Stereotype of Females in Military

Are 'good looks' an indication of poor performance and 'not so good-looking' an indication of good performance among the female military population? Probably not; but it appears that some high-ranking Army female officers believe the perception exists and they have wrote internal communications that provide guidance not to show 'pretty female Soldiers' in Army publications. Read a recent post on this topic entitled Don't show "pretty" female soldiers, Army colonel says, Outside the Wire Blog, Military Times, November 20, 2013.

Photo by Anna Ciccotti, Public Affairs

Member of Italian Army

While we are on the topic . . . has anyone noticed just how good looking the Coalition military females in Afghanistan are when compared to . . . well, never mind.

Photo by SPC Michael Zuk, US Army,
Member of Swedish Army, circa 2006

Afghan Economy Suffers Due to Karzai's Statement on Bilateral Security Agreement

The Afghan economy has suffered since the Loya Jirga when Karzai said he would not sign the Bilateral Security Agreement. Investments have slowed and real estate transactions have scaled back dramatically. Read more in "Uncertainty Over Security Pact Drives Final Nail into Afghan Bubble", Voice of America, December 18, 2013.

War now Afghan versus Afghan

2013 was a year that the ISAF Coalition stepped away from the fighting on the ground. ISAF did conduct some combat related operations such as special operations missions, advising at the tactical level, conducting unilateral missions associated with force protection (route clearance missions, based defense, response to indirect fire attacks, etc.), providing of enablers (fires, MEDEVAC, air support, etc.) to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), and a host of other activities. This step away from the ground fighting is reflected in the Coalition casualty figures for 2013 - down sharply from previous years. However, the Afghan National Security Forces (especially the Afghan Local Police) have suffered tremendous casualties.

The insurgency (Taliban and others) did not capture a significant amount of territory this year from the government; but then an insurgency doesn't have to capture territory - it just has to continue to exist. The insurgency was not defeated in 2013 and it is not going away. While the Taliban did not make a lot of significant gains on the ground; neither did the ANSF. A recent news article provides more insight on how the Afghan war has become more an Afghan fight. See "The year it became 'Afghan versus Afghan'", Stars and Stripes, December 30, 2013.

Water Rights and Conflict Resolution in Afghanistan (AREU Publication)

The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has recently published a document entitled Water rights and conflict resolution processes in Afghanistan: The case of the Sar-i-Pul sub-basin" dated December 2013. This research is an attempt to focus specifically on water rights and the resolution of conflicts related to water-sharing at different hydraulic and social levels within the Sar-i-Pul sub-basin in northwestern Afghanistan. It examines the on-going gulf between actual water management practices and the recent 'good water governance' models that have been enshrined in the 2009 Water Law. You can access the publication at the link below:


www.areu.org.af/EditionDetails.aspx?EditionId=702&ContentId=7&ParentId=7&Lang=en-US

Kandahar F-16s Moving to Bagram

A video by DVIDS provides information about the move of F-16 Falcons from Kandahar Air Field in southern Afghanistan to Bagram Air Field just north of Kabul at the end of 2013. The fighters will continue to provide air support to ground troops in Afghanistan during the move. Click the link below to view the video.

www.dvidshub.net/video/315713/f-16s-move-bagram#.UrQqo_RDt8E

SFAB 4-101 Completes Afghan Tour

4th BCT, 101st Airborne Division recently completed its tour as a Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) in Regional Command East (RC East). Read a news article describing its pre-deployment training and employment in 2013 in "Currahee year in review", DVIDS, December 27, 2013.

DoD Says it Will Continue Focus on Afghanistan

The United States is withdrawing from Afghanistan and defense planners are focusing their attention on Syria, Libya, Iran, China, North Korea, pay cuts, military medical cost increases, and the defense budget. The troops in Afghanistan worry that they will be forgotten by the Department of Defense. However, both Secretary of Defense Hagel and Army General Dempsey say that the troops currently serving in Afghanistan will not be forgotten. See a recent news release on this topic - "Hagel, Dempsey Continue Focus on Afghanistan", American Forces Press Service, December 19, 2013.
www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=121373

Afghans Worried about 2014

The Afghans have a lot to be worried about. The year 2014 brings a lot of uncertainty about the elections, economy, security, Bilateral Security Agreement, Taliban threats to disrupt and discredit the elections, and more. Read "Facing Big Changes, Anxious Afghans Hope For the Best in 2014", NPR Parallels, December 27, 2013.

