SOF News

U.S. SOF Rushed to Helmand Province. The northern part of Helmand province is experiencing some significant security issues. The districts of Kajaki, Musa Qala, Sangin, and Bahgran have seen some Taliban advances - including the capture of a couple of district centers. To help counter this deteriorating situation the American military has deployed about 90 special operations troops to Helmand province. Two were recently killed during a green-on-blue incident. The SOF troops were rushed to Camp Bastion shortly after the fall of Musa Qala district last week and reportedly have taken part in the recapture of the district center this past weekend. Read more in "US deploys 90 Special Operations troops in Helmand province", Khaama Press, August 30, 2015.

Retired SF Officer Killed in Afghanistan. Richard McEvoy was killed by a suicide bomber on Friday, August 22, 2015. He was working as a Program Manager with defense contractor DynCorp International in Kabul, Afghanistan. He grew up in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, graduated from West Point, served in the infantry to include Special Forces. He retired in 2008 as a Colonel (O6). Read more in a news report by Community Advocate, September 2015.

Green Beret sold down River by FBI? An SF officer who helped Hamid Karzai enter Kandahar in the early stages of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in the fall of 2001 is getting the short end of the stick because of an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Army. Read more in "Investigation clears Army of retaliating against Green Beret whistleblower, but scrutiny remains", The Washington Post, September 3, 2015. Read also "Why is the FBI Trying to Bury a Special Forces War Hero?", Newsweek, September 2, 2015.

Diversity in SOF. The U.S. SOF forces are disproportionately white and some folks are wondering why. One simple reason is the mandatory "must pass" rigorous swim test. If you are a non-swimmer you don't get in. There are other reasons as well. Black Soldiers tent to choose support units such as logistics and administration. Other barriers included high test scores (GT, etc.) and clean disciplinary records. Read "Special ops diversity woes dog Pentagon", USA Today, September 3, 2015.

Heroic Day in Afghanistan Detailed. SFC Brendan O'Connor crawled through a 14-inch ditch under heavy fire from the Taliban to save his injured men in a big fight in June 2006 in an area southwest of Kandahar. Read an account of the action that earned him the Distinguished Service Cross. (Task and Purpose, September 3, 2015).

Nerkh District Killings Investigation. In 2013 a Special Forces detachment based in Nerkh district, Wardak province was accused of being complicit in the disappearance and killing of residents of the district. Some reports indicate that as many as 18 Afghan civilians are missing. The incident caused a considerable amount of angst for the Special Forces leadership in the country to the extent that President Karzai ordered all SF teams out of Wardak province (a order later rescinded). The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) recently (Aug 15) reopened the investigation. However, there is distrust among Afghan citizens as to what the final outcome will be of the investigation. Read more in "Afghan villagers skeptical as U.S. reopens probe into 2013 killings", The Washington Post, September 1, 2015.

SOF and Their Toys. SOF units have used All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) extensively in Afghanistan - not only for base operations but to move to target areas or conduct reconnaissance in remote areas (and also to stay off IED-laden roads). SOF units are now going to get a more advanced ATV. Read more in "US special ops clinches deal for cutting-edge ATVs", Fox News, September 3, 2015.

Indiana to get NG SF Company. A National Guard Special Forces unit now stationed in Chicago is moving to Indiana in 2016. A/2/20th will move to Camp Atterbury. Read more in "Indiana National Guard to house Special Forces unit", Army Times, September 3, 2015.

SOF Flight Data Revealed on Flightradar24.com. It interesting article on how you can track SOF air mission on an unclassified website. Read "How the US Periodically Reveals the Locations of Special Operations Missions", VICE News, August 31, 2015.

Afghan War News Snippets

SIGAR Inquiry on Camp Brown. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction recently conducted an inspection of a command and control facility at Camp Brown on Kandahar Airfield. Over $2.2 million was spent on a half-finished facility that was never used. Seems the expensive project was started by plagued with contractor failures and ultimately - due to retrograde of U.S. forces - no longer needed. A good example of money wasted it would seem. Read the SIGAR letter dated August 25, 2015.

U.S. Women in Combat. The Army is opening up Ranger School to women an a full-time basis. The announcement follows the graduation of two women in August from the physically demanding two-month long course. Other opportunities are also opening up - the Navy announced that SEAL training is now open to women. Read more in "More obstacles crumble for women in the military", The Washington Post, September 3, 2015.

'Good Listener, Neat Dresser' - Bio of the new Taliban Leader. The Taliban, in an effort to inform the world about its new leader, has published a 5,000-word biography aboutMullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansur. It was published on the Taliban's official website on August 31st. Read more in a news report by Radio Free Europe, September 1, 2015.

Donor Aid Should be Conditional on Women's Rights. Women's groups are calling on international donors to make future funding conditional on promotion of gender equality amid fears security will overshadow human rights issues. Read more in a news report in The Guardian, September 5, 2015.

General Breedlove Explains Difference b/t NATO and U.S. Mission. In a short video General Breedlove - the Commander of Supreme Allied Command Europe (SACEUR) - explains that U.S. combat actions in Afghanistan are not part of the NATO mission - which is "Train, Advise, and Assist". (DVIDS, Sep 3, 2015).

Paper on IO. Arturo Munoz and Erin Dick have penned a paper entitled Information Operations: The Imperative of Doctrine Harmonization and Measures of Effectiveness, September 2015, RAND Corporation.

UK and Afghan Interpreters. The pressure is mounting on the UK government to take action over the Afghan interpreters. (Forces.tv, Sep 1, 2015).

Afghanistan's Music Institute and Women. "The Afghanistan National Institute of Music is providing girls an equal opportunity to learn and excel in their musical and academic studies. It is dedicated to promoting women's rights and ensuring gender equality in the music sector." Read more in "Girls find their Place in Afghanistan's Music Institute", The World Bank, September 2, 2015.

West Point: Pillow Fights and Dirty Tactics? Thirty cadets received injuries to include broken legs and concussions as a result of a traditional pillow fight the marks the end of the summer training session. It appears this years event got a little out of hand. Read more in "At West Point, Annual Pillow Fight Becomes Weaponized", The New York Times, September 4, 2015.

Sign Up for Weekly Newsletter

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Musa Qala District Falls to Taliban

Musa Qala Falls to Taliban. After months of intense fighting the district center of Musa Qala in Helmand province was taken by Taliban fighters on/about Tuesday, August 26th. This is the first time the district has been controlled by the Taliban since 2007. Reports indicate that as many as 35 ANDSF died with many more wounded. The district center fell despite air strikes by the United States to repel the attackers. The air strikes killed as many as forty insurgents. Most of Northern Helmand - at this point in time- is effectively controlled by the Taliban. They have control of most of Naw Zad, Baghran, and Musa Qala districts.

