Afghan War Blog

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Building Partner Capacity within the Afghan Security Ministries

MG Richard Kaiser, cdr CSTC-A, meets with Acting Minister of MoD
Photo credit: RS HQs, May 2017

The U.S. and NATO have embraced the concept of training up indigenous forces to achieve objectives and goals in line with their strategic, national, or organizational interests. Essentially this means conducting "Train, Advise, and Assist" (TAA) missions in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere so that host nations (using local or indigenous forces) can defeat ISIS, al Qaeda, the Taliban, or other adversaries on the battlefield. The United States refers to this mission set as Building Partner Capacity or BPC.

For the past 16 years the United States, NATO, and other partner nations have been slowly developing, training, equipping, and fielding the Afghan National Defense Security Forces (ANDSF) and the Afghan Security Institutions (ASI). Although this effort has made some progress, it has not been a resounding success. While the quantity is there (the end strength according to personnel rosters) the quality is lacking - except in the Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF).

Currently the Resolute Support HQs based in Kabul is conducting the Train, Advise, and Assist mission on three levels. A major advisory effort is taking place at the security ministries - the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Ministry of Interior (MoI). There are advisors conducting TAA at the regional ANA Corps level. The Afghan Air Force and Afghan SOF are receiving TAA at the tactical level.

A recently published paper in Joint Force Quarterly examines one critical component of the Building Partner Capacity mission set. It takes a close look at the building of institutional capacity in host-nation ministries (Afghanistan is presented as an example). The authors then offer a scientifically and historically sound methodology for military advisors working at the ministerial level. The aim of the paper is to show the way military leaders and staff can improve how they plan and execute the Train, Advise, and Sssist missions - and, in addition, how we can rethink the role of the military advisor.

You can read or download the 8-page paper below:

"Learning to Fish in Murky Waters: The Missing Link in Capacity-Building", Joint Force Quarterly 86, 3rd Quarter, July 2017.
http://ndupress.ndu.edu/JFQ/Joint-Force-Quarterly-86/Article/1223974/learning-to-fish-in-murky-waters-the-missing-link-in-capacity-building/

Breakaway Taliban Faction Aided by NDS

A breakaway Taliban faction is being helped by the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS). The NDS is Afghanistan's version of the U.S. FBI and CIA combined. The faction supported by the NDS and the main stream Taliban have recently clashed causing casualties on both sides. Infighting among Taliban factions is not a new occurrence; however, the NDS provided support to a Taliban faction is not a commonplace event. In recent days the NDS has been supporting the 'Renouncers' - with weapons, safe passage, intelligence support, and medical support. This seems to happen most in Helmand province which the Afghan government has great difficulty in controlling. Read more in a news report entitled "Afghan Government Quietly Aids Breakaway Taliban Faction", The New York Times, June 19, 2017.

Commentary on Afghanistan

Petraeus on Afghanistan. General (Ret) David Petraeus was interviewed by Judy Woodruff on PBS Newshour about the current situation in Afghanistan and possible future strategy. He says that an increase of 3K to 5K troops is an important step to take. He believes the Department of Defense along with other agencies will soon roll out a 'new' strategy that will stop the decline of security in Afghanistan. Read more in "Petraeus: We went to Afghanistan for a reason; and we need to stay", PBS Newshour, June 16,2017.

Pakistan's Anxieties? C. Christine Fair once again identifies Pakistan as the major problem facing Afghanistan in solving its security issues in "Pakistan's Anxieties Are Incurable, So Stop Trying to Cure Them", War on the Rocks, June 21, 2017.

An Alternative Option to Surging Troops. Daniel L. Davis, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities, presents his opinion on the expected 'mini-surge' of 3-5K additional troops to Afghanistan. Instead of more troops the U.S. should put pressure on Kabul to make good progress in reducing corruption and engage in a regional diplomatic effort to reduce the Pakistan support to the insurgency. Read his article "Instead of sending more soldiers to Afghanistan, Trump should do this", Washington Examiner, June 21, 2017.

US Strategy Needs China's Support. The new U.S. administration will soon roll out its 'Afghan strategy'; however, it faces a difficult task of getting Pakistan and Afghanistan talking again. China can help. Daud Khattak writes "Whatever the New US Strategy in Afghanistan, It Can't Succeed Without China", The Diplomat, June 21, 2017.

Anthony Cordesman on Afghanistan. Cordesman - of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) - offers his perspective and some recommendations about the stability and security of Afghanistan in "One-Size-Fits-All Approach Fails in Afghanistan", The Cipher Brief, June 23, 2017.

U.S. Media Absent on Afghanistan. Pete Metzger, a former Marine officer, feels that the U.S. media is pre-ocuppied with news about Russia and they not covering the Afghan conflict properly in "The Media Miss the Mark on Afghanistan", National Review, June 23, 2017.