The Other 99% (1% Serve in Military)

An important statistic known to many current and former members of the military is the percentage of the United States population that serves in the military. The rough statistic often mentioned is 1%. That means that 99% of the population has never served in the military. So naturally there is a cultural gap and a lack of understanding of the sacrifices that service members and their families make year after year. While some members of the 99% recognize this gap (see "Experiencing War Through a Twin", At War Blog, The New York Times, December 23, 2013); others are oblivious to it.

We have been at war in Afghanistan since 2001 and in Iraq from 2003 to 2011. If one served in an infantry unit you have probably went on four or five year-long tours to either Iraq or Afghanistan in that time. While in the states you participated in months-long military exercises (JRTC, NTC, JMRC, etc.) and attended military schools and training events that required duty in another state away from your family. In addition, there is the low-standard of living the junior members of the military endure, the hardships of deployment to austere locations (Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations), the loss of friends and colleagues to IEDs and small arms fire, and the many lives forever changed due to loss of limbs injuries and wounds.

Listen to a conversation between one who has been to the wars and one who never donned a uniform. Many times the topic is changed after a brief exchange to something both can relate to - such as cars, football, or vacations. There simply is a lack of a frame of reference between the two engaged in the dialogue - at least on the topic of the wars.

This is not a new phenomenon. There has always been this gap between those who served and those who didn't. I recall an incident that took place in a different era (late 1970s) while attending college. I had just finished up a number of years in the military (labeled a "Vietnam-era Veteran") and decided to re-enter college to finish my degree. The college Student Council was holding a meeting to determine the budget allocation for the different student groups on campus. I was attending as the newly-elected President of the college's Veterans Club (we had sports teams, functions, mailed out monthly information newsletters, assisted other veterans with college costs, job placement, and support mechanisms).

During the budget meeting proceedings I found out that the Veterans Club had a yearly budget of $50 while other college clubs and organizations had a budget of hundreds of dollars. One of the council members made a move to take the $50 away from the Veterans Club and give it to the "Third World Club". I immediately questioned the motion and had to spend 10 minutes explaining who the veterans were, what the Veterans Club did, and why it was important that the veterans be recognized and supported. The Student Council grudgingly kept the $50 in the Veterans Club account. The takeaway for me was exactly how much of a disconnect there was between the college student population as a whole and the members of the military of the same age who serve. $50 isn't much, especially by today's standards; however the circumstances on the almost lost $50 is indicative of the the gap between the two worlds - veteran and non-veteran.

And how does this $50 story relate to today's world? You need to look no further than the recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by Congress just before Christmas. Despite the sacrifices made by military members over the past 13 years of war Congress has now decided that it is no longer necessary for military retiree pay to keep pace with inflation; putting a limit on the annual pay raise that military retirees will receive. There is a huge disconnect between the 99% and the 1%; and when it comes to the benefits promised to the veteran for his or her service the 1% will need to ensure the 99% deliver on those promised benefits.

No Troops, Then Little Aid to Afghanistan

A recent news article in the Chicago Tribune quotes a few U.S. officials saying that without the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan post December 2014 there is a very little chance of significant aid being sent to Afghanistan. The mistrust of the Afghan government stems from the extreme amount of corruption with both developmental and military aid dollars stolen by high-level Afghan officials (Karzai, of course, is the biggest thief). The presence of U.S. advisors and mentors would provide at least the chance that some of the aid money would be spent for the purpose allocated instead of ending up building an expensive Kabul villa or in some Afghan officials Dubai bank account. One would think that this would be a driving force to get the Kabul government to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement.

Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) Deadline - Not Really a "Deadline"

The deadline for the Afghan government to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States is fast approaching.  Except . . . the deadline is not really a "hard" deadline. The U.S. will very likely cave to Karzai once again and extend the deadline into early 2014 and quite possibly until after the Afghan presidential elections scheduled for April 5, 2014. Read more in a recent LA Times news article at the link below:

www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-us-afghan-20131220,0,5765695.story#axzz2o11A30il

1230 Report to Congress on Afghanistan (Nov 2013)

The most recent 1230 report to Congress has been released by the Department of Defense. This is the November 2013 report. It is formally known as the Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan. The report covers a variety of topics to include security, ANSF growth, development, and operations, governance, reconstruction and development, regional engagement, and security metrics and assessments. You can access the report on the DoD portal at the link below:

www.defense.gov/pubs/October_1230_Report_Master_Nov7.pdf

UK Major Works to Improve Afghan Female Officers

A major in the UK military on tour in Afghanistan has been assigned to the Kabul officer's academy to help with the development of training for female Afghan officers. See "Major's challenge to turn Afghan women into army officers", This is Kent, December 20, 2013.

Merry Christmas

The Staff at Afghan War News wishes a very Merry Christmas to all the SFAATs, ODAs, Guardian Angels, Advisors, Mentors, Trainers, Pilots, Cooks, Route Clearance Teams, EOD people, Human Terrain Teams, PowerPoint Rangers, the occasional CIA operative, staff officers and NCOs, Contractors, Green Berets, Marines, and anyone else I might have missed spending their Christmas Day in Afghanistan.

Christmas Presents for SFAATs in Afghanistan in 2013

Camp Vance, Bagram, Afghanistan, Dec 24, 2002

Camp Vance, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, December 24, 2002

Afghan ID Cards Fueling Debate

Efforts to introduce a national identification card system in Afghanistan is meeting resistance. The $100 million project (paid for by foreign donor nations) is supposed to help eliminate fraud during the upcoming Afghan presidential election. However, the ID card project is generating lots of controversy primarily about the lack of an ethnic identity on the ID card. Some support this omission while others say it supports a Pashtun agenda. Read more in "Controversial ID Cards Expose Ethnic Divisions in Afghanistan", Radio Free Europe, December 18, 2013.

Marines Train at 29 Palms for Afghan Deployment

Members of 1st Battalion 7th Marines have been training at a modern training facility located at Twentynine Palms in California. The use of the range set up as an Afghan town also includes a number of Afghan role players to provide realism to the training.
(Photo by CPL Joseph Scanlon, USMC)

Read more in "Infantrymen work hand in hand with Afghans during counterinsurgency exercise", DVIDS, December 19, 2013.

Afghan and Iran Ties May Deepen

President Karzai recently visited Iran in an attempt to strengthen the bond between Iran and Afghanistan. This visit may possibly be an attempt to persuade the United States that Afghanistan has other options other than relying on the U.S. for military and economic support. While a regional solution to the Afghan conflict certainly is welcome it is doubtful if the regional players (Iran, Pakistan, and others) will feel compelled to assist Afghanistan if the U.S. completely exits from Afghanistan. Iran would be very reluctant to see a return of Taliban rule in Afghanistan; yet it hesitates to see a continued United States presence in Afghanistan. Learn more in a recent news article entitled "Iran Looks to Deepen Ties to Afghanistan", Voice of America, December 19, 2013.

Transition - Is the Future Bright for Afghanistan?

A recent article by Karl Inderfurth and Theodore Eliot on The AFPAK Channel  of Foreign Policy indicates that some Afghans have a positive outlook for the future of Afghanistan. The authors note that there are three areas of transition - security, political, and economic where things have to go right for Afghanistan. Read more in "Afghans Look on the Bright Side", Foreign Policy, December 17, 2013.