Read more in "Taliban Overruns Strategic District in Southern Afghanistan", Gandhara Blog, August 27, 2015. Read about the responses of Marines that fought for Musa Qala several years back in "As Towns in Helmand Province fall, Marines speak out", The Washington Post, August 27, 2015. Read more in "Musa Qala is small military victory for Taliban but big propaganda boost", The Guardian, August 27, 2015. See also "Prominent Afghan Officials Are Killed by Taliban in 3 Attacks in South", The New York Times, August 29, 2015.

ANDSF Counterattack? Is the Afghan National Defense Security Forces trying to retake the district? Apparently efforts are underway - possibly with the support of US. (or coalition) airpower. Some news reports say that the Afghan deputy defense minister is in Helmand province looking over preparations for a counterattack. Read more in "U.S., NATO Forces Join Afghan Effort to Oust Taliban from Helmand", Gandhara Blog, August 28, 2015.

How Important is One District? There are about 400 districts in Afghanistan. Some are located in strategic areas (urban areas, important border crossings, provincial capitals, or adjacent to the ring road). Others not so much. Musa Qala was bitterly contested between the Brits and the Taliban and then later between the U.S. Marines and the Taliban. Now the fight is between the ANDSF and the Taliban. If one district is under the control of the Taliban then the adjacent districts become threatened.

What Constitutes Control of a District? The yardstick that the Afghan government uses (and presumably RS Hqs) is if the district center is occupied by Afghan police then it is government controlled. That doesn't mean that the District Governor (DGov) goes to work there; he may conduct his business from the provincial capital or Kabul via cell phone. Another possible indicator is how many ministry officials (MRRD, MAIL, etc.) actually occupy an office at the district center. In RC East (now TAAC-East) I visited many district centers that were "controlled by the government" - that control consisted of the immediate vicinity of the district center measured by the maximum effective range of an AK-47 or PKM. One province comes to mind: Wardak. Consisting of eight districts with the important ring road running north south through its eastern edge this province could be called a key area. However, of the eight districts perhaps only four could be called under government control although each of the district centers is occupied by Afghan police. So of the 400 some districts in Afghanistan how many are really under government control? Depends on what you mean by government control. Read more on what constitutes control of an Afghan district.

Insider Attack? - Two RS Members Killed

In a possible insider attack (sometimes called green-on-blue) two U.S. Air Force airmen were killed early on Wednesday, August 26, 2015 on an ANDSF compound in Helmand province. They were members of the 21st and 23rd Special Tactics Squadron. The attack took place near Camp Antonik, Afghanistan. The incident is being described by Afghan officials as a case of mistaken identity - when a U.S. special operations element was returning to base during nighttime hours after completion of a movement (or mission). The Department of Defense released the names of the two airmen in a press release - "DoD Identifies Air Force Casualties", U.S. DoD, August 27, 2015. Read a news release by Resolute Support HQs.

Learn more about the insider threat:
www.afghanwarnews.info/insiderthreat.htm

Insider Threat News Reports:
www.afghanwarnews.info/insiderthreatnews.htm

ISAF Insider Threat Handguide 2.0
www.afghanwarnews.info/insiderthreat/Insider-Threat-Handguide.htm

Insider Threat Publications and References
www.afghanwarnews.info/insiderthreat/Insider-Threat-References.htm

ATP 3-05.2 Foreign Internal Defense (FID) August 2015

The Army has released an updated version of Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 3-05.2, Foreign Internal Defense, August 2015. This version supersedes the September 2011 version. This 218 page publication is full of important information for advisors conducting Foreign Internal Defense (or Security Force Assistance) in a host nation. The proponent of ATP 3-05.2 is the U.S. Army Special Operations Center of Excellence, USAJFKSWCS. ATP 3-05.2 provides the U.S. Army commanders and staffs information on the concept of planning and conducting foreign internal defense (FID). This publication describes the fundamentals, activities, and considerations involved in the planning and execution of FID throughout the full range of military operations, and it emphasizes FID as a strategic policy option. The pub serves as the doctrinal foundation for Army FID doctrine, force integration, material acquisition, professional education, and individual and unit training.

Chapter 1 - Overview
Chapter 2 - Organization and Responsibilities
Chapter 3 - Planning
Chapter 4 - Training
Chapter 5 - Employment Considerations
Chapter 6 - Operations
Chapter 7 - Redeployment
Annex A - Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Considerations
Annex B - Internal Defense and Development Strategy
Annex C - Intelligence Support Operations
Annex D - Illustrative Interagency Plan
Annex E - Security Assistance
Annex F- Site Survey, Trainer, and Advisor Checklists

http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/DR_pubs/dr_a/pdf/atp3_05x2.pdf

Security News

CRS Report on Afghanistan. Kenneth Katzman, a specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs for the Congressional Research Service (CRS) has wrote a report entitled Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, August 17, 2015. The report (PDF) is 80 pages long and has numerous charts, references, pictures, and more.
www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL30588.pdf

Kabul Attacks Up Since Last Year. A spokesman for Resolute Support Headquarters, RS Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications BG Wilson Shoffner, said last week that insurgent attacks have increased in Kabul compared to the past year. Read more in a news report by Tolo News, August 23, 2015.

3 Abducted ABP Found Dead in Ghazni. Three Afghan Border Police (ABP) officers kidnapped by insurgents in mid-August were killed. They were enroute to their base after a visit to families when captured. Read more in a news report by The New York Times, August 23, 2015.

Taliban Kill Uprising Civilians in Andar District. For a while there was hope that 'local uprisings' would spread throughout Afghanistan along the model of the Anbar Uprising that occurred in Iraq. However that hope soon fizzled out as ISAF had a hands-off approach and the Karzai regime played politics with the issue (only supporting those groups that advanced his political and corrupt agenda). The 'local uprising' groups have not fared well. Andar district was once highlighted by the press and others as an example of how to keep the Taliban in check at the local level. Without good support from ISAF (now RS HQs), the ANDSF, and the NDS these groups slowly melted away or were decimated by the Taliban. The insurgents recently killed 7 members of an Andar district, Ghani province group. (Note: sometimes uprising groups and the Afghan Local Police are lumped together in news reports). Read a news report by Khaama Press, August 29, 2015.