Trump's Plan for Afghanistan - a Break from the Past Admin. Peter Bergen, a CNN national security analyst, comments on the new plan for Afghanistan in "Trump's emerging plan for Afghanistan breaks with Obama approach", CNN, June 21, 2017.

Confronting Pakistan. Javid Ahmad writes that the Trump administration should consider new pressure points that increase the pain for Pakistan in "America Must Confront Pakistan's Support of Afghan-Based Terrorism", The National Interest, June 20, 2017.

What is Success? Luke Coffey, of The Heritage Foundation, says that ". . . we need to start measuring success by achievements on the ground and not by unrealistic expectations". Thus far, achievements on the ground have been fleeting. Read more in "What Does America Consider Success in Afghanistan", June 2, 2017.

Security News

Attack at Bagram Gates. Eight Afghan security guards were killed and two wounded at the gates of Bagram Airfield by a Taliban attack on Monday night, June 19, 2017.

Roadside Bomb in Helmand. A roadside landmine on the Lashkargah - Kandahar highway killed 6 policemen on Tuesday, June 20, 2107.

ISIS in Afghanistan - Still Big Problem. Despite the efforts of the U.S. and Afghan forces to defeat the Islamic State - Khorasan group in eastern Afghanistan the insurgent group remains as a big problem. Read "Pentagon: Islamic State Problem Not Getting Better in Afghanistan", Voice of America, June 22, 2017.

Tora Bora Mountains - Changing Hands. A week ago the Islamic State - Khorasan moved its troops into the mountains along the Afghan - Pakistan border area in southern Nangarhar province. In that process they fought and displaced Taliban groups who fled elsewhere. The Afghan government was quick to respond by sending in the ANA. So in about two weeks the region went from Taliban control, to IS-K control, to (supposedly) Afghan government control. It will be interesting to see who will end up owning the ground once the news cycle has shifted its spotlight. See "Afghan Forces Recapture Tora Bora Hideout From IS", Radio Free Europe, June 21, 2017.

Ramazan and the Fight for Kunduz. The fighting continues even during Ramazan; especially in Kunduz. Read "Ramadan on the Afghan frontline: after heavy fighting, hunger and boredom", The Guardian, June 22, 2017.

Nicholson Tours AAF. General Nicholson conducted a tour of some Afghan Air Force (AAF) facilities, looked over some AAF aircraft, met some AAF personnel and pronounced that great progress has been made. Read a press release by Resolute Support HQs that puts a warm glow in your heart about how well our U.S. taxpayers money is being spent. (RS HQs, June 22, 2017).

UN: Security Getting Worse in Afghanistan. A new quarterly report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) states that the security situation is getting worse. See "Security Situation Worsening in Afghanistan, UN, Pentagon Warn", Radio Free Europe, June 22, 2017. You can read UNAMA's 14-page report on the UNAMA website.

ANA's Camouflage Uniforms. So it seems that the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) is part of the reason the U.S. is spending more for ANA uniforms than needed. It appears, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) that CSTC-A went with a proprietary camouflage pattern rather than a camouflage pattern that the U.S. government already owned. This increased the costs per uniform significantly; which means U.S. taxpayers spent @28 million more than necessary for ANA uniforms. View an interactive report by SIGAR at https://sigar.mil/interactive-reports/ana-uniform-procurement/index.html. Read the 19-page document.

New Afghan Govt Security Plan. The Afghan's have developed a new approach to achieving stability in the country. It has four key elements - improve leadership, create unity of effort, diminish corruption, and increase the size of Afghan special operations forces. Read more in "Pentagon: Afghanistan developing new plan vs. Taliban", Stars & Stripes, June 20, 2017.

Peace Talks - But no Women at Table. Heather Barr, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch, notes that there was very little participation by Afghan women in the latest reconciliation meetings - called the "Kabul Process". Read more in "Women Excluded Again from Afghanistan's Peace Talks", Human Rights Watch, June 6, 2017.

CSTC-A Helps with Blood Bank. A recent truck bomb in Kabul that claimed up to 150 lives and wounded over 300 Afghans significantly depleted the stores of the Kabul blood bank. Read "CSTC-A resupplies life to Afghan Central Blood Bank in Kabul", RS HQs, June 22, 2017.

Car Bomb in Lashkargah. At least 29 people were killed and over 50 others wounded in a car bomb blast in Helmand province on Thursday, June 22, 2017 Some of those killed and injured were ANA soldiers in line to receive pay at the New Kabul Bank Branch in Lashkargah. This is the third time since 2014 that this bank has been attacked while soldiers were lined up to collect pay. Hmmm - lesson observed; not learned. (Tolo News).