Uncertainty Results in Karzai Refusal to Sign BSA

Karzai's refusal to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement is causing a large amount of confusion and uncertainty. This has been reflected in the political discourse, the economic indicators, and in future prospects for military and economic development aid. Read more in "Karzai Standoff on Security Deal Sows Uncertainty", VOA News, December 23, 2013.

SIGAR Reports Continue to Embarrass U.S. Military, Embassy, and USAID in Afghanistan

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has continued to publish reports that highlight abuse, fraud, and mismanagement of aid, development, and military assistance programs in Afghanistan. Over the past few years the reports have been a source of embarrassment as its authors have poked into the internal auditing and oversight practices of the military and U.S. government organizations operating in Afghanistan. It seems every month there is another SIGAR report that portrays the wasteful expenditure of funds in Afghanistan.

Unfortunately, from this authors experience, the reports ring true and only scratch the surface. The U.S. Embassy should spend more time monitoring how its money is spent. Perhaps the embassy needs more accountants in Kabul to see where the money was supposed to go and also some accountants in Dubai to find which bank accounts the money is in! Read more about the embassy's lame attempts to avoid the public eye of SIGAR and to try and minimize the accuracy of the SIGAR reports in "U.S. Embassy in Kabul defends itself against blistering fraud reports", Los Angeles Times, December 23, 2013.

C-27A Controversy. For instance, an upcoming report on the grounded C-27A transport planes that have been sitting on the Kabul airport ramp that the U.S. bought for the Afghan Air Force will be very interesting. This story is an example of the never-ending waste that takes place in Afghanistan. It will be interesting to see how ISAF plays this one; I pity the ISAF Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) because there is no good news coming out of this report.

Afghan Police Cadets Complete Training in Turkey

Almost 500 police cadets returned from a six-month long training program a the Sivas Police Training Centre for Afghanistan (SPTC-A) in Turkey. The Sivas initiative is jointly supported by UNDP's Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA) and the NTM-A - as well as with monetary contributions from Turkey and Japan. While at SPTC-A the cadets receive training in basic and advanced police training programmes in civilian policing such as rule of law, maintaining law and order, and protecting human safety. Read more in "Afghan Police Cadets Return From Training in Turkey", UNDP, November 29, 2013.

UN Says Civilian Death Toll in Afghanistan Is Climbing

The United Nations has stated that the Afghan civilian death toll has climbed in 2013. It says that the 2013 toll is 10% higher than in 2012. Most of the victims died as a result of roadside bombs and suicide bombers. Read the story here on Radio Free Europe (December 18, 2013).

Norway Provides Intel for Drone Attacks

A Norway military official has confirmed that Norway provides intelligence information to its NATO partners which may be used in the conduct of drone attacks. See "Norway Provides Intelligence for Drone Attacks", The Nordic Page, December 20, 2013.

Limited Options - If BSA Not Signed

A recent news article published by Reuters and penned by Missy Ryan explores the military options that the United States has in Afghanistan if the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) is not signed. Read more in "Analysis: Even if foreign troops leave Afghanistan, U.S. has some options" (December 23, 2013).

NATO Beginning SOFA Negotiations with Afghanistan

The Pentagon Press Secretary provided a statement on NATO beginning the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) negotiations with the government of Afghanistan.

“Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel was pleased to learn that NATO has begun negotiations with the Government of Afghanistan on the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

“NATO's decision to move forward with negotiations on a SOFA is yet another demonstration of the international community's willingness to support Afghanistan after 2014.

“But, as both the NATO Secretary General and Secretary Hagel have made clear, the Alliance won't finalize their agreement with the Bilateral Security Agreement still hanging in the balance. The message of the United States and its allies in Europe is clear: the Bilateral Security Agreement should be signed without any more delay.”

The news release can be read at the link below:

www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16445

Iraqi Foreign Minister Tells Karzai "Sign the Deal"

The long-term foreign minister of Iraq told Karzai during a visit to Kabul to " . . . sign the deal . . ." with the Americans before it is too late. Read more about Karzai and the Bilateral Security Agreement at the following link - "A Top Iraqi Official's Advice to Karzai? Take America's Deal", The New York Times, December 17, 2013.