Policewoman Shot in Parwan. Unidentified gunmen killed a policewoman in Parwan province. See report in Tolo News, August 29, 2015.

Taliban Squabbles. Mullah Mansoor, the successor to Mullah Omar, is reported to have sent over 600 of his men to fight Mullah Dadullah in Zabul province. It appears that Dadullah favors the son of Mullah Omar as the leader of the Taliban. Read more in a news report by Khaama Press, August 2015.

Chart Depicting Taliban Leadership Crisis. Radio Free Europe has posted a diagram detailing the Taliban's leadership struggle. www.rferl.mobi/a/27183381.html

Warduj District Requests Assistance. The central government of Afghanistan is being urged to launch a military operation with air support to defeat Taliban insurgents in the Warduj district of Badakhshan province. Read more in a news report by Khaama Press, August 29, 2015.

Report on Afghan Journalists. The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) released its six-month report in a press conference on August 27th. In the first six months of 2015 the AJSC recorded 39 cases of threat and violence against journalists. One journalist was killed and another 4 wounded. This is a 43% decline compared to the first six months of 2014.

Provincial Ulema Council Head Dies in Ambush in Uruzgan. At least three people were killed in an ambush by insurgents in central Uruzgan province on Saturday morning. See report by Tolo News,  August 29, 2015.

4 Bomb Makers Killed by Own Explosives. The PCoP of Khost province says that four militants who were making bombs were killed by their own explosives. Two others were wounded. (Khaama Press, Aug 27, 2015).

Taliban in Northern Afghanistan Swear Allegiance to New Emir. According to a posting by The Long War Journal (August 27, 2015) ". . . hundreds of heavily armed Taliban fighters gathered in the open in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz to pledge an oath of allegiance to Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the new emir of the group". Read the news report.

Afghan Interpreter Killed. The Taliban killed a 22-year-old Afghan interpreter who worked several years for British forces. Read "Betrayal of the brave", Daily Mail, August 28, 2015. Read also "Britain curmudgeonly and ungraceful for abandoning Afghan interpreters", The Telegraph, August 24, 2015.

6 Policemen Disappear in Garamser District. At least six policemen have mysteriously disappeared from a checkpoint in Garamser district, Helmand province. A cook serving with the policemen was found dead. Read news report by Khamma Press, August 29, 2015.

22 ALP Members Reported Killed in Faryab. According to one Afghan news outlet 22 members of the Afghan Local Police or ALP were killed in Faryab province during an ambush. Read a news report in Afghanistan Times, August 28, 2015.

Attack on Gen Dostum Foiled. Three suicide bombers were arrested before they could attack the First Vice President of Afghanistan - who is sometimes referred to as General Dostum. They were arrested in the vicinity of Dostum's residence in Qaisar district.

Development News

Paper on Economic Management in Afghanistan. Afghanistan's economy remains weak and its fiscal situation dire. A new paper for the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) by William A. Byrd provides some thoughts on how the international community should approach the Afghan economy. Byrd is a senior expert at the US Institute of Peace where he has been working on Afghanistan since April 2012. From 2002 to 2006 he was stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan where he served as the World Bank's country manager for Afghanistan and then as economic advisor. Read AAN's introduction to his paper. You can read online or download the full paper posted on the AAN website.
Economic Management in Afghanistan: What worked, what didn't, and why, August 2015.

Humanitarian Situation in Faryab Province. A top United Nations official has met with provincial officials in Faryab to assess the humanitarian situation of the conflict-ridden population. Read more in a news update by UNAMA.

USAID and the Kajaki Dam. USAID has provided a photo update report of the installation of Turbine Generator Unit 2 at the Kajaki Dam Hydropower Plant in southern Afghanistan. Photos are posted on flickr.com. (no date given).

Paper on American Foreign Aid & Foreign Policy in Afghanistan. Anders Nandrup Rylander has wrote his Master thesis on this topic. He attempts to develop a better understanding of the relationship between American foreign aid, policy, and traditions by examining American actions in this sector for the years 2007-2012. Posted August 2015 on website of University of Oslo.
www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/44857

USAID Funded Assistance for Deaf Afghans. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided funding for a program that helps deaf Afghans communicate via the Internet. Read Deaf, But Not Silenced in Afghanistan, USAID, August 2015.

Governance News

Afghan-Turkmenistan Accords. President Ashraf Ghani met with his Turkmenistan counterpart on Thursday, August 27th to discuss a number of issues and witness the signing of bilateral agreements ranging from education to energy supply. Read more in "Afghan-Turkmenistan Accords Signed in Kabul", Tolo News, August 27, 2015.

Troubles for the Hazaras. Kidnapping, infertile land, and poor aid distribution are only some of the troubles the Hazaras face in Afghanistan. They face threats by militants, the Taliban and (in the future if they make gains) the Islamic State. The Hazarajat is where the ethnic Hazara live - in central and mountainous Afghanistan. Read more in "Peril and Persecution in Afghanistan", Foreign Policy, August 27, 2015.

Council of Jihadi Party. Afghanistan's former president Sebghatullah Mojaddedi announced the establishment of a new political party - the Council of Jihadi. The aim of the new organization is to put pressure on the National Unit Government (NUG) to bring about reform. Read more in "Council of Jihadi Party Launched in Kabul", Tolo News, August 27, 2015.

Commentary

Afghanistan, Choose Your Enemies Wisely. Jeff Eggers, a senior fellow at New America, an adjunct senior fellow with the RAND Corporation, and a former Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, provides us with his view on how political accommodation can help prevent conflict escalation and how that concept can still be applied to Afghanistan. The lumping together of terrorists and insurgents in Afghanistan has hampered reconciliation efforts with the Taliban. He worries that a skewed view of accommodation will prevent the Afghan government (and the U.S.) in taking one last opportunity for a negotiated settlement. Read his paper Afghanistan, Choose Your Enemies Wisely, The RAND Blog, August 2015.

Why Afghanistan Matters for U.S. James B. Cunningham and Ryan Crocker (both former U.S. ambassadors to Afghanistan) tell us that Afghanistan needs a sustained U.S. and partner support. They say that despite the success of the transition of security to Afghanistan there have been some setbacks and disappointments and that many challenges remain. Read their views in a CNN political op-ed published on August 25, 2015.