Governance News

AREU Report. The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has published a new report entitled Land Governance Assessment Framework (LGAF) - Afghanistan. It is 242-pages long published in June 2017. The LGAF was developed by the World Bank and other organizations to enhance the activities of the institutions that work on issues relating to the country's good land governance.
https://areu.org.af/archives/publication/1608

AREU Report. The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has published a new report entitled Subnational Governance in Afghanistan. This 68-page report was published in July 2017 and covers the state of affairs in Afghanistan and the future of district and village representation.
www.refworld.org/docid/5948e86e4.html

Election Dates Announced. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced the dates for parliamentary and district council elections. The date is set for July 7, 2018. Read more in "IEC Announces Election Date: July Next Year", Tolo News, June 23, 2017.

Videos on Afghanistan

UN Security Council Debate on Afghanistan. Listen and watch a video of the Afghan Ambassador to the United Nations addressing the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan. Posted by "UNAfghanistan" on YouTube.com, June 21, 2017.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux6iZPV7evU

Afghan War News Snippets

Afghan Interpreter Has New Life in U.S. An Afghan who worked for the U.S. military as an interpreter finds that life in the United States can be sometimes difficult. See "Afghan Refugee Makes Tough Transition to US", Voice of America, June 21, 2017.

RS Cdr Visits Command School. General John Nicholson, Resolute Support Mission commander, recently visited the Afghan National Army's new Command School on June 19, 2017. Read "General Nicholson brings message of unity to ANA New Commando School", DVIDS, June 20, 2017.

Special Rep for Afg-Pak Eliminated. The Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan office at the U.S. State Department is being disbanded. The functions of that office will be assumed by the office handling Central and South Asian Affairs. Read more in a news report by the Washington Post, June 22, 2017.

Taliban Won't Stop Fighting Until . . . The Taliban have said that they will continue to fight until the last foreign troops depart Afghanistan. (Stars and Stripes, June 23, 2017).

Afghan Silk Road. China's attempt to include Afghanistan and Pakistan in its economic sphere of influence depends in part on the stabilization of Afghanistan and also Pakistan. Read more in "Fear and loathing on the Afghan Silk Road", Asia Times, June 21, 2017.

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Sunday, June 18, 2017

Afghan War Blog Weekly Newsletter - 20170618

Welcome to the Afghan War Blog Weekly Newsletter. Articles are posted online on the blog and sent out via email newsletter on Sunday morning. We welcome comments, ideas for stories, contributions, and guest writers! Visit our website at www.afghanwarnews.info, follow us on Twitter at @AfghanWarBlog, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/afghan-war-news.

Insider Attack Wounds Seven U.S. Soldiers - June 17th

An insider attack occurred on Saturday, June 17, 2017 on Camp Shaheen in northern Afghanistan. An Afghan soldier wounded seven U.S. service members - reportedly using an RPG. He is reported to have been killed during the incident. Resolute Support HQs released information about the attack on Twitter and in a news release stating that "Seven U.S. service members wounded, evacuated for treatment. Insider attack Camp Shaheen, Mazar-e Sharif under investigation."

Camp Shaheen is the headquarters base for the 209th Afghan National Army Corps with responsibility for all of northern Afghanistan. It is located about 20 minutes drive directly to the west of Mazar-e Sharif - one of the largest cities in northern Afghanistan. Train, Advise, and Assist Command - North, headed up by the Germans and staffed by member nations from NATO, is located to the east of Mazar-e Sharif by about a 10 minute drive on Camp Marmal. Many of the advisors working with the ANA travel one to several times a week between Camp Marmal and Camp Shaheen on day trips - using either ground convoy or a short helicopter flight.

This was the second insider attack by an Afghan soldier in a week. 2012 was the worst year for insider attacks with over 60 NATO members killed in 'green on blue' incidents in Afghanistan. Learn more about insider attacks in Afghanistan.

Three Soldiers from 101st Abn Div KIA - June 10th

On June 10, 2017 three Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division were killed by small arms fire in Peka Valley, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The casualties were identified in a press release by the Department of Defense posted on June 12, 2017.

www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1210522/dod-identifies-army-casualties/source/GovDelivery/

Troop Level Increase in Afghanistan

President Trump provided the authority to Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis to determine the troop levels for the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Over the past few months we have seen press reports and testimony before Congress indicating that the military chain of command (Resolute Support, CENTCOM, etc.) had recommended an increase of 3-5 thousand U.S. troops. It appears that SECDEF Mattis will honor that request and he is expected to announce troop movements at some point next week. Along with this U.S. troop increase there is an expectation that NATO and other partner coalition nations will increase their level of troop deployments as well. Many countries (United Kingdom, Germany, etc.) have already announced their intention to increase their troop levels.