Retrograde of MRAPs from Afghanistan

The retrograde of MRAPs from Afghanistan is proving to be expensive. In addition, many question the continued need for the MRAPs. The MRAP was built specifically for a counterinsurgency conflict where insurgents used improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to blow up vehicles along roads. As the military turns its attention to being able to fight a full-spectrum conflict the debate on the usefulness of the MRAPs in future warfare is ongoing. Learn more about this topic in "High Afghan Exit Costs Force US Military to Contemplate End of Era", Defense Daily Update, December 16, 2013.

www.defenseindustrydaily.com/mraps-shipping-post-coin-needs-019723/

Learn more about retrograde operations from Afghanistan.
www.afghanwarnews.info/topics/retrograde.htm

The New Silk Road - Another Look at State Rhetoric?

The New Silk Road Strategy (NSRS) of the United States has had a rough start with its share of detractors. Here is another view of the NSRS and its implications for the politics of Central (and South) Asia. See "The U.S. In post-2014 Central Asia: New Silk Road or Geopolitics", The Bug Pit, Eurasianet.org, December 20, 2013.

UK Drone Base Shows Operation

A Britain drone base has opened its doors to provide insight on the operations. The base, located in Lincolnshire, operates unmanned aircraft in places like Afghanistan. The drone pilots use satellite links to fly missions in Afghanistan; where the drones take off and land from the Kandahar airfield in southern Afghanistan. Britain has hundreds of various types of drones; but most notably, five Reapers that are armed with Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs. Learn more about Britain's drone fleet and the operations center in Lincolnshire in "Britain's military drone base opens its doors for cameras for first time", The Telegraph, December 18, 2013.

Energy Projects in Afghanistan Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed grant agreements with the Afghan Ministry of Finance (MoF) for two energy projects that will finance expansion of the country's transmission network. Read more in this news story by the Energy Business Review published on December 17, 2013. Read more news on development in Afghanistan here.

MIT Study on Local Democracy in Afghanistan

In a recent study the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) examined the effect of local institutions and the quality of governance in Afghanistan. The study centered on the distribution of wheat and the effects of aid to villages needing the wheat. The study looked at the differences in distribution by elected councils (such as Community Development Councils), customary leaders, or newly created local councils. A news article on Foreign Policy discusses the study and its findings and the study itself is available on the Social Science Research Network here.

Report on ALP by USIP (Dec 2013)

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has published a report entitled Counterinsurgency, Local Militias, and Statebuilding in Afghanistan dated December 18, 2013. The report is less than complimentary on the Afghan Local Police (ALP) initiative started a few years back by the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A). The study centers on the ALP in three provinces in Afghanistan - Wardak, Baghlan, and Kunduz - and concludes that the ALP program should not be expanded and instead, it should be absorbed into the Afghan National Police (ANP). Obviously, the study has to be somewhat flawed as it examined the three provinces where the ALP has been most problematic and not where it has been very successful. You can download the USIP report at the link below:

www.usip.org/publications/counterinsurgency-local-militias-and-statebuilding-in-afghanistan

Board States MAJ Brezler to be Separated from Marines

In a case that has captured the attention of the press and much of the military the U.S. Marine Reserve Board reviewing the case of MAJ Jason Brezler has decided to separate him from the Marine Corps. This is obviously unfortunate. The Marine officer had sent a classified document over the unclassified Internet detailing the abuses of an Afghan police officer (Sarwar Jan) who was newly assigned to a base in Southwest Afghanistan. The police chief had known Taliban ties and was a child abuser. The email warned fellow Marine officers of how dangerous this Afghan police chief was. Within 17 days of the email being sent the policeman's "tea boy" killed three Marines in an insider attack. Instead of worrying about a violation of classified material protocol perhaps the Marines should have worried more about the threat posed by the rogue Afghan policeman. With the separation of MAJ Brezler from the Marines it would seem that the Marines have lost a good Marine officer. Read more in "Brezler should be separated, board finds", Marine Corps Times, December 19, 2013.

