locations of hostages. As the U.S. footprint on the ground in places like Afghanistan diminish its ability to collect human intelligence (HUMINT) also goes down. Read more in "War hostage locations are getting harder to track", Business Insider, April 24, 2015.

Video - "Afghan Crime Scene Training". Members from U.S. Forces Afghanistan and the Justice Center in Parwarn conduct training that focuses on collecting and documenting evidence on an active crime scene. Legal professionals from provinces across the country attend this training. (DVIDS, April 24, 2015).

www.dvidshub.net/video/400498/afghan-crime-scene-training

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 a.m. U.S. East coast time or just after lunch (1330) in Kabul. It is easy to subscribe. To submit your subscription request go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and enter your email 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.

Drones - Refueling in Air Coming Soon!

One of the distinct advantages of a drone is the amount of time it can spend over a specific geographic area. Some variants can spend 12 to 18 hours overhead before having to return to base to refuel. Now, another milestone has been reached - refueling in the air. Drones are not that far away from being refueled in the air. This is good news for the infantryman on the ground. There have been many occasions where a unit on the ground involved in a "Troops-in-Contact" (TIC) cringed when they heard over the radio that their UAV coverage was going off-station. Read more in "A Drone Has Never Linked Up With a Tanker Until Now", by Joseph Trevithick, War is Boring, April 16, 2015.

This leads me to a random but related thought. When is the Coalition (specifically TAAC-Air) going to recognize that the Afghan National Army (or the Afghan Air Force) could benefit from a small drone package that could be employed at corps level? Maybe something similar to the GOCO package that fielded Shadows to U.S. Army brigades in Afghanistan; augmenting the BCTs organic Shadow unit.

Watch a four-minute video depicting Shadow operations by a U.S. unit at FOB Fenty (Jalalabad) in May 2013. I visited this unit at the time and the Shadow provided great coverage throughout the area - providing surveillance at routes (spotting or discouraging IED emplacement) and responding to TICs. They are not a great pre-mission reconnaissance platform in many cases because of the noise but the Shadow has its uses.
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/289008/uav-shadow

The GOCO contract for the Afghans could provide U.S. contractors operating and maintaining the Shadow package from the TAAC bases but also in conjunction with a training package developing ANA capability to fly and maintain Shadows over a two year period. So I am thinking the contractors are based on the Coalition bases at J'bad, MeS, Herat, and KAF working side-by-side with Afghan ANA Soldiers who are trained to run Shadow operations. Perhaps the intel folks found within the MI kandaks at corps level. If the Islamic State can field drones - using them to conduct reconnaissance and battlefield coordination - then I am thinking a 14 year old Army can figure it out. So we wean the Afghans off our drone capability and help them develop their own drone capability.

Oh oh. But we are only on these TAAC bases at best for one more year. Looks like we are two years too late with this idea. I guess we should have started two years ago when the war was only 12 years old.

Sorry, just thinking out loud.

Sarah Chayes - Corruption in Afghanistan

Sarah Chayes discusses her new book "Thieves of State". She lived in Afghanistan for ten years and served as an advisor to ISAF. Watch a one hour plus video where she discusses corruption in Afghanistan and around the world. She believes that an underlying cause of conflict is the presence of corruption. Posted on YouTube.com by the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on April 24, 2015. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KViCNUFegXU

Afghan War News Snippets

Russian Enroute to Afghan Jihad Killed. A Russian national traveling to Afghanistan to join insurgents was killed by Tajik police.

Profile of Italian Hostage. Justine Drennan has penned an article about the Italian, Giovanni Lo Porto, who was killed in a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan while being held captive by al Qaeda. (Foreign Policy, Apr 23, 2015).

Profile of U.S. Hostage. Siobhan O'Grady has wrote an article about Warren Weinstein who was killed in the U.S. drone attack in Pakistan while being held by al Qaeda. (Foreign Policy, Apr 23, 2015).

Al Qaeda Still a Concern. According to a news report al Qaeda hiding in the AfPak region remain a concern of the United States. (Economic Times - India, Apr 24, 2015).

Taliban Attack Ghazni Govt Compounds. Rocket attacks were launched against government compounds in southeastern Ghazni province early on Friday morning - the day announced by the Taliban as the start of the 2015 fighting season. (Khaama Press, Apr 24, 2105).

Kandahar City Power Project to Shut Down. A proposed withdrawal of stable electricity supply from factories and homes in the key Afghan city raises security fears and threatens fragile development gains. The project is in jeopardy as USAID prepares to pull the plug. (The Guardian, Apr 24, 2015).

Father Son Reunion in Helmand Province. Recently the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan helped Suliman, a young boy from Helmand province reunite after a long separation. Watch a 3-min video published April 22, 2015 and posted by ICRC.

https://youtu.be/YNm7-LbIXek

India Hosting President Ghani. India hopes to regain lost ground in its relations with Afghanistan. The Afghan president has been getting friendlier with China and Pakistan which cuts into Indian influence. (Reuters,  Apr 23, 2015).

Hazaras in the Crosshairs? A lot of press has recently been given to the possibility that the Hazaras (usually found in the mountainous region of Central Afghanistan) are now being targeted by the Taliban and other groups because of their ethnicity. Some worry that this rash of recent abductions and killings might be a new trend of targeting this ethnic group. The folks at Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) delve a little deeper in the facts to separate fact from fiction. (AAN, April 24, 2015).

Italy Targets Suspects. Afghans and Pakistanis who were connected with an al Qaeda plot to support attacks against Pakistan's government and U.S. forces in Afghanistan were targeted by Italian police. (Voice of America, Apr 24, 2015).

Contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq. An 'opinion' piece' about U.S. contractors in war zones. Hmmmm. (Cleveland.com, Apr 24, 2015).