What Will These Troops Do? The U.S. has two missions in Afghanistan. One is the counterterrorism (CT) mission and the other is the "Train, Advise, and Assist" (TAA) mission. A smaller portion of the 4K increase will very likely enhance the CT mission in Afghanistan. The greater portion of the 4K increase will go to the TAA mission. The planners at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul very likely have plans already in place for the increased level of troops. A reading of DoD statements and open source media could lead one to conclude that some advisors will be employed at the ministry and institutional level in the Kabul area while others will go out to the Train, Advise and Assist Commands (TAACs) to work with the ANA Corps and regional Police Zone HQs.

Advisors at Tactical Level? Some advisors are already working at the tactical level - in most cases U.S. SOF and aviation advisors. In addition, there are some advisors who deploy to ANA brigade level on a periodic basis as part of an Expeditionary Advisory Package (EAP).

General Nicholson, the commander of the Resolute Support Mission, has indicated that many of the soon-to-arrive advisors will find themselves working at the tactical level - at brigade and possibly kandak (battalion) level as well. The advisor platform at Task Force Southwest and Task Force Southeast are understaffed and will likely be augmented. It is important to note that not all newly assigned personnel will be advisors - think of the tooth to tail ratio. Each additional advisor needs logistical, medical, intelligence, transportation, force protection, and life support. So a good proportion of the 4K that go to the TAA mission will be supporting the advisors.

Lack of a Strategic Plan? There are numerous reports in the media from critics and observers that cast doubt on the utility of more troops if a strategic plan is not developed and implemented for Afghanistan. SECDEF Mattis has said that this is in the works and we should learn more in mid-July. The strategic plan very likely will see more advisors serving at the tactical level assisting with planning and coordinating operations as well as providing U.S. enablers (ISR, air support, fire support, etc.). Hopefully this strategic plan will take into account the regional actors bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan's support of some insurgent groups and the sanctuaries within Pakistan, corruption in the Afghan government and security forces, the dysfunction of the National Unity Government (NUG), and the inept, ineffective, and corrupt leadership at all levels within the MoI, MoD, and ANDSF.

4-Year ANDSF Roadmap. The Afghan government does have a strategic plan in place and the U.S. is very likely going to support this plan as best it can. The Afghans have rolled out their 4-year ANDSF Roadmap which lays out their plan for professionalizing the Afghan military and police. This includes doubling the size of the Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF), increasing the capability of the Afghan Air Force (AAF), reducing corruption, improving leadership, and improving training. The goal is to have the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) achieve the ability - at the end of the four years- to improve the security situation in Afghanistan with the end result of a political solution to the conflict with the insurgents. Time will tell.

News Reports, Editorials, Analysis, and Commentary on Troop Increase.

June 16, 2017. "Gen. Keane: 10,000 to 20,000 additional troops needed in Afghanistan", Fox News. General Keane says 4,000 troop increase is not enough; probably need 10-20K to have a decisive difference.

June 16, 2017. "For Peace in Afghanistan, Talk to Pakistan", New York Times.

June 16,2017. "Mr. Trump, Afghanistan Is Your War Now", New York Times editorial.

June 15, 2017. "The New, Old War in Afghanistan", by Paul McLeary, Foreign Policy.

June 15, 2017. "Mattis's Afghanistan War Plan: Be Patient, Convince Everyone", by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Defense One.

Commentary

U.S. Needs to work with Regional Powers for Afghan Peace. Moeed Yusuf believes that American officials need to keep in the forefront of their thinking the goal of obtaining peace in Afghanistan where the country does not harbor or support terrorism. Read "An Afghan Settlement Will Require America to Work with Russia, Iran and Pakistan", The National Interest, June 11, 2017.

Failing Afghan Strategy of Trump Administration. Tom Rogan reports on a lack of an Afghan strategy within the current White House. He provides three recommendations for the Trump admin. Read more in "The Trump administration's (lack of) strategy for Afghanistan is failing", Washington Examiner, June 14, 2017.

Afghans Need More Aircraft. Gary Anderson, who spent time in a remote province of Afghanistan as a civilian advisor, says that Afghanistan needs more helicopters so it can move troops, conduct MEDEVACs, and resupply its far-flung outposts. Read "What the Afghan Army Needs is an Adequate Air Force", The Washington Times, June 8, 2017.

Review of Brad Pitt's 'War Machine'. Netflix is airing a movie about the Afghan conflict. In the movie General Stanley McChrystal is played by actor Brad Pitt. The reaction to the movie by veterans of the Afghan conflict is varied. Some see some redeeming segments while others see it as Hollywood as usual. Whitney Kassel, a foreign policy analyst, provides her take on the movie in "Screw Brad Pitt and the 'War Machine' He Rode in on", Foreign Policy, June 13, 2017.