New Websites on Drones and War on Terror

The organization known as "ProCon.org" has launched a new website about Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and their use in the War on Terror. Learn more in the news release published on December 19, 2013 and visit the drone website that provides facts, history, background, and opposing points of view on the value of the drones in the War on Terror. See http://drones.procon.org/ to view the website.

Ghazni Police Selling Ammo to Taleban

According to a recent report from the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) some members of the Afghan police in Ghazni province are selling ammunition and other military equipment to the Taleban. Read more at the link below.

http://iwpr.net/report-news/afghan-police-arms-sales-taleban

Money Wasted on Afghan Projects at FOB Sharana

The U.S. Army spent over $5 million dollars on incinerators to dispose of waste at Forward Operating Base Sharana but never used them. The base has since been turned over to the Afghan forces and the Afghans have deconstructed the incinerators for scrap. A recent news article details this wasteful project. Read more in "SIGAR: Millions spent on incinerators in Afghanistan that were never used", Stars and Stripes, December 16, 2013.

Former Eagles Cheerleader Now with US Army

A former Eagles cheerleader, Rachael Washburn, has been a member of the United States Army for a number of years and has completed two deployments to Afghanistan. Her first deployment was as a member of a Cultural Support Team or CST attached to a Special Operations unit in Afghanistan. She has participated in the training and selection of women for the Female Engagement Teams or FETs that deploy to Afghanistan. Her current assignment is as a military intelligence officer. Her story was highlighted in a recent news story. See "Former Eagles Cheerleader now stars for the Army", USA Today, December 19, 2013. (Photo to left by DVIDS during a visit by Rachel to troops overseas).

"Karzai's Dangerous Game" (NY Times, 19 Dec 13)

The New York Times has an op-ed contributed by Anatol Lieven (published December 19, 2013) examining the stance Karzai has taken on the Bilateral Security Agreement with the United States. The author states that Karzai is trying to garner nationalist support (among his Pashtun brothers) and also keep some sort of leverage on the United States with the upcoming Afghan presidential elections scheduled for April 2014. However, states the author, Karzai runs the risk of losing United States (and other Coalition) support and funding for his very weak government past 2014.

You can read the entire article at the link below:
www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/opinion/karzais-dangerous-game.html

Sandhurst in the Sand

The British are going to continue their involvement with the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) past 2014 but primarily in an instructor and advisory role. Much of their efforts will be centered on the Afghan National Army Officer Academy or ANA-OA. This academy will train cadets who will become officers in the ANA. The academy is modeled after the UK military academy called Sandhurst; the Afghan academy has been nicknamed 'Sandhurst in the Sand'. Learn more about Sandhurst in the Sand.

CASA-1000 and The New Silk Road (The Diplomat, Dec 18, 2013)

Eugene Imas has penned an article in The Diplomat entitled "The New Silk Road to Nowhere" published December 18, 2013. The thrust of the article is the pitfalls associated with the CASA-1000 electrical transmission line construction in Central Asia. The CASA-1000 is associated with the U.S. State Departments New Silk Road Strategy. This transmission line will stretch 759 miles and connect surplus hydroelectricity in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to customers in Afghanistan (and Pakistan). Ideally the project will provide some economic benefit to the Central Asian states as well as to Afghanistan; and with economic development hopefully comes additional stability for the area. Unfortunately there are political, economic and security realities that may threaten the realization and benefits of the expensive project. Learn more in the article at the link below.
http://thediplomat.com/2013/12/the-new-silk-road-to-nowhere/

Sangin District of Helmand Province Lost to Taliban?

Is it possible that the most recent district to fall to the Taliban could be a permanent loss? The district of Sangin in Helmand province, a Pashtun ethnic group area, has been a battleground for years. British and American forces have fought long and hard over the past several years and suffered many casualties. The district is in the heart of the poppy growing region of Afghanistan.