Report - Peace Process - Lessons Learned. "Of all the armed conflicts that have come to a peaceful end since the mid-1980s, 75% have done so via a negotiated settlement." Read more in The design and architecture of peace processes: lessons learned in the wake of crises, Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre, April 2015.

Author: Peace Talks Necessary. The author of three books about Afghanistan, James Fergusson, is interviewed on the prospects for peace in that country. He feels that the Taliban will not stop fighting and will pose a serious challenge to the ANSF. He believes that the ANSF will continue fighting as long as they continue to be paid and the international community provides funding for the Afghan government. He thinks the war will stop only with a political settlement resulting in a power sharing agreement with the Taliban. (Gandhara  Blog - Radio Free Europe, April 25, 2015).
http://gandhara.rferl.org/content/afghanistan-needs-peace-settlement/26976331.html

Indian Helicopters Provided to Afghanistan. According to a news report India has provided three multi-role Cheeteal helicopters to the Afghan Air Force. They were officially added in April 2015. The helicopters can be used for personnel transport, evacuation, reconnaissance, and aerial survey. They are capable of operating in high-altitude areas. (Khaama Press, April 24, 2015).

Report on Drugs. "Afghan Narcotrafficking: The State of Afghanistan's Borders", Joint U.S.-Russia Working Group, East West Institute, April 2015.
www.ewi.info/sites/default/files/ideas-files/Afghanistan-Borders.pdf

Lamb Pelts Aid Afghan Economy. Finland plays a big role in the lamb pelt trade of Afghan herders in northern Afghanistan. Read more in "Niche Trade in Lamb Pelts Proves Vital to Ailing Afghan Economy", The New York Times, April 23, 2015.

Hostage Problems. The rash of killed U.S. hostages is a troubling dilemma for the United States. Failed rescue attempts, beheadings, trading POWs for Taliban commanders, and drones killing hostages have put the U.S. hostage policy and procedures in question. Some think that the U.S. government needs a 'hostage czar'. Read "White House won't rule out hostage 'czar'', USA Today, April 24, 2015.

"Studies in Intelligence". The latest CIA publication - 'Journal of the American Intelligence Professional' is now available online. Volume 59, Number 1, March 2015 has a number of intriguing articles.

Afghan Election 2014. Afghanistan's 2014 presidential election did lead to its first peaceful transfer of power. However, it was scarcely democratic despite the 'rave support' of the U.S. Department of State cheerleaders. The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has published a report that explores the election and its internationally mediated unity government outcome (our State Dept at work). Read "Understanding Afghanistan's 2014 Presidential Election: The Limits to Democracy in a Limited Access Order", by William A. Byrd, April 24, 2015.

Book Review - "The Wrong Enemy". The book by Carlotta Gall - "The Wrong Enemy: American in Afghanistan, 2001-2014", (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014), 289 pp. is reviewed by John H. Kavanagh. Review is posted on the Central Intelligence Agency library at this link.

49th MCB Returns from Afghanistan. Soldiers from the 49th Movement Control Battalion of the 4th Sustainment Brigade arrived home (Fort Hood) from a deployment to Kuwait and Afghanistan. While deployed their mission was to manage transportation operations for host nation trucks for sustainment and retrograde support. They also assisted in the closing of forward operating bases as the U.S. forces conducted their withdrawal. (Fort Hood Sentinel, April 23, 2015).

Ghani Orders Investigation into UN Police Report. Afghanistan's president has ordered the interior minister to investigate why a United Nations-funded report on corruption in the Afghan police was ignored and to take appropriate action. The report recommended firing senior police officials for sabotaging the main system for processing complaints about misconduct in the force. The oversight by the United Nations on the Law and Order Trust Fund of Afghanistan (LOTFA) has been poor and corrupt police officials have stolen millions of dollars from the fund. Read a news report by Reuters, April 24, 2015.

EU Signs EUPOL Agreement with MoI. The European Union Mission in Afghanistan announced on Thursday that it was extending its mission in Afghanistan for another two years. The European Union Police has been providing training to the Afghan National Police (ANP) since 2009 in various fields. (Tolo News, Apr 23, 2015).

Drones Killing Innocents. Robert Bechhusen and Matthew Gault provide us their insight into drone warfare after the accidental killing of two al Qaeda hostages in a drone attack in Pakistan. Read "Drones Kill Innocent People All the Time: But now the White House can't deny it", War is Boring, April 24, 2015.

Drones Killing al Qaeda Leadership. Declan Walsh tells us that high-level losses among al Qaeda's top leadership in Pakistan's tribal belt have resulted a diminished leadership capacity. Read his story in The New York Times,  April 24, 2015.

Understanding Insurgency. A Special Forces officer provides us a 25 minute presentation on "Understanding Insurgent Origins, Behavior, & Political Membership", United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), April 24, 2015. (Posted on the USASOC Channel - YouTube).

https://youtu.be/OG7PjFOkOCc

Video of Afghanistan. The "Humans of Kabul" provide a four-minute video of Afghan scenery and Afghan life on Vimeo. No bombs, gunfire, or poverty. Not sure of the soundtrack but . . . Just life in Afghanistan. https://vimeo.com/117363500

Switzerland "Happiest Country". Afghanistan? Not so much. According to the 2015 World Happiness Report the mountainous nation of Switzerland is the place to be. Afghanistan placed 153 out of 158. So that is why I get that feeling in the pit of my stomach when the Safi Airways flight touches down at Kabul International Airport. The report is published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. (Radio Free Europe, April 24, 2015).

Afghan War 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 a.m. U.S. East coast time or just after lunch (1330) in Kabul. It is easy to subscribe. To submit your subscription request go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and enter your email 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.

COIN Strategy Doesn't Work?