Security News

ANA Soldiers from 215th Corps practice markmanship fundamentals
(photo by Sgt. Lucas Hopkins, RS HQs, 4 June 2017)

CIVCAS Allegations. There were reports of civilian casualties caused by U.S. forces in Nangarhar province on June 12, 2017. Provincial officials say that three civilians were killed. USFOR-A released a statement that confirmed

". . . a convoy with U.S. and Afghan personnel was struck by a roadside bomb and attacked with small arms fire in Nangarhar Province. The convoy returned fire in self-defense and there were no U.S. casualties. We have not received any official allegations of civilian casualties. We take civilian casualties very seriously and all allegations are thoroughly investigated. The incident is under investigation and more information will be released as appropriate."

Kabul Bombing Update. The Taliban's second in command and head of the Haqqani Netwokr has denied any responsibility for the recent Kabul city bombing that killed over 150 people - most of them Afghan civilians. See "Taliban's No. 2 denies role in Kabul bombing", Military Times, June 12, 2017.

Kandahar Governor's Compound Attack. It appears, according to the National Directorate of Security (NDS), that the chef at the guesthouse was complicit in the bombing the wounded the governor and killed the UAE ambassador (as well as several others). Three suspects, believed to be in Quetta, Pakistan (of course) have been named. The NDS has asked Pakistan to hand over the three suspects. (Gandhara, June 16, 2017).

Taliban Factions Duking It Out in Helmand. News reports say that two factions of the Taliban are engaged in a bit of infighting in Gereshk district, Helmand province. See "Suicide attack on Taliban splinter group leaves several dead in Helmand", Khaama Press, June 14, 2017.

Haqqani Network Commander Killed in Drone Strike. A U.S. drone has reportedly killed a senior commander for the Haqqani Network in northwest Pakistan on June 13th. Read a news report by FDD's Long War Journal, June 14, 2017.

Director of Media for ISIS-K Killed. US Forces Afghanistan announced that a senior director of media production for the Islamic State's Wilayay Khorasan (ISIS-K) was killed in an airstrike in Achin district, Nangarhar province on June 3rd. (FDD's Long War Journal, June 17, 2017).

IS-K dislodges Taliban in Tora Bora. Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP) have gone on the offensive against the Taliban in southern Nangarhar province in the area of the Tora Bora mountains. Read more in "ISIS Captures Tora Bora, Once Bin Laden's Afghan Fortress", The New York Times, June 14, 2017.

Troop Increase Coming? President Trump is giving the Pentagon the ability to determine the troop level for Afghanistan. This could mean an increase of up to 5 K over the next several months. Most would be for advisory missions - both advisors and the folks needed to support the advisors. Read more in an article by The Washington Post, June 13, 2017. See also an article posted by Bloomberg Politics, June 14, 2017. Some news reports say that 4,000 is the magic number. Time will tell.

DoD Statement on Troop Levels. The Defense Department has released a statement saying that the decision for troop levels resides with the Secretary of Defense and is part of a broader strategy for Afghanistan that is currently evolving. See "Statement by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on Afghanistan Troop Levels", DoD, June 14, 2017.

Regional Approach by U.S. The Defense Secretary for the United States says that the U.S. will be reassessing its strategy for Afghanistan and will be taking a regional approach to solving the country's long-running war. (Gandara, June 13, 2017).

No Military Solution. The United Nations Secretary General recently visited Afghanistan. During his visit he said there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. Read a news report by Reuters, June 13, 2017.

U.S. Not Winning. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis testified before the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, June 13th and presented some dismal news about the war in Afghanistan. He said there is an urgent need for a strategic review - which should be completed in mid-July. See "U.S. not winning in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary tells Congress", Reuters, June 14, 2017.

Task Force Southwest Update. The Marines returned to Helmand province recently and are conducting the train, advise, and assist mission for the 215th ANA Corps and 505th Police Zone. Read an update on their activities in "Task Force Southwest Supports Afghan Forces' Operations", Department of Defense, June 15, 2017.

Two NATO Allies Confer on Afghanistan.The Georgian Defence Minister visited his counterpart in Germany to discuss troop deployments to Afghanistan. Georgia has over 900 soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and 120 of them are under German command at Train, Advise, and Assist Command - North (TAAC-North) at Camp Marmal near Mezar-i Sharif. "Germany and Georgia Co-operate in Afghanistan", Jane's 360, June 16, 2017.

Police Trainers from Canada? One of the biggest contributors of troops to the Afghan conflict was Canada. The country spent lots of money and deploy a large number of troops over the years - especially in southern Afghanistan. NATO has now requested that Canada send some police trainers to Afghanistan. (CBC News, June 12, 2017).