Building Partner Capacity.  A host of writers have collaborated in a publication entitled What Works Best When Building Partner Capacity in Challenging Contexts?, RAND Corporation, August 2015. The report explores what the United States can do when conducting BPC in challenging contexts to maximize prospects for success. Some of the key findings include "Many Challenges Stem from U.S. Policy or Practice", "The Partner Nation (PN) Itself Must Be Willing to Engage Fully", "PN Ministerial Capacity Can Be Extremely Important", and "Consistency is Key". The paper also provides several recommendations.
www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR937.html

Paper - Resistance to Government & Modernization in Afghanistan. Mohammad Attar Abkenar in his PhD thesis examines two epochs of reform and resistance to the government in Afghanistan's modern history. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the internal and external factors that terminated the government's efforts in consolidating the central authority and modernizing the country. Resistance to the Government in Afghanistan's Modern History: a Case Study Approach,  April 2015.

Does Security Assistance Reduce Terrorism? Matthew Saintsing states that no large-scale quantitative studies finds a positive correlation between U.S. security assistance and a reduction in terrorism - although there are some notable successes (as in USSF in Philippines). Some ". . . studies find a positive correlation between assistance to aid sectors other than police and military of partner nations and a reduction in terrorism." Read his article posted on Small Wars Journal, August 26, 2015.

Pick Our Battles Carefully. Joshua Foust examines the military actions of the United States in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere and explains "Why the Mightiest Superpower on Earth Hasn't Won a Won in Decades", Playboy, August 23, 2015. Sorry, no pictures of scantily-clad ladies in this article. Foust provides food for thought but it is difficult to agree with some of his observations and conclusions.

SOF News

Paper - SOF and Human Domain Mapping. "One way to develop ways and methods to prepare for the evolutionary change in warfare is to operationalize social network analysis through human domain mapping. This will " . . . provide a richer and more in depth understanding of the societies in which we will inevitably operate." . . . "Some examples include identifying key influencers or brokers, providing early intelligence on the fundamental composition of insurgent networks, or detecting marginalized elites or disenfranchised social groups sympathetic to U.S. strategies". The author, Major Derek Raymond, is with the 5th Special Forces Group and holds a Master's of Science from the Naval Postgraduate School. Read his report in "Human Domain Mapping in 21st Century Warfare", Small Wars Journal, August 22, 2015.

Memorial for SFC McKenna. A memorial was held on Camp Integrity for a Green Beret who died in a recent insurgent attack on Camp Integrity (SOJTF-A) in mid-August.

Manhunting Machine. Sean Naylor provides us with a brief history of special operations - from Panama to the 'Global War on Terror' with his article "Inside the Pentagon's Manhunting Machine", The Atlantic, August 28, 2015.

SOJTF-A Challenge Coin. All good SOF units have a "Commander's Challenge Coin" and the Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan is no exception. Read more at the link below.
https://commanderschallenge.wordpress.com/tag/major-general-scott-miller/

SF Grooming Afghan Troops. Michael Phillips has penned an article on how special operations units are trying to get their local counterparts ready for combat in "Treading the Line Between War and Peace, U.S. Special Forces Groom Afghan Troops", The Wall Street Journal, August 28, 2015.

Paper - "Advising the Command." Todd C. Helmus, a RAND Corporation researcher, has penned a report that presents best practices from the Special Operations advisory experience in Afghanistan.
www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR900/RR949/RAND_RR949.pdf

Paper - "The Dawn of SOWT."  This paper examines the rise of Special Operations Weathermen during World War II, from the founding of the Weather Bureau of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The Dawn of SOWT: OSS Weathermen in the Balkans, 1944, 2015. Posted on Marshall Digital Scholar, Marshall University.

Islamic State

Uzbekistan & Islamic State. The United States has asked Uzbekistan to join the multinational coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Read more in a news report by Radio Free Europe, August 28, 2015.

Airpower and ISIS. A.C. Hall, a member of the special operations community, has penned a paper calling for battlefield innovation from tactical leaders in the employment of airpower against ISIS. Read his paper posted on Small Wars Journal, August 27, 2015.

Paper - U.S. Policy in Afghanistan and ISIS. Thomas F. Lynch, III has wrote a paper entitled "After ISIS: Fully Reappraising U.S. Policy in Afghanistan", The Washington Quarterly, August 3, 2015. The author contends that the residual U.S. military presence in Afghanistan should be scoped to ". . . a size and posture able to address the intractable dilemmas that remain."

Central Asian Groups & Global Jihad. Two different Central Asian jihadist groups are at odds with each other. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) have been allied with al Qaeda in the past but are now ". . . taking different sides in the ongoing struggle between the Islamic State and al Qaeda for the leadership of the global jihad." Read more in "Central Asian groups split over leadership of global jihad", The Long War Journal, August 24, 2015.

Airpower & Afghan Air Force

90 Years of AAF at Shindand Air Base. The Afghan Air Force may not be much to look at now but if one looks back it has a long history - almost 90 years. In fact, in the 1960s it had one of the top Air Forces in the region.  Read more in "Shindand Air Base Celebrates 90 Years of AAF", Tolo News, August 25, 2015.

Russian Gunships for AAF. Russia is prepared to supply the Afghan Air Force with Mi-35 attack helicopters. Read more in a news report by Khaama Press, August 26, 2015.

Profile of AE Tech Sgt. A North Carolina Air Guardsman brings a diverse background to Bagram Air Fields aeromedical evacuation mission. Read a news report by DVIDS, August 24, 2015.

Reapers & Predators in Afghanistan. According to one Air Force report Reapers and Predators are responsible for about 90% of ISR for Afghanistan. Read more in "Reapers, Predators on the prowl in Afghanistan", U.S. Air Force News, August 24, 2015.

Lack of Legal Justification for Drone Attacks in Pakistan. "This article focuses on the justification and legal position of Drone attacks within the boundaries of a sovereign state. It examines the legality of drone attacks under international law and the US domestic law." "US Drone Attacks in Pakistan: An International Law Perspective", International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol. 6, No. 6., June 2015.
http://ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_6_No_6_June_2015/14.pdf

Intel & CT News

Asymmetric Conflict and the Human Domain. The nature of warfare has changed in the world. For the United States its opponents are less likely to be nations like Russia or China and more likely to be non-state actors or state-sponsored insurgents or terrorists. The strategic prize is not control of terrain but of the human domain. Some call this asymmetric warfare. Read one persons views on this in "The Heart of the Common Man: The Battleground of Asymmetric Conflict", Indian Defence Review (IDR), August 19, 2015.