James F. Jeffrey explains in the March/April 2015 issue of Foreign Policy "Why Counterinsurgency Doesn't Work". He says the problem is in the strategy, not the execution. Huh. I thought that the execution was faulty but the strategy was good. The author explores the counterinsurgency wars of the United States in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He says our military can get the "Clear, Hold" parts of "Clear, Hold, Build" counterinsurgency done; but that the civilian agencies (DoS, DoJ, DEA, USAID, etc.) of the United States government always seem to fall short in the 'nation building' arena of the conflict.

Jeffrey concludes the article with this:

"What, then, should U.S. policymakers do when faced with an insurgency? If possible, Washington should respond by backing friendly local forces. If not, it should accept the consequences of a victorious insurgency, contain its spread, and protect critical allies. But to embark on another U.S.-troop-centric counterinsurgency mission would do an injustice to the fine men and women who serve in the U.S. military".

Ah. So now I get it. COIN strategy can be broken into two different approaches.

One approach is the use of massive amounts of U.S. troops on the ground in a foreign nation attaining a sufficient force to population ratio conducting counterinsurgency (and doing the lion's share of the fighting - as in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam). This type of COIN was endorsed in FM 3-24, Counterinsurgency,  2006. Some call this 'population-centric COIN."

A second approach is in the "By, With, and Through" methodology favored by U.S. Army Special Forces. This is where highly-trained Combat Foreign Internal Defense teams (C-FID) of twelve advisors are embedded with the indigenous host nation forces (at battalion and brigade level) to train, advise, and assist. In other words, let the host nation forces do the fighting (clear and hold) and the host nation (assisted by Civil Affairs teams and U.S. agencies) do the building. In a more hostile environment there may be the need for conventional FID teams (as in the SFAATs used in Afghanistan or the MiTTs in Iraq) to work in conjunction with SOF advisory teams.

So, in my view, it isn't the counterinsurgency strategy that is wrong - it is the approach and execution of that strategy.

Drone Strike Kills al Qaeda Hostages

Two western captives, one American and one Italian held in Pakistan by al Qaeda, were killed in a drone strike by the United States in January 2015. Warren Weinstein was an American development expert and Giovanni Lo Porto an Italian aid worker.  The American and the Italian were both held for three years or more. Some will use this event to support their argument that drone warfare is bad and immoral and ineffective. Others will point to the lack of boots on the ground, declining ability to interrogate captured prisoners, and a diminished human intelligence (HUMINT) capability as a limitation of drone warfare.

See Max  Boot's article in Commentary Magazine April 23, 2015 for more on the limits of using drones. Read a statement by the President on the deaths of Warren Weinstein and Giovanni Lo Porto, White House, April 23, 2015. Another news story details a plan that was to recover several western hostages held in Pakistan - The Washington Post, April 23, 2015.

SIGAR Report: Vacant Kandahar Industrial Park

During an inspection SIGAR found one active business in the $7.8 million Shorandam Industrial Park in Kandahar. It was originally planned to accommodate 48 businesses. It appears that the set up of a power generator by U.S. forces on the industrial compound causes Afghan businesses to shy away from the site. The power generator is no longer there but the site still remains largely vacant. Read Shorandam Industrial Park: Poor Recordkeeping and Lack of Electricity Prevented a Full Inspection of this $7.8 Million Facility, SIGAR 15-50 Inspection Report, April 2015.

www.sigar.mil/pdf/inspections/SIGAR-15-50-IP.pdf

Afghan Ski Paradise

The mountainous province of Bamyan in central Afghanistan is the site of the beginnings of a ski paradise. During winter months this region sees lots of snow and there are plenty of slopes. Bamyan is one of the more peaceful provinces of Afghanistan. In addition the scenery is spectacular. Watch a five-minute long video by Deutsche Welle (Germany), April 23, 2105.
www.dw.de/a-skiers-paradise-in-afghanistan/av-18395111

Afghan War News Snippets

General Petraeus Sentenced. The retired four-star general, former commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and former CIA director received a sentence of two years probation and $100,000. Some critics say if he was someone else the penalty may have been more severe. Others point out that he shared notes with a United States Army LTC of the Military Intelligence branch with a Top Secret clearance. No Harm, No Foul?

Half-Finished Construction Projects. Anyone who has spent any time in Afghanistan is tainted with just how badly the U.S. managed the many construction projects over the past decade. And the news isn't getting any better. I am a firm believer that we needed less 19-year-old kids from New York City and more accountants and contracting officials deployed to Afghanistan. Read "Americans Keep Paying for Bad Work for Afghan Contractors", by Matthew Gault, War is Boring, April 23, 2015.

Video. Watch a short video (30 seconds) of Afghan Air Force MD-530s firing on the range. (NATO, April 21, 2015). www.facebook.com/NATO/videos/889557661067566/

Cell Phone Towers are Targets. One of the favorite targets of insurgents are cell phone towers. Usually these are spared if they provide 'protection money'. It's not always insurgents that target the cell phone towers; the criminal networks will do the same. In some areas the Taliban allow the cell phone towers to remain operational - but only during daytime hours. A cell tower in Maidan Wardak was recently destroyed.

Holbrooke's Disagreement w/ Obama Admin. Richard C. Holbrooke was the Obama administration's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is now known that he kept a secret audio diary detailing his frustrations with the White House - believing that it was too willing to listen to the military and that it mistook domestic political calculations for strategic thinking. Read "Richard C. Holbrooke's Diary of Disagreement with Obama Administration", The New York Times, April 22, 2015.

ANA Slaughterhouse Construction under Investigation. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction is investigating the spending of $1.25 million for an Afghan National Army (ANA) slaughterhouse that was never completed. Read SIGAR 15-51 Inspection Report, April 2015. www.sigar.mil/pdf/inspections/SIGAR-15-51-IP.pdf

Border Police Missing. Policemen have gone missing after a Taliban attack on their checkpost in the Bala Murghab district of northwestern Badghis province. security has been deteriorating in this part of Afghanistan. (Khaama Press, Apr 23, 2105). See also this report which says the Taliban killed the nine border guards (ABC News, Apr 23, 2015).