The Taliban opened up the 2013 fighting season targeting the Sangin district. Initially the Taliban were very successful in overrunning several ANSF checkpoints; however, the Afghans (backed by the Coalition) managed to counterattack and take some of these checkpoints back. ISAF painted a glowing picture of a triumphant ANSF taking the fight to the Taliban (see "Commander: Taliban Defeat Imminent in Helmand's Sangin District", American Forces Press Service, May 29, 2013).

However, the ANSF have taken severe casualties this past fighting season in Sangin; and in addition, this district has suffered a high desertion rate. The Afghans have an 'addiction to bases' in this region and do not actively patrol. As a result the Taliban have free reign over the district and can attack the ANSF outposts at will.

Now that the Coalition is no longer able to exercise operational reach into some of the remote and highly contested areas we may now be faced with the prospect of the ANA and ANP reaching an accommodation with the insurgents at the local level and controlling entire districts. Recent reports indicate that Sangin district may well be one of those places. Read more news reports about Sangin district the link below:

www.afghanwarnews.info/districts/sangin.htm

Women to Continue to Suffer in Afghanistan

Despite early gains for women in Afghanistan and ISAF's continuing Information Operations (IO) campaign stating the things are getting better for women there is concern among others close to the issue. Michael McDaniel spent 3 1/2 years as a Rule of Law advisor in Helmand province, Afghanistan with the British mission. He states that many of the advances made in the women's rights field will simply fade away once Coalition pressure subsides with withdrawal and the money flow for supporting programs is reduced. Read more in "Absent Social Change, Women Will Continue to Suffer in Afghanistan", TheLedger.com, December 17, 2013. Read more on the topic about women in Afghanistan.

Last Combat Troops from Australia Leave Afghanistan

The Australians have provided combat troops to the Coalition in Afghanistan since early in the war starting in 2001. Although Australia will leave some advisors (about 400) in place it has withdrawn the last of its combat troops. Much of the Australian effort was in the Uruzgan province in south central Afghanistan. Read more about the Australian withdrawal in this news report from BBC.

Karzai Playing Hardball . . . and Stupid

Karzai (the President of Afghanistan) is still playing hardball with the United States on the signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA). Despite overwhelming support for the BSA by the Loya Jirga that was recently held Karzai still is refusing to sign the agreement that will allow U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond December 2014. Read more in a recent news report by the Voice of America.

DoD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

The Department of Defense (DoD) has identified five units that will provide elements to deploy to Afghanistan in the Spring of 2014. These units include 1st Brigade 82nd Airborne Division, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, and the 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters. Read more about the upcoming deployments at the link below:

www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16423

"Out of Afghanistan"

I have returned from Afghanistan. My contract there has ended and I am now free to resume blogging. Stay tuned for news, insights, comments, and observations about the Afghan elections, state of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), the Security Force Assistance mission, the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), and other important topics on Afghan conflict.

Temporary Halt in Blogging - Off to Afghanistan . . Again

I will be taking a temporary halt in blogging. Once again I am returning to Afghanistan on another contract which will last several months. Upon my return to the states I will resume blogging. Stay safe everyone!

Villagers in Panjwai District Form Uprising Against Taliban

Villagers in the district of Panjwai located in Kandahar province have staged a local uprising or revolt against the Taliban. This is a significant event as Panjwai is in the heartland of the Taliban movement and has long been a thorn in the side of ISAF. Brutal fighting has taken place in this district (and surrounding districts) over the past several years. The catalyst for the formation of the uprising was the resentment the local villagers had against the bullying and harassment by the Taliban. Scores of civilians have been killed by the Taliban either directly or as a result of the many mines and IEDs planted by the Taliban. Although there are other documented instances of local uprisings in Afghanistan this is the first time that an uprising of this magnitude has happened in Kandahar. The uprising coincides with several other factors to include a strong District Chief of Police (DCoP), more capable Afghan police and army units, and a diminished capacity of the Taliban to exert influence in the area due to shortages of recruits and money. Read more on the Panjwai uprising in "Villagers Take on Taliban in Their Heartland", The New York Times, March 20, 2013.