Paper - "Socio-Cultural Intelligence and National Security". In his article, Robert T. Tomes reviews, assesses, and makes recommendations relating to the provision and use of socio-cultural intelligence in support of national security policy. He details responses to gaps in socio-cultural intelligence during the 2000s, and reinforces the importance of this issue in future conflicts. He recommends expansion of the Foreign Area Officers program, improving the military's cross-cultural understanding, increase the language proficiency of Special Operations Forces, and more. Read his article in Parameters, Summer 2015.

Paper - "Using Target Audience Analysis to Aid Strategic Level Decisionmaking", By Dr. Steve Tatham, Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, August 25, 2015.
www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=1288

Terrorist Designation for Haqqani Brother. The U.S. Department of State has designated Abdul Aziz Haqqani as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224. He is a senior member of the Haqqani Network and the brother to Haqqani Network leader Sirjuddin Haqqani. Read more in a media note published on August 25, 2015.

Military Officials Skewing Intelligence Estimates? Say it isn't true. The IO campaign by ISAF HQs is one example of putting a silver lining on a dark cloud. Now the same can be said for Central Command (CENTCOM). It appears that the Pentagon's inspector general is investigating allegations of officials providing a more optimistic account of progress against ISIS than is warranted. No kidding. Read more in "Inquiry Weighs Whether ISIS Analysis Was Distorted", The New York Times, August 25, 2015. See also "Spies: Obama's Brass Pressured Us to Downplay ISIS Threat", The Daily Beast, August 26, 2015.

Report on Intel Community and Contractors. Elaine Halchin has authored a paper entitled The Intelligence Community and Its Use of Contractors: Congressional Oversight Issues, Congressional Research Service (CRS), August 18, 2015. Posted on Federated American Scientists website.
www.fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/R44157.pdf

OSINT Explained. There are lots of "INTs" in the intelligence field. HUMINT, MASINT, SIGINT, etc. A more recent "INT" is "Open Source Intelligence" or OSINT. Read more in "Spy Agencies Are Like Old-School Porn - But That's Changing", VICE News, August 25, 2015.

POPINT, HUMINT, and Information Operations. The concept of POPINT - understanding group behavior - is described by Cdr (rtd) Steve Tatham -  in an interview posted on Small Wars Journal, August 26, 2015.

"Flat Communications". One of the experiences I had when working along side folks who spent time with JSOC is their obsession with "Flat Communications". This, of course, consisted on an excessive amount (I thought at the time) of VTCs (video teleconferences) with an enormous amount of people plugged in across theater. But as it turned out I became a "reluctant fan" of the approach. Learn how JSOC used "better information sharing plus empowered people" to develop a smarter, faster force that could soon outmaneuver insurgents and terrorists in "How JSOC Harnessed Networks to Take on Terrorists", by Chris Fussel, Defense One, August 27, 2015.

RAVEN UAV Gets Upgrade. It appears that the Army will be upgrading the sensor gimbal on its Raven hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems. Read more in a news update by C4ISR & Networks, August 27, 2015.

Intelligence & National Security Summit. AFCEA and INSA are hosted a summit about the state of U.S. intelligence and the priorities, plans and partnerships for the Intel community. It will be held in Washington, D.C. on September 9-10, 2015. www.intelsummit.org. Learn more about other defense, national security, terrorism, and intelligence summits and conferences at the link below:
www.securityinfonet.com/Security_Conferences_and_Seminars.htm

Handling Classified Material. If there is something that can get you in trouble quickly it is making a mistake in handling classified material and not following the rules. Two well known cases illustrate this aptly. It would seem that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton broke the rules when she transmitted classified information through her private email using an unclassified server. In another instance, former ISAF commander and Director of the CIA David Petraeus broke the rules when he handed over personal notebooks containing classified information to Paula Broadwell (his biographer). The two cases are similar (involving high ranking government officials) yet different (severity of the crime). Sending classified information over the Internet in today's world is stupid and dangerous. Passing personal notebooks containing information to a trusted person (who incidentally is a LTC in Military Intelligence with a Top Secret clearance) is a lesser offense (although the affair was plainly stupid). A former Navy SEAL looks at the complicated world of information classification in a news report by Business Insider, August 25, 2015.

Movie - "Rock the Kasbah"

Hollywood's latest attempt to portray Afghanistan in the movies is called "Rock the Kasbah". A comedy starring Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Zooey Deschanel, Leem Lubany, Danny McBride, and Scott Caan. The plot involves a washed up music manager who takes his last act to Afghanistan, falls into one bad situation after another, and then discovers an Afghan singing wonder. It will be released in October 2015. Hopefully the movie will be as funny as the trailer (see link below).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtvcb5N_kek

Afghan War News Snippets

Bagpipes and the UK in Afghanistan. Approximately 200 soldiers from 2 SCOTS will be located in four sites in Kabul protecting ministerial advisors, mentors at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, and the UK's aviation detachment. Read more in "Bagpipes announce the beginning of a new phase of UK involvement in the Resolute Support Mission", RS News, August 23, 2015.

New BSA for Contractors in Afghanistan. Existing provisions of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) will take full effect in September 2015 which will impact DoD and NATO coalition contractors working in Afghanistan. These provisions include visa and business license requirements. There are approximately 35,000 contractors in Afghanistan. Read more in a news article on Army.mil, August 27, 2015.

Paper - "Professionalizing Ministerial Advising". A former advisor to Afghan ministries provides us his input on advising at the ministry level. Posted on PKSOI website.

Human Rights Key to Success Against Insurgents. The director of Resolute Support Essential Function Three, U.S. Army BG Mitchell Chitwood, recently attended a shura at Forward Operating Base Fenty in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province attended by members of Train, Advise, Assist Command - East (TAAC-East) and members of the ANDSF.  The shura was organized by TAAC-East. BG Chitwood says that this was a first - a shura with coalition members and ANDSF coming together to discuss human rights. If that is a true statement then the meeting was a long time coming - as in 14 years! Surely the general was misquoted. Read more in "Human rights: a key to security in Afghanistan", RS News, August 2015.

Pay Raise for U.S. Military? It appears that President Obama will attempt to increase the pay of federal workers and military member by 1 percent effective in 2016. Congress can come up with its own plan (and it sometimes does). Read more in a news report by The Hill, August 28, 2015.

Afghan Journalists Under Fire. A news report by the Asia Division Deputy Director for Human Rights Watch details the occupational hazards of Afghan journalism. Human Rights Watch, August 27, 2015.