Governance News

NUG in Disarray. The National Unity Government (NUG) is proving to be very ineffective. There is a lot of conflict between the camps of President Ghani and CEO Abdullah. in addition, there is a significant amount of infighting within each camp. Factors such as patronage, corruption, ethnic sectarianism, and a diverse array of interests and political parties add to the destabilization of the Afghan government at the national level, the provincial level, and down to the district level. In addition, the instability of the Afghan government has had an extremely adverse effect on the security ministries and security forces. The outlook appears bleak with no noticeable signs of improvement on the horizon.

Re-Upping the Quadrilateral Coordination Group. President Ghani and Prime Minister Sharif (Pakistan) have agreed to bring back the QCG in attempt to stem terrorism and keep open line of communication in order to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. This recent coordination took place during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit recently held in Astana, Kazakhstan. Read a press release by the Office of the President of Afghanistan, June 10, 2017. http://president.gov.af/en/News/0090

Amrullah Saleh Resigns. The state minister for security reforms has resigned. Saleh previously served as head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS). See "Amrullah Saleh Resigns as State Minister for Security Reforms", Tolo News, June 13,2017. The presidential palace indicated they were not informed officially about the resignation. Other observers have noted that the post was symbolic in nature and no real power to provide reforms was given to Saleh. Read "ARG Calls on Saleh to Clarify Reasons for Resigning", Tolo News, June 14, 2017. Certainly, this is not good for reforming the security ministries, diminishing corruption, or inspiring confidence in the Afghan government.

China to Mediate? The foreign minister of China is scheduled to visit Pakistan and Afghanistan to try to improve relations between the Kabul and Islamabad. See "China to Mediate Between Pakistan and Afghanistan", Gandhara, June 14, 2017.

Development News

$520 Million from World Bank. A multi-million dollar package of funding for projects is to be used to assist Afghanistan's economy, build critical infrastructure, and support Afghan refugees sent back from Pakistan. Donor money is being provided by a number of countries to include Denmark, Germany, and Japan. The largest chunk of money will assist the refugees. Read more in "World Bank Gives Afghanistan $520 Million to Help Refugees, Boost Economy", Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, June 14, 2016.

Development Projects in Limbo. Hundreds of development projects are on hold, stalled, or not yet begun for a variety of reasons. Only 15% of annual budget for 2017 spent in first six months. Read more in "Hundreds of Development Projects Remain in Limbo", Tolo News, June 17,2017.

Afghan Mining Company Owner Indicted by U.S. The owner of a mining company in Afghanistan - which is no longer in business - has been indicted on charges of defrauding the U.S. government and defaulting on a loan of almost $16 million. He was arrested at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on June 13, 2017. The loan was for the development, maintenance, and operation of a marble mine in western Afghanistan. Seems he thought it was a good idea to transfer the money into his personal bank account and default on the loan. I wonder how many times this has happened over the years in Afghanistan? Read more in "US Indicts Owner of Afghan Mining Company for Defrauding Government", Voice of America, June 17, 2017. Read more about the Afghan marble industry in western Afghanistan.

Corruption News

For years the U.S. and its international partners have complained about and tried to reduce the corruption that is rampant in the Afghan government at the national, provincial, and district level. This corruption is pervasive within all of the ministries. And, in addition, it is found at all levels within the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). For just as many years Afghan government and security force leaders have said they are instituting reforms to eliminate corruption. And . . . for just as many years . . . almost nothing has been done by the Afghan government to reign in the graft and corruption - which would lead to better governance, more services to the Afghan people, and more effective national security institutions. Reducing corruption to an 'acceptable level' would also take away one of the main recruiting themes of the insurgents. Read more . . .

June 11, 2017. "Away From the Fighting, Kabul Takes On Another Enemy: Corruption", by Frud Bezhan, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.

Recent Videos on Afghanistan

Engaging with Afghan Civil Society. The Senior Civilian Representative (SCR) from NATO to Afghanistan has provided his insight on how ". . . civil society is a key driver of change . . ." for Afghanistan. Watch video here. (RS HQ video, 1 min, June 14, 2017).

Task Force Southwest supports ANDSF Maiwand Three operations. U.S. Marine advisors are assisting ANA soldiers with the 215th Corps in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The advisors are providing support for the Maiwand Three operation currently underway. Watch video here (RS HQs video, 1-min, June 15, 2017).

Afghan soldiers complete mechanic training. A maintenance chief in the Afghan Army based in Helmand province, Afghanistan tells us how the U.S. is helping his men support the 215th Corp in the fight against insurgents. (RS HQs, 1 min, June 13, 2017).