National Strategy Needed by Afghanistan. Christopher Kolenda writing in Gandhara Blog (Radio Free Europe) on April 24, 2015 says that "Afghanistan Needs a National Strategy to Succeed".

Roadside Bomb Kills Six Civilians. A roadside bombing killed civilians in the country's southwest region. The six killed included four children and a man and a woman. (CTVNews.ca, Apr 23, 2105).

Australia Issues Travel Warning. On April 23, 2015 the Australia government issued a travel warning for Afghanistan. www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Afghanistan

IS in Pakistan. A writer examines the signs of the Islamic State moving into Pakistan. Read "Islamic State faces a complex web of militant groups and violence in Pakistan", New Statesman, April 23, 2015.

China and India. Central Asia is receiving a lot of attention from China, India and even Russia. That is leaving the U.S. on the edges. But, according to one analyst, that shouldn't concern Washington as the actions of China and India will result in greater development and stability for Central Asia. This is also the goal of the U.S. Department of States New Silk Road Initiative. Read more of this good news story in "Happy to Play Second Fiddle", by Michael Kugelman, Foreign Policy, April 22, 2015.

UAE - A dependable U.S. Ally. The UAE has supported American military adventures in Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Kosova, and Afghanistan. Learn more in a news report in War is Boring, April 23, 2015.

Undermining Terrorist Financing. Dr. Seth Jones, a expert on the Afghan conflict (and many other security related topics) provided testimony before the House Financial Services Committee. Read it in "Breaking the Bank: Undermining Terrorist Financing", RAND Corporation, April 22, 2015.

Update on Women in Ranger School. The original 19 females in Ranger School are down to 8. Of the 381 men there are 184 left. The first four days of the Ranger course are tough and is called the Ranger Assessment Phase (RAP). Read about historic Ranger School statistics:
www.benning.army.mil/infantry/RTB/

A Feminist Perspective on Use of Drones. One writer argues against the strategic utility of drones to neutralize terrorist organizations in "Drones, Gender and Classical Realists", E-International Relations, April 17, 2015.

A Scholar Interviewed on Gender, Security, and Military Contractors. Paul Higate of the University of Bristol is interviewed on a number of issues in an news story posted on E-International Relations on April 22, 2015.

2014 Report on Security Clearance Determinations. The Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) of 2010 requires the President to submit an annual report on Security Clearance Determinations to Congress.  You can read the report on the website of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, April 23, 2015.

CRS Pub on SOF. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has published a report entitled U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress, by Andrew Feickert, April 9, 2015.

Afghan War News by Email Everyday

You can receive the Afghan War News Daily Newsletter each day. It should arrive in your e-mail inbox at 5:00 a.m. U.S. East coast time or just after lunch (1330) in Kabul. It is easy to subscribe. To submit your subscription request go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and enter your email 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

AAF Hind Gunships: Little Time Left

Mi-35 Gunships Going Away. The Pentagon doesn't want to do business with Russia anymore. This has an effect on the Afghan Air Force which depends on Russian built and maintained helicopters for its Afghan Air Force. One of these helicopters is the Russian 'flying tank' or Mi-35 Hind Attack Helicopter. These Mi-35s will probably not be flying a year from now as they are getting old and falling apart. At one time the AAF had nine Mi-35s but since then they are at between 2 and 4 that are actually flying. Many of the Hinds were cannibalized for spare parts. The U.S. has decided to provide the Afghan Air Force with the MD-530F (made by an American firm of course). The AAF will receive a total of 12 armed MD-530Fs and guns and armor will be added to five other MD-530s that are currently used to train Afghan pilots. The MD-530F is nimble and fast but it carries fewer weapons than the Hind and it doesn't have nearly as much armored protection. The MD-530F is a stop-gap measure until the A-29 Super Tucano is delivered and integrated into operations. Read "Afghanistan's Iconic Hind Gunships Won't Fly Much Longer", by Joseph Trevithick, War is Boring, April 22, 2015.

Trouble Brewing to the East

Afghanistan shares a narrow border with China. To the east of this border lies the province of Xinjiang or Uighuristan - where the Uighurs live. The Uighurs have long been seeking independence from the Chinese (unsuccessfully) and many have fled to neighboring Central Asian countries for refuge and to continue their independence related activities from outside China. However, China is expanding its influence in the Central Asian area and receiving more cooperation from these countries. This is having a dampening effect on the ability of the Uighurs living in exile to conduct their anti-state activities. Read more in "Dreaming of Uighuristan", BBC News, April 16, 2015.
www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32337643

Afghan Taliban Spring Offensive Announced

As they do almost every year the Afghan Taliban have announced their "spring offensive". This years offensive will start on Friday, April 24th. The main targets will be 'foreign occupiers' and the 'stooge regime'. The Quetta Shura has called this year's spring offensive 'Azm' - which means resolve or determination. Sort of similar to 'Resolute Support'. Learn more about the spring offensive in "Afghan Taliban announces new 'spring operations'", The Long War Journal, April 22, 2015.

Event - Kelptocracy & U.S. National Security (April 23)

The Hudson Institute is holding a panel discussion on "Kleptocracy and U.S. National Security" on Thursday, April 23, 2015. It starts at 12:00 pm EST and finishes up an hour later. The event is about corruption in government around the world; so it doesn't focus in on Afghanistan. However, in reading a description of the panel discussion (see below) it just screams Afghanistan. You can watch a live-stream of the event at this link www.hudson.org.

www.hudson.org/events/1241-kleptocracy-and-u-s-national-security42015

"Throughout the world, high-level corruption undermines the rule of law, confidence in public authorities, and human rights. the turmoil following the Arab spring, the increasing violence of narcotics cartels in Latin America, and the war in Ukraine illustrate the threat kleptocracy poses to both international stability and U.S. national security.