Life of a Guardian Angel. View a 3 minute long video by Resolute Support entitled "Life on Forward Operating Base Camp Connelly", YouTube.com, August 27, 2015. A few years back there were three SFAATs, a U.S. company, an ANA kandak, and other combat enablers. Now it is a temporary camp for TAAC-East advisors and their support (as in GAs).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvzmmDXgFos

Afghan Asylum Seekers Deported from UK. The UK is deporting Afghans back to Afghanistan - but there is a court order that prohibits deportation to most of the provinces in Afghanistan. Of the 34 provinces only three qualify. (The Guardian, Aug 26, 2015).

Crackdown in Pakistan on Afghan Refugees. Almost 90,000 Afghan refugees have returned home in recent months from Pakistan. There is a December 31 deadline for a return on all Afghan refugees. (Gandhara Blog, Aug 25, 2015).

Afghans and Pakistan. "Many Afghans associate the Taliban with neighboring Pakistan and blame Islamabad for their misery and decades-long armed conflict in their country." Read more in "Whay are the Afghans wary of Pakistan?", Deutsche Welle, December 24, 2015.

Ghani Issues Order to Curb CIVCAS. Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani has issues orders to government officials and the Afghan security forces to curb civilian casualties in the ongoing war. Read more in a news report by Tolo News, August 28, 2015.

What are the Troop Numbers for RS? Did you ever wonder which nations are contributors to Afghanistan's defense and training? Resolute Support HQs has a 'placemat' that will answer that question. See "Troop numbers and contributions".

Video - Airspace Management Advisor TAAC-East. In this video from Resolute Support headquarters an advisor, Ellyn Grosz, talks about what it means to advise the 201st ANA Corps and Operation Iron Triangle. Training involved working with the Afghan Army ATACs.
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0mS_SoRaIY

China's Leadership Role in Afghanistan. Two writers believe the China needs to step up and play a stronger role in Afghanistan's affairs. Read more in "Can China Assert Itself in Afghanistan?", The Diplomat, August 28, 2015.

Oshkosh Wins Major Contract. The Wisconsin truck-maker has won a large contract ($30 billion?) to make the U.S. Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) that will replace the Humvees. (Defense One, Aug 25, 2015).

950th Engineer Company Deployment Ends. The Wisconsin Army National Guard's 950th Engineer Company is back in the United States after its deployment to Afghanistan. Their primary mission was route clearance operations and providing security for the Kandahar Airfield and Forward Operating Base Oqab. The unit previously deployed to Iraq in 2003 and 2010. Duluth News Tribune, August 27, 2015.

Book on Battle of Wanat now Digital. The Combat Studies Institute has enhanced the well-known work titled "Wanat: Combat Action in Afghanistan, 2008" with the iBook format. Read more in "Well-Known Combat Studies Institute Book Charges Headlong into the Digital Age", TRADOC Newsletter, August 26, 2015.

Pentagon Upset at French for Speedy Awards to U.S. Servicemembers. The bureaucratic pencil pushers at the Pentagon a chafing with the news that the U.S. military members have received a prestigious French award for their preventing a terrorist attack on a European train in August 2015. Read more in "Pentagon Angered at Speed of French Military Awards System", DuffelBlog, August 27, 2015.

Corruption in Balkh. Read why "Corruption is a Huge Challenge for Balkh Residents", Tolo News, August 26, 2015. A survey was done by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) of twelve provinces of Afghanistan including Balkh.

Signup for Weekly Newsletter on Afghan War News

You can receive the Afghan War News Weekly Newsletter by email. 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 every Sunday. 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.

Report on Panjwai Massacre of March 2012

In March 2012, in a year where the insider attacks against ISAF Soldiers took its heaviest toll, SSG Robert Bales committed a gruesome crime against Afghan civilians. Bales was an infantry squad leader attached to a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha in a remote village in Panjwai district, Kandahar province. SSG Bales was using steroids and alcohol prior to killing Afghan civilians in southern Afghanistan in March 2012. The Panjwai district massacre occurred just outside of a Special Forces village stability platform (village) at VSP Belambai. Read more in "Report: Bales 'erratic' before 212 shooting rampage", Army Times, August 18, 2015. The 569 page official report can be read online. It was completed by the United States Forces - Afghanistan (USFOR-A) Staff Judge Advocate on June 22, 2012 and was originally classified SECRET. It has since been downgraded and approved for release.

RS HQs Advise and Assist Cells

ACC-SW with ANA 215th Corps G3
Photo by Lt. Sharon Mulholland

As the United States military drawdown continues in Afghanistan the ability to station military advisors at the Afghan National Army corps level has diminished. Two of the ANA corps are now "uncovered" by permanent advisors. Instead an Advise and Assist Cell (ACC) advises these two corps from afar via phone and email as well as by conducting periodic visits. Resolute Support Headquarters has provided us an overview of one such Advise and Assist Cell mission in a recent news release (August 16, 2015).

In late July 2015 the Resolute Support Advise and Assist Directorate deployed a small team to a remote region of Afghanistan (we used to call this RC Southwest where thousands of U.S. Marines, Brits, Danes, and others were stationed). The ACC's advising mission was interrupted by the 215th Corps responding to a district in Helmand province that was under attack. Now Zad district was the scene of heavy fighting. The ACC had the opportunity to see the 215th ANA Corps battle staff in action.

The head of the Advise and Assist Directorate (ADD) in Kabul, BG Paul Lebidine, is quoted in the news release as saying that the ANA knows how to fight and that they have courage; but that the ANA really needs advise in gaining long term sustainability - therefore RS HQs is concentrating advising efforts on the detailed processes necessary to run a large scale army. The ANA lost the battle for Now Zad district and as of mid-August the Taliban flag was flying over the district center.

Two Females Graduate from Ranger Course

To the applause of almost everyone (if relying on Internet news stories and Twitter tweets is a reliable measure of opinion) two female Soldiers have graduated from the Army's premier infantry training course. The Ranger School finally admitted female Soldiers to start the training. After months of preparation, a few recycles, and a few different Ranger course sequences spanning April through August two of the women made it through the tough training. Both are West Point graduates and will have the honor of wearing the Ranger Tab through the course of their military careers. One is a Captain MP and the other a Lieutenant Apache helicopter pilot. One of the graduates is a veteran of an Afghan deployment. I suspect their future is bright. It won't be long before the special operations community scoffs these two Rangers up. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that one of them is attempting the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) next. More on that below.

Advocates for women taking a greater role in combat arms of the military will point to these two women as evidence that women can cut it in combat units. The test of time will tell if allowing women into infantry squads and Ranger companies is a good idea. Certainly there is a role for women in combat - this has been proven time and again over the past decade in Iraq and Afghanistan. One need only point out their value in programs such as the Female Engagement Teams or FETs (that supported Marine and Army infantry units) and the Cultural Support Teams or CSTs (that supported special operations forces) to recognize their importance in the fight. The Navy has come out with news that the SEALs will open up their training to females. Demi Moore is vindicated!