Afghan War Blog Snippets

Ford Pickups - Right Country; Wrong Paint Job. Last month (May 2017) a freelance journalist took a photograph of Ford Ranger pickup trucks with the Afghan National Army's (ANA) logo on them. A lot of speculation occurred in the media on how that could happen. Rumors about corrupt Afghan officials selling them, to cross-wires on shipment orders, and other conspiracy theories soon were abundant. The U.S. DoD did a little investigation and found that the pickup trucks did arrive at the right destination - but just with the wrong paint job. The Iraqi MoD decided not to paint over the ANA logo . . . it seems. Read "Mistaken paint jobs blamed after dozens of U.S.-funded trucks surface in Iraq with Afghan logos", The Washington Post, June 14, 2017.

'Insider Attack' Victim Speaks Out. Webster Shipley, a civilian project engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, talks about the insider attack on August 5, 2014 at Kabul's Camp Qargha where he was shot twice by an Afghan soldier. Read "Victim of insider attack says US must remain committed to Afghanistan", Stars & Stripes, June 16, 2017.

Guam's 368th MP Company Completing Tour. The U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from Guam's military police company will soon complete their 9-month tour. They performed two different missions while in Afghanistan. One was a customs mission on Bagram and Kandahar Airfields and the other was a protective detail for COM RS. See "A long way from home: Guam sentinels serve in Afghanistan", DVIDS, June 12, 2017.

Report by Stability Journal on NGO's in Afghanistan. Stability: International Journal of Security & Development has published a research article entitled "NGO Presence and Activity in Afghanistan, 2000-2014: A Provincial-Level Dataset", June 13, 2017.
www.stabilityjournal.org/articles/10.5334/sta.497/

Report by Conciliation Resources on Peace. Conciliation Resources is an independent international organization based in London that works in the conflict field attempting to prevent violence, resolve conflicts, and promote peaceful societies. It has published a new 2-page report (June 2017) entitled Processing peace in Afghanistan.
www.c-r.org/resources/processing-peace-afghanistan

Afghan Interpreter Joins the USMC. Mohammad Nadir worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Marines in Helmand province for three years. Now he is serving in the U.S. military. Read "Afghan interpreter fulfills dream of becoming a U.S. Marine", Marine Corps Times, June 13, 2017.

Jail Time for 219th Corps Leaders. The 209th Corps military court found 34 Army personnel guilty of negligence in relation to the Camp Shaheen attack that left over 100 ANA soldiers dead. Read "34 Army Personnel Get Jail Terms Over Shaheen Corps Attack", Tolo News, June 14, 2017.

Stay Informed on Afghan Events!

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Afghan War Blog Weekly Newsletter for June 11, 2017

Blog and Newsletter Resumes Publication

The Afghan War Blog and Weekly Newsletter has returned after a six-month long absence. Several overseas trips (including a few to Afghanistan) precluded posting and publishing activities. However, things are back to normal and you should expect to see the weekly updates posted online and emailed to you if a subscriber. Should you no longer wish to receive the newsletter then it is easy to unsubscrib - see note at bottom of the email.

Three U.S. Service Members Killed in Afghanistan on June 10, 2017 in Insider Attack

Three U.S. service members were killed in an apparent insider attack in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan on Saturday, June 10, 2017. The killer was reported to be a member of the Afghan Special Service Force (ASSF). He was killed immediately after the attack. One U.S. service member was wounded in the attack. Read a news release on the incident by the Department of Defense, Three U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan, June 10, 2017.

Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation

The government of Afghanistan convened the first meeting of the "Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation" on June 6, 2017 in Kabul. Representatives of regional nations as well as the international community were invited to attend. President Ghani outlined Afghanistan's new vision and strategy for peace - in an attempt to gain regional and international support. It is hoped that the "Kabul Process" will provide an overarching process that will serve as an umbrella for the various peace and reconciliation forums of the past, present, and future. It is also anticipated that the "Kabul Process" will position the Afghan government as the key driving force for achieving peace - with support from regional powers and other international partners and actors. More information and resources about the Kabul Process can be found below:

Kabul Process - Peace and Security Cooperation by Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

http://mfa.gov.af/en/page/the-kabul-process

Kabul Peace Process: A Time for Solidarity, by Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, June 6, 2017. http://president.gov.af/en/SOKP

"Afghanistan's 'Kabul Process' Kicks Off Amid Regional Shifts", by Aveek Sen, The Diplomat, June 9, 2017.