Federal law enforcement agencies are increasingly targeting corrupt officials, their illicit assets, and the institutions that enable kleptocracy. Since corrupt agents often look to the Western financial system as a vehicle for legitimizing and protecting their money, the importance of the the U.S. to this system offers far greater leverage over kleptocractic regimes than is currently acknowledge".

Afghan War News Snippets

SIGAR Ltr of Inquiry on Kandahar City Electric Power. The Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has wrote to the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, General Campbell, and a few others requesting information on the status of the U.S. government's efforts to develop a reliable and sustainable source of power for Kandahar City after September 2015. Read the April 17, 2015 letter at the link below.

www.sigar.mil/pdf/special%20projects/SIGAR-15-47-SP.pdf

Taliban Beheadings to Increase? A wave of kidnappings and subsequent beheadings have some observers thinking that the Taliban are in competition with ISIS for the headlines. Perhaps the Taliban are trying to show that they can be as brutal as the Islamic State with their decapitation of the Hazaras they have kidnapped. Read more in a news story by The New York Times, April 22, 2015. 

ISIS Bombing in Jalalabad - a Close Examination. The Islamic State claimed credit for the bombing in Jalalabad that claimed 35 lives - and the Taliban denied the attack. The folks at the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) take a closer look at this incident in "First wave of IS attacks? Claim and denial over the Jalalabad bombs", AAN, April 22, 2015.

Pakistan Perceptions of the Taliban. By now everyone should know that, from the Pakistan perspective - there exists the 'Good Taliban" and the "Bad Taliban". But it gets more complex than that. Read "Education and Attitudes in Pakistan: Understanding Perceptions of Terrorism", United States Institute of Peace (USIP), April 21, 2015.

Afghan Interpreter - A Better Life in U.S. is Elusive. In a detailed news story an Afghan interpreter relates his story of working for five years as an interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the frustrating journey to get here (that would be visa problems with our State Department), and the difficulties adapting to life in the United States. Read "Where the Grave Isn't Free: An Afghan Interpreter Struggles with US Resettlement", Voice of America, April 22, 2015.

70 % Afghan Police Illiterate. UNESCO has stated that statistics show Afghanistan security institutions are struggling with the issue of illiteracy among its staff - especially in the police force. Read more in "60,000 Afghan Police are Illiterate", Tolo News, April 22, 2015.

CIA  - Help Wanted. The Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service is looking for summer help. College students can apply for an internship. The pay looks pretty good!

www.cia.gov/careers/student-opportunities/ncs-intern.html

A Cost of War - Sexual Dysfunction. Here is an article I never thought I would read - but it opened my eyes a bit about combat injuries both physical and mental. Read "When the Costs of War Impact the Capacity for Intimacy", Task & Purpose, April 21, 2015.

IC Transparency Report. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has released its "Calendar Year 2014 Transparency Report", April 22, 2015. This provides data, information, and statistics on the use of national security authorities.

Afghan Turkmen Caught in Middle. Fighting between Taliban militants and Afghan government forces have put some Afghan Turkmen on the northern Afghanistan border in a difficult position. Read more in "Afghan Turkmen Trapped Near Border with Turkmenistan", Eurasianet.org, April 22, 2015.

Contract Drone Pilots. Some companies are offering Air Force drone pilots up to twice as much money to fly drones as contractors. (matthewaid.com, April 22, 2015).

Obama Narrative Threatened by Taliban. The administrations' story-line on Afghanistan is put in question by recent activity of the Taliban. The security situation on the ground may derail the planned departure of the U.S. from Afghanistan. (Fox News, April 22, 2015).

Insufficient Support to Partner Nation SOF Forces. Leading members of the Global Special Operations Forces Foundation (Stuart Bradin and Meaghan Keeler-Pettigrew) say that U.S. security assistance is not supporting enduring programs that build credible special operations partners. They say that we are not selling or giving our partners the capabilities that are critical to defeating the imminent threats they face today in hybrid warfare. Read more in "Special Forces: What U.S. Gets Wrong", CNN News, April 22, 2015.

Why Groups Use Terrorism. A few college academics tell us about terrorism. (Political Violence @ a Glance, April 22, 2015).

Intelligence Reform. David Shedd and Matthew Ferraro provide us with six ways to make sure America's leaders and troops get the intel they need. Read "Intelligence Reform 2.0", Defense One, April 21, 2015.

Augmented Reality Glasses for the Battlefield. The Marines are testing a pair of glasses that provide intelligence to ground troops - using a head-up display and gun-mounted mouse. For a look into the future read this story in Popular Science, April 22, 2015.

Conference - Unmanned Systems 2015. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) is running a conference and trade show on unmanned systems in Atlanta, Georgia on May 4-7, 2015. www.auvsishow.org/auvsi2015/public/enter.aspx

Sign Up for 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 a.m. U.S. East coast time or just after lunch (1330) in Kabul. It is easy to subscribe. To submit your subscription request go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and enter your email 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.

Paper - Helicopter Options for Partner Nations

RAND Corporation has published a report that could be useful to air advisors of TAAC Air who are training, advising, and assisting the Afghan Air Force. The paper, entitled "Cost-Effective Helicopter Options for Partner Nations" was published in April 2015. It is an Adobe Acrobat PDF, 67 pages long, and 4 MBs big. The authors conducted an analysis on several helicopters - both utility and attack. The Mi-17 transport helicopter currently in use by the Afghan Air Force is compared with several other helicopters of a similar class. Some of the research questions that the paper attempts to answer include:

1. What types of missions does the US want partner nations to accomplish?
2. What are the capabilities of various helicopters to execute these missions?
3. What are the most cost-effective helicopters for accomplishing these missions?

www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR141z1.html

Event - Intl Dev Conflict Environments (April 30, 2015)

The International NGO Safety and Security Association (INSSA) is hosting an event (in person and online) entitled "International Development in Conflict / post-Conflict Environments" on Thursday, April 30, 2015. It is taking place at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and can be viewed on the INSSA Online YouTube channel or the INSSA Live page. The event is from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. INSSA is a non-profit global membership association of individuals committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of safety and security for humanitarian relief and development assistance workers operating in complex and dangerous environments.