Some of the Special Mission Units (SMUs) have integrated women into their training and operations for many years - in fact, many feel that special operations has been in the forefront (in a quiet way) for integrating women into their units. (Learn about "Project Diane" and the OSS on the USASOC website). Women as shooters on a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha? Hmmmm. It probably won't be long before the Army announces the entrance of women into Special Forces units at the combat level. While Ranger training is two (very hard) months, Special Forces training at the entry level is in excess of one year - and depending on the military occupational specialty - almost two years. Once again, time will tell. Now that MG Scotty Miller (heading up the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning) has "led the way" to getting women integrated into Ranger training the spotlight moves onto LTG Ken Tovo (USASOC cdr) and MG Kraft (Special Forces Command) at Fort Bragg.

If a female does attend and complete the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) then she won't be the first. That ground (or camouflage ceiling) was broken years ago - in 1980 (or 1981?). Captain Kathleen Wilder, a military intelligence officer assigned to an Intel position in Special Forces found that there was nothing in the regulation against women attending the Special Forces Officer Course. She pressed Department of the Army to attend (a little Congressional help was instrumental I believe) and was able to attend the Special Forces Officer Course (SFOC). Back then SFOC was different than the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC). SFOC was for officers and SFQC was for enlisted. The officer course was way easy compared to SFQC. Wilder's graduation from SFOC changed all of that. Shortly after her graduation the potential SF officers had to go through the training with the enlisted. One of the best things that ever happened to SF!

The Army put on quite a show for the Ranger class graduation. You can watch a one hour long video of a press conference published on YouTube.com on August 21, 2015 by US Army TRADOC.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzKN1ZzFiAI

For me, I take comfort in knowing that I was in the last HARD RANGER CLASS! Desert Legion!
www.benning.army.mil/infantry/rtb/Graduates/images/8-83.jpg

Paper - COIN and Strategic Development

The Small Wars Journal has posted an informative paper by Jeff Goodson about the socioeconomic development part of the overall military campaign strategy for Afghanistan during the years 2010 to 2012. Goodson is a retired US Foreign Service Officer who worked for USAID for 29 years. He served 31 months in Afghanistan during the 2006-2012 timeframe and seventeen months as Director of STAB/Development at ISAF HQs in 2010 to 2012. In his paper he provides us information about the STAB/Development section of ISAF to include its mandate, its staff, the campaign plan, types of development, the focus on eight basic services programs, and more. He concludes his paper recommending a "COIN light" approach and states that socioeconomics will almost always play a role in a counterinsurgency and stability operations. Read the article entitled "Strategic Development and Irregular Warfare: Lessons from the High Water Mark of Full-Spectrum COIN", Small Wars Journal, August 16,2015.

Commentary

Is Airpower More Important and Effective than Landpower? Two military flyers would have us believe that the Defense Department should redirect funding from the U.S. Army (a land power component of our national defense) to the Air Force and Naval aviation (an air power component of our national defense). They believe " . . . that resorting to U.S. ground forces as a military option has frequently produced costly failures that we should not be eager to repeat." They conclude, in their article, that "In the irregular wars America has actually fought, and remains likely to fight, a combined effort of airpower, special operations forces, and the intelligence community is simply a better instrument for American policymakers than conventional landpower." This article, of course, is deserving of a vigorous "Haarruuummmpphh". Read more in "Airpower May Not Win Wars, But It Sure Doesn't Lose Them", War on the Rocks, August 19, 2015.

Article - "Shedding Light on the Gray Zone: A New Approach to Human-Centric Warfare", Army Magazine, August 17, 2015. LTG Charles Cleveland (retired cdr of USASOC), and two LTCs (both with extensive SOF experience) provide us with their thoughts on the future of warfare.

www.armymagazine.org/2015/08/17/shedding-light-on-the-gray-zone/

Failings of America's Military Academies. William J. Astore, a retired USAF LtCol and former academy instructor, shares his views about the U.S. military academies in "70 Years of Military Mediocrity", The Huffington Post Politcs Blog, August 18, 2015.

Backsliding in Afghanistan. One writer, Hannah Bloch, worries that we might be taken our eye off the ball in Afghanistan - and that it will soon once again be America's "forgotten war". Read more in Is Afghanistan Backsliding?, WGBH News, August 17, 2015.

Quiet Demise of the Human Terrain System

The Human Terrain Teams or HTTs deployed to Afghanistan did some great work; at least in my view - having spent parts of every year from 2010-2014 in Afghanistan. Like all new programs rapidly put together (funding, organization, recruitment, training, and employment) there were some early problems. In addition, anthropologists went into a huge panic causing a lack of support in the public arena. However, the HTTs soon proved their worth to brigade and battalion commanders in the fight. While some critics point out the errors of the HTS they seem to recognize the need for an organization that fulfills the function of the HTS. Read more in "The Quiet Demise of the Army's Plan to Understand Afghanistan and Iraq", by Vanessa Gezari, The New York Times Magazine, August 18, 2015.

Peace Talks

At one point in late July it seemed that some concrete steps towards peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban were being taken. Most insurgencies are solved through a political process - few are won militarily (and we know that the ANDSF are far from being able to accomplish that). With that in mind there are some optimists out there who are looking at the glass half full with hopes that peace talks can generate some momentum and end the constant warfare that Afghanistan has seen for so many decades. However, the news that Mullah Omar (the leader of the Taliban) has been dead for two years have thrown the Taliban leadership in disarray and put the peace talks on hold. In addition, it seems the new leader of the Taliban has walked away from negotiations. The recent spate of bombing attacks in Kabul have increased tensions between Pakistan (who supports the Taliban) and Afghanistan. So . . . the peace talks appear to be on hold. Carter Malkasian, a former advisor to the ISAF commander, provides us his thoughts on the future of peace talks in "Is Peace Possible in Afghanistan?", Foreign Affairs, August 18, 2015.

Peace Talks in Doubt? Bruce Riedel did 30 years service at the Central Intelligence Agency including postings in the Middle East. He was a senior advisor on South Asia to the last four administrations. Currently he is with the Brookings Institute. Read his article about the diminished hopes for peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in "The Taliban Affirm their alliance with al-Qaida: Afghan peace talks in doubt", Brookings.edu, August 20, 2015.