4-Year ANDSF Roadmap

Over the past several months the Afghan security institutions have developed a strategic plan to enhance the capacity and capability of its security forces, professionalize its military and police leadership, and defeat the insurgents. This strategic plan has been named the "Afghan National Defense and Security Forces 4-year Roadmap". The Afghan government and NATO commanders have worked together to develop this strategic plan with the over-arching goal of expanding " . . . Afghan government control over more territory, increase the proportion of the population residing in that territory, and compel the Taliban to agree to a peace process leading to reconciliation and an end of hostilities." [1]

The key components of the "4-year Roadmap" are to bolster capability and capacity of the Afghan Air Force (AAF), double the number of Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF) [2], reduce corruption, professionalize the Afghan senior security leadership and training,and create an environment that fosters unity of effort and command. [3]

[1] Quote is from the Report to the United States Congress, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), April 30, 2017, page 82. The Taliban now control more territory in Afghanistan than at any other time since the time that their regime was toppled in late 2011. The percentage of population living in Taliban controlled or contested areas has significantly increased over the past several years. It is unlikely that the Taliban, having not been defeated on the battlefield, will come to the peace table any time soon.

[2] The ASSF consist of the MoD's Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) and MoI's General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU). The ASSF is considered by many to be the only professional military or police organizations within the ANDSF. The Special Mission Wing (SMW) is sometimes grouped within the ASSF. Over the past few years 70% of the offensive operations have been conducted by the ASSF.

[3] See a short 2-min long video published by Resolute Support HQs featuring Lt. Gen. Jurgen Weigt, Chief of Staff, Resolute Support Mission that outlines the key components of the 4-year Roadmap. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPzk8CVgRGI

Marines Set Up Task Force Southwest in Helmand Province

In 2014 Regional Command South West (RC SW) was dis-established as part of the draw down of forces across Afghanistan. While other regional commands (2-star organizations) were replaced by 'Train Advise and Assist Commands' (1-star organizations) the RCs for the 203rd and 215th Corps were just disbanded. Resolute Support HQs attempted to provide 'long-range expeditionary advising' to these two corps but . . . well, that's another story.

In 2015 it was determined that a full-time presence was needed in Helmand province as the security situation had deteriorated drastically in that area of Afghanistan. A small U.S. Army contingent called Task Force Forge was dispatched to provide training, advice, and assistance and to coordinate for enablers (air support, etc.) when needed. In the spring of 2017 Task Force Forge was replaced by a Marine contingent called Task Force Southwest. Read some news reports about the activities of Task Force Southwest below.

May 24, 2017. Working Together: Marine advisors with Task Force Southwest hit the ground running, DVIDS.

May 25,2017. "Marine Advisors Train Afghan Soldiers, Police", Department of Defense.

January 9, 2017. Task Force South West - Marines Return to Helmand Province, SOF News.

Commentary

Does Afghanistan Deserve One More Chance? The White House will soon determine if the request for 3,000 to 5,000 more troops for Afghanistan will be honored. These additional bodies will provide more advisors (some at the tactical level), more close air support, and more Special Forces operators. A key component of the assistance that the Afghans need is in the form of advisors. But the advisors need to be high quality people that are forward deployed with Afghan tactical units. However, this increase in support to Afghanistan should not be unconditional or open ended. 'Conditionality' should be applied to the Afghan security forces and to the Afghan government. Corrupt Afghan security officers and government officials need to be removed. Ineffective and incompetent Army and police senior leaders need to be replaced. Read more in a report by Anthony H. Cordesman of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) published on June 5, 2017 entitled Giving Afghanistan a Fighting "Last Chance".

Afghanistan: In a State of Chaos. Ben Anderson, reporting in Vice News says that "Afghanistan has Collapsed Into Chaos" in a report dated June 7, 2017. Doom and gloom.

In Interests of Peace Should Afghans Forget the Past? Most insurgencies don't end with a military victory but with reconciliation. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has returned to Kabul with a warm welcome from government officials but many older Kabul residents remember the past. Read "Afghanistan: Is Peace Possible Without Justice?", The Olive Branch, United States Institute for Peace, June 7, 2017.

Pakistan - Afghanistan Relations. One observer tries to make sense of the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Not so sure the article attains this goal. See "Blame Game and Pak-Afghan Relations", Eurasia Review, June 11, 2017.

Kabul in Midst of Political Crisis. Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist and author, provides his perspective on the lack of public confidence in President Ashraf Ghani in "Viewpoint: Can Afghan leader tackle crisis of confidence?", BBC News, June 6, 2017.

Staying the Course in Afghanistan. Helle Dale, writing in The Daily Signal (June 8, 2017) tells us "Why the US Must Stay the Course in Afghanistan".

An Economic Approach to Helping Afghanistan. Jennifer Staats believes that the United States should join India and China in building economic opportunities for Afghanistan. Read "To Help Afghanistan, Leverage China's Investments", The Olive Branch, United States Institute for Peace (USIP), June 6, 2017.

Podcast on Washington's New Afghan Strategy. A 34-minute podcast featuring two observers - Douglas Wissing and Sameer Lalwani - of the Afghan conflict is presented by Gandhara, June 6, 2017.

Killing Mullah Mansour - Did it Achieve Objectives