Afghan War News Snippets

A New Kandahar. The Washington Post's Kabul bureau chief, Sudarsan Raghavan, compares modern-day Kandahar to one he knew in 1996 under Taliban rule. Much has changed. The population has grown ten-fold, it has a modern airport, and the city is thriving economically. Read more in "The last time I saw Kandahar, it was a remote Taliban bastion. How that's changed", April 20, 2015.

Kandahar Explosion. Press reports say that two people were killed and 21 others injured in an explosion in Kandahar city on Tuesday morning. (Khaama Press, April 21, 2015).

205th Coalition Advisory Team (CAT). The Australians are part of the advisory team providing training, advise, and assistance to the 205th ANA Corps in southern Afghanistan. The Aussies are augmented with personnel from the United States and Bulgaria. The 205 CAT provides advisors across a range of functions including operations, intelligence and planning as well as other enabling functions. Read more in a Facebook posting by Resolute Support Hqs, April 21, 2015.

Typical Day for MG Mike Murray - Deputy Cdr USFOR-A. So what does a typical day look like for the commander of U.S. Forces - Afghanistan. Based at Bagram Airfield, the general starts and ends his day with operations update from his staff in the joint operations center (JOC). Then office meetings and sometimes trips off base. Read more in a Facebook posting by USFOR-A, April 21, 2015.

Shiite Hazara Worried. A recent spate of kidnappings of Hazaras over the past few months have put the Harzara community on edge. Read "Kidnappings Rattle Afghan Minority", The Wall Street Journal, April 20, 2015. (subscription needed).

16 New Cabinet Members Approved. Afghanistan is one minister short of having a full cabinet. The remaining empty seat is most likely the most important one. The cabinet nominees were approved by lawmakers in Kabul. Eight ministers had been approved by the Wolesi Jirga earlier. (Radio Free Europe, April 21, 2015).

New MoD Minister Nominee? News reports indicate that the National Unity Government (NUG) leaders have agreed on Abdullah Habibi as their nominee for leadership of the Ministry of Defense (MoD). Habibi hails from Kunar province and has an MA in Military Affairs. (Tolo News, Apr 20, 2015).

Visit to MoI Logistics Facility. On April 20th General Campbell (RSM Cdr) and MG Semonite (CSTC-A Cdr) visited the Ministry of Interior's logistic facility in Wardak province. A large part of continuing the Train-Advise-Assist mission is helping the Afghans develop and maintain systems and processes which will enable long-term sustainability for their security forces. (RSM Facebook, April 21, 2015).

RSM HQs Hosts International Issues Forum. On April 21st the Resolute Support Headquarters hosted forum with representatives from Italy, Germany, United States, European Union, UN, and NATO attending. The topic of the meeting was Afghanistan and NATO's Enduring Partnership and the support that each country / agency provides. (RSM Facebook, April 21, 2015).

UNAMA Meets w/ Kunduz Women. As part of its mandated work to assist the people of Afghanistan inlaying the foundations for peace and development in the country Human Rights officials from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) meet with rural women in the north-eastern province of Kunduz. The meeting with the women focused on women and their role in peacebuilding. (UNAMA News Update, April 21, 2015).

Friendly Fire Air Crew Returns to Duty. Despite an investigation that found some startling deficiencies no charges have been made. The Air Force B-1B air crew that dropped two bombs that killed five U.S. soldiers that were part of a U.S. Special Forces mission in Zabul province in 2014 in returning to duty. Read the news report in The Washington Times, April 20, 2015.

Funeral Held for Soldier Killed in Afghanistan. A funeral was held on Monday in Massachusetts for a U.S. Army Soldier recently killed from the 101st Airborne Division. (Kentucky.com, April 20, 2015).

Despair in Afghanistan. An Afghan who returned to her country in 2003 after years of exile expresses her disillusionment on the Afghanistan of today. Read "Afghanistan - - Where Is It Headed?", The Huffington Post, April 21, 2015.

Hearing on Global Terrorist Financing. The Committee on Financial Services will be holding a hearing on April 22, 2015 at 10:00 am (EST) on "A Survey of Global Terrorism and Terrorist Financing". Speakers include Dr. Seth Jones - director of International Security and Defense Policy Center, RAND Corporation. Should be able to webcast it to your computer.
http://financialservices.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=398891

Former Army Col Pleads Guilty. A former U.S. Army Colonel pleads guilty in connection with Afghan Mi-17 helicopter procurement contracts. (U.S. Department of Justice, April 20, 2015).

Caliphate - A Powerful Word. Rashid Dar explores the meaning and use of the word in his article "The Other C-Word: 'Caliphate'", Cicero Magazine, April 21, 2015.

Female Rangers. An opinion piece by retired general David Barno and Nora Bensahel says that "Female Rangers will lead the way, sooner or later", War is Boring, April 21, 2015.

Saving Deminers. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) says that at least 19 deminers abducted by militants of the Haqqani Network were rescued by operatives of Afghan intelligence on Tuesday. The militants were from Gardez, Paktia province (home of the 203rd Corps). Read more in a news report by Khaama Press,  April 21, 2015.

Taliban Admit to Beheadings. The insurgents say the beheadings of ANA soldiers took place during clashes last week in the northern province of Badakhshan. Read more in a news report in The Long War Journal, April 21, 2015.