Post Mullah Omar Musings

Analysts continue to explore the future of the Taliban movement without its long-time leader Mullah Omar. One writer, Kambaiz Rafi, feels that the death of Mullah Omar will lead to the slow disintegration of what we once knew as the Taliban. He believes that most Afghan Islamist groups have been mostly individual-driven than programmatic. With the demise of a charismatic leader most Afghan groups have withered away. I guess hope springs eternal. Read more in "The Afghan Government Should Let the Taliban Destroy Itself", The Diplomat, August 12, 2015.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has released a report entitled The Death of Mullah Omar and the Rise of ISIS in Afghanistan, August 18, 2015.
http://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/death-mullah-omar-and-rise-isis-afghanistan

Pakistan: U.S. Finally Growing a Pair?

Various news reports indicate that the United States government will not certify Pakistan's counter-terrorism operations in North Wazirstan as damaging to the Haqqani Network. The DoD has reportedly notified the Pakistani embassy in D.C. This will block the release of funds for U.S. financial assistance for the Pakistani military. A couple of things come to mind. Apparently the bulk of our retrograde operations using the lines of communication (LOCs) across the Afghan border into Pakistan to seaports on the Indian Ocean has been completed (we were held hostage for quite awhile over this aspect of the war). In addition, we are finally doing something about the sanctuaries. One facet of counterinsurgency is that if the insurgents enjoy sanctuaries (and foreign support) across a border it will be almost impossible to defeat them - making for a very long war. This action by the U.S. has been a long time coming. Read more in "US Set to Suspend Military Aid to Pakistan", The Diplomat, August 21, 2015.

On a related note - the man known by many as the "Godfather of the Taliban" has died. Hamid Gul, the former head of the Pakistan ISI has died of a brain hemorrhage. He was an Islamist ideologue until his death and leaves behind a dangerous legacy. Afghans have called him "the butcher of the Afghans". Read more in a news report by Deutsche Welle dated August 21, 2015.

Pakistan Border Shelling. The artillery fire by Pakistani forces into Afghanistan continues. Afghanistan has summoned Pakistan's ambassador to explain a battle between the security forces of the two countries that killed up to eight Afghan border police. Read more in "Kabul Summons Pakistani Ambassador as Afghans Mark Independence Day", Radio Free Europe, August 19, 2015.

Cross-Border Ops? In a twist to the recent rise in tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan we learn that the Chief Executive Office (Afghanistan) has warned Pakistan that if it fails to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries that it will - with the help of the international community - directly hit militant hideouts on the other side of the Durand Line. This could make things interesting! Read more in "CEO's Office Warns Pakistan Against Protecting Insurgents", Tolo News, August 21, 2015.

Security News

U.S. Embassy Emergency Message. The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan has issued an emergency message on August 15th for U.S. citizens about a possible attack in mid-August by Taliban insurgents. http://kabul.usembassy.gov/em_081515.html

German Aid Worker Kidnapped. GIZ - the German overseas development agency - has temporarily suspended all its operations in Kabul after one of its key female staff members was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday (Aug 18th). Read more in a news report by Tolo News, Aug 18, 2015.

IMU a Threat in Northern Afghanistan. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan or IMU is on the offensive against the Kabul government. Learn more in "Islamic State Ally Emerges as Threat to Afghanistan, Central Asia", The Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2015.

Dostum Convoy Ambushed. Vice President Dostum's convoy was ambushed on Friday (Aug 21) by the Taliban in Faryab province on the Ghormach-Qaisar highway. Initial reports are that the outcome was not favorable for the Taliban (8 KIA, 13 captured). Read more in "Afghan Vice President Survives Ambush", Gandara Blog, August 21, 2015.

Food Shortage in Parmir Region Due to Insurgents. Nearly 90 percent of the population of the Parmir mountain region in Badakhshan province are facing major food shortages as the insurgents have blocked off key supply routes. See a  news report on this topic in Tolo News, August 20, 2015.

Now Zad District Update. The Taliban fly their flag over the district center of Now Zad in Helmand province a few weeks back and reports indicate that it is still flying. Afghan government officials say that they have taken the district back from the Taliban. Of course, it is easy to say you control the district (in Afghanistan this means the few buildings found within the compound walls of the district center) when you move the district governor's office to a different location! Robert Gates, a former Department of Defense Secretary noted in his book Duty (see caption of 10th picture starting at page 306) that he wondered if the heavy cost in U.S. Marine casualties was worth the taking of Now Zad from the Taliban. Read more in a news report by Reuters, August 18, 2015.

Insider Attack Investigation. A year ago MG Harold Greene was killed in an insider attack at an Afghan training facility. An investigation has revealed some facts of the incident. Read "Completely betrayed: An investigation into the insider attack that killed a 2-star general", Stars and Stripes, August 19, 2015. Read more about the insider threat.

Afghan Clerics Speak Up. It appears that some of Afghanistan's Islamist leaders may be eager (a strong word probably) to undermine the appeal of insurgents by questioning their religious credentials and violent campaigns. Read more in "Afghan Clerics Vocal in Challenging Taliban Narrative", Gandhara Blog, August 20, 2015.

Afghan Children and Mines. The Daily Mail has published a news report about the harrowing plight of children maimed in Afghanistan by the thousands of landmines scattered across the country after decades of war. (Aug 21, 2015).

Women's Attire and the Taliban Landmine Planter. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) recently arrested a Taliban landmine planter dressed like a women in Paktia province. Hmmmm. Read a news report by Khaama Press, Aug 12, 2015.

Taliban Escalation - and Obama Backs Off. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Afghanistan this month. Taliban attacks are increasing. Read more in "The Taliban Escalate as Obama Edges Out of Afghanistan", The Wall Street Journal, August 20, 2015.

Militias Fighting the Taliban - The Good, Bad and Ugly. Afghanistan has a rich history of militias for good and bad. In a country that has almost always had a decentralized form of government the existence of regional warlords (with their militias) has generally been a fact of life. The inability of the Afghan government and its Afghan National Defense Security Forces (ANDSF) to defeat the Taliban and other insurgent groups has resulted in some power brokers and regional actors to use local militias to provide security. This brings some good (local forces fighting the Taliban) and bad (militias not under government control victimizing the population) results. The First Vice President, Abdul Rashid Dostrum, is generating support for militias in northern Afghanistan (where he enjoys the most support). Read more in "Afghan Vice President Raises Concerns by Turning to Militias in Taliban Fight", The New York Times, August 18, 2015.