Saving the A-10. Martha McSally, a retired Air Force officer, pilot, and now member of Congress, has penned a piece entitled "Saving a Plane That Saves Lives", The New York Times, April 21, 2015.

Political Process in Afghanistan Criticized. Some Afghan citizens complain that political parties are vehicles for personal advancement rather than public good. Read "Afghans Feel Let Down by Politics", Institute for War & Peace Reporting, April 21, 2015.

Develop 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. Frequency of submission is up to you. 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.  If I missed an important story about Afghanistan - please let me know. Send the link! And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

Coffee (or Tea) and Afghan News in A.M.

You can receive the Afghan War News Daily Newsletter each day. It should arrive in your e-mail inbox at 5:00 a.m. U.S. East coast time or just after lunch (1330) in Kabul. It is easy to subscribe. To submit your subscription request go to www.afghanwarnews.blogspot.com and enter your email 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.

DoDIG Report - Equipping and Training Afghan Security Forces

The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Defense has issued a new report dated April 17, 2015 entitled "Equipping and Training Afghan Security Forces". The report states that challenges exist for asset accountability and maintenance and sustainment of vehicles within the Afghan National Security Forces. The reports objective was to determine whether the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's Ministries of Defense and Interior have controls in place to effectively manage asset accountability for vehicles. This 50-page report, DoDIG-2015-107, presents it findings and offers recommendations. This is probably good background reading for those Resolute Support advisors working in Essential Function 5 - Force Sustainment.

Report is available on the DoDIG website at the link below:
www.dodig.mil//pubs/report_summary.cfm?id=6327

UNAMA - Reforms Needed for Afghan Women

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in conjunction with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) has issued a report saying that reforms are needed to ensure women are protected in Afghanistan. The report says that access to justice for women victims of violence needs to be strengthened. It says that while there is a legal framework in place for such cases, there remain many factors hindering access to justice. The report identifies the factors that enable hindering the legal framework. The report provides several recommendations to improve the justice process for women. In the report historical cases are reviewed for how justice was achieved - in one study it was found that less than 5% of the cases brought before adjudication were resolved with punishment for the perpetrators.

UNAMA Press Release:
Reforms needed to ensure justice for women victims of violence, UNAMA, April 15, 2015.

UNAMA Report:
Justice Through the Eyes of Afghan Women: Cases of Violence against Women Addressed through Mediation and Court Adjudication, UNAMA, April 15,  2015.

ISIS in Afghanistan?

The Islamic State has been blamed for and they took credit for the killing of 35 and wounding of over a hundred residents of Jalalabad, Afghanistan in a suicide bombing. (see Military Times story, Apr 18, 2015). In a statement, a group calling itself the "Province of Khorasan", provided the name and photo of the suicide bomber who conducted the attack. Many observers have raised the alarm about the growth of ISIS in Afghanistan while others say it is simply a scattering of independent groups of insurgents changing one insurgent flag for another. In a recent press report from Khaama Press (April 20, 2015) it appears that the two insurgent groups - the Taliban and ISIS - have declared Jihad against each other. One analyst, Michael Kugelman, says that the Jalalabad attack won't be the last (DW.de, Apr 220, 2015).

Anthony Cordesman is interviewed about ISIS in Afghanistan in a five-minute video posted on Public Broadcasting System (PBS). He says that there is a lack of stability due to an Afghan government that is not governing and an Afghan security force that has not met expectation. Watch "Threat of terror groups builds following ISIS suicide bombing in Afghanistan", April 18, 2015.

The possible growth of ISIS in Afghanistan needs to be taken seriously. By all accounts, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is extremely organized and well-led. Documents recently recovered showed a sophisticated plan for the growth of ISIS in Syria followed by a push into Iraq. The detailed plans for the organizing of an intelligence structure are an indication of the advanced planning conducted for the establishment of the Caliphate. Learn more about the intelligence structure of ISIS in a very detailed report by Spiegel Online International (April 18, 2015). Should ISIS attain a foothold in Afghanistan it is very likely that this sophisticated organization will prove to be a formidable opponent.

ACME Lab at Bagram Airfield

Forensic Science on the Battlefield. The Afghanistan Captured Material Exploitation (ACME) Laboratory on Bagram Airfield is a U.S. forensic lab in theater. The lab is staffed almost entirely by civilian technicians and scientists. Many of the labs workers come from the Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC) in Forest Park, Georgia. The ACME lab is subordinate to the joint multi-disciplined intelligence brigade of U.S. Forces - Afghanistan. The lab provides critical forensic analysis including DNA, fingerprint, and weapons technical inspections to identify force protection threats and enable host nation criminal prosecutions. The lab also takes part in the Train, Advise, and Assist mission by training Afghans. Every six weeks the lab trains 30 to 60 Afghan judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement professionals from around Afghanistan at the Afghan National Security Justice Center in Parwan province. Read more in a news story posted on Army.mil, April 18, 2015.
 http://www.army.mil/article/146737/

Afghan War News Snippets

MoI Support & Supply. General Campbell, Resolute Support Mission Cdr, and the Ministry of Interior Minister recently visited MoI support & supply center to assess current capacities and needs. The logistics operation for the Afghan police has been broke for a long time.

Hamid Karzai Visits Germany. Karzai, the ex-president is visiting Germany - he has lots of meetings, interviews, and speeches scheduled. He has been busy traveling overseas quite a bit since his departure from government.

Blood-Clotting Gel. The UK's Forces.TV  (April 20, 2015) is reporting on a battlefield advancement in medical care that could make a huge difference in surviving an injury or wound with severe bleeding. A graduate from Polytechnic Institute of New York University has invented a gel that can stop bleeding and seal serious wounds in 15 seconds. 

http://forces.tv/13424457

Ghani's Calculated Risk With Pakistan. President Ghani is pursuing peace talks with the Taliban and is hoping that Pakistan will cease its support of insurgent groups carrying out attacks against Afghanistan and that Pakistan will steer these insurgent groups to the peace table for talks. Read more in "Afghan President's Taliban predicament", by Aryaman Ghatnager, Observer Research Foundation, April 20, 2015.

India - A Thorny Issue. Stephen Tankel writes about the relationship between India and Afghanistan in "India in Afghanistan: Tackling a Thorny Issue", War on the Rocks, April 201, 2015.

China - and Relationships. China is trying to extend its influence in Central and South Asia for a number of reasons (security, economic, political, etc.). China has to balance a number of issues to ensure relationships with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the U.S. are not damaged - which could affect its aspirations in the region. Read more in "Reimagining the Triangle", Observer Research Foundation (India), April 20, 2015.

Paper on IEDs in Afghanistan. Hannah Bryce and Henry Dodd have a paper posted on the website of The Royal Institute of International Affairs entitled "The Impact of IEDs on the Humanitarian Space in Afghanistan", April 9, 2015. (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 15 pages).

USAID Empowering Women in Animal Health Services. USAID has posted a photo and short story on how it is ensuring women in Afghanistan have access to animal health services.

6th Annual Warrior Competition. The country of Jordan is running its annual Warrior Competition at the King Abdullah Special Operation Training Center. This annual competition pits anti-terrorism squads from 18 different countries against each in shooting and anti-terrorism skills. Afghanistan is sending a team from its Afghan National Security Special Forces (ANASF) to compete - as it has in previous years.

New Zealand Commits to Afghanistan. The Kiwis are staying in the fight until December 2016. Read more in "Extension of NZDF commitment in Afghanistan", Scoop.co.nz, April 20, 2015. See also a news story in The New Zealand Herald, April 20, 2015.

51st Battalion Completes Tour. Georgia's 51st infantry battalion completed its tour of Afghanistan. (Agenda.ge, April 20, 2015). http://agenda.ge/news/33601/eng

Video - BAF Base Defense Exercise. Watch a one-minute long video by US Forces Afghanistan on base defense at Bagram Airfield.

State Department Visit to Central Asia. The DoS is sending an interagency team to Central Asia for consultations about Afghanistan. The team will visit Kazakhstan, Krygyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan from April 20-24. The group will discuss recent developments in Afghanistan, including the election of the Government of National Unity, the current security situation, and the NATO Resolute Support Mission. Read more in "Interagency Team Travels to Central Asia for Afghanistan Consultations", U.S. Department of State Media Note, April 20, 2015.
www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/04/240890.htm

$1B in Helicopters to Pakistan. A commentator asks "Why Are We Sending This Attack Helicopter to Pakistan?", The Wall Street Journal, April 19, 2015.

Culture Clash in U.S. Miltary. Carl Forsling, as senior columnist for Task & Purpose writes about the departure of military officers and NCOs from the military and reasons for their leaving in "There is a Cultural Clash Erupting Within the Military", April 20, 2015.

Women Now in Ranger School. The first course to allow women to go through the very demanding Ranger School started on Monday, April 20th. As many as 20 women are expected to start this one-time integrated assessment. The assessment is part of a wider effort to determine whether and how to open combat arms positions to women. Read more in "Women to start Ranger School Today", Army Times, April 20, 2015. On the first day the prospective Rangers are administered a physical fitness test early in the morning. 19 women were among the 400 plus students. They were tested (same standards for men and women) in their ability to do a minimum of 49 pushups, 49 situps, six chinups, and a five-mile run in 40 minutes or less. 16 of the 19 female students passed the test (Ledger-Enquirer, April 20, 2015).

Women and Cultural Support Teams (CST). While much talk has been generated about bringing women into combat arms - it would appear that the Special Operations community has been already on board. A few years back the Army created the Cultural Support Team program to work along side Special Forces teams in Afghanistan. Read more about the CSTs in this news report in the New York Post (April 19, 2015)

Army vs Marines & Women in Combat. Unit assignments and gender integration research varies between the services according to Gretel C. Kovach in a news story posted in U~T San Diego, April 18, 2015.

Rumi Spice. A female veteran of the Afghan War and Harvard Business Student has formed a venture that imports saffron to the United States benefiting Afghan farmers and hopefully providing an alternative crop to opium. Learn more in a PBS Newshour report by Larisa Epatko, April 20, 2015. www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/afghan-grown-saffron/

Afghan Women Hindered from Access to Justice. Deutsche Welle (Germany) has published a news story on "How Afghan women are dissuaded from asserting their rights", April 20, 2015.

India Promoting Women's Rights in Afghanistan. Catherine Powell, writing in the Development Channel Blog of Foreign Policy (April 20, 2015) tells us that India can be a useful partner in promoting Afghan stability and advancing the future of Afghan women.

Export of Opium to India Trucks carrying opium from Afghanistan through Pakistan are entering India and the drug problem in India is getting bigger. Read more in "Kashmir's Heroin Highway", Slate.com, by Michael Edison Hayden, April 2015.

Trouble South of Border. Ambreen Agha writes about the enduring tragedy in Balochistan, Pakistan in Eurasia Review, April 20, 2015.

Obama's Drone Problem. Read "All the President's Drones: Obama's Targeting-Killing Problem", The National Interest, April 20, 2015 for Rachel Stohl's explanation of why the White House's secrecy regarding the U.S. drone program has not done it any favors. 

Author Interview. A fiction book wrote 40 years ago provides us a look at the military-civilian divide during the Vietnam War. The author says that the divide is more wide now (2015) than during the Vietnam War. Read an interview with the author of a science fiction war story called "The Forever War" in War is Boring, April 19, 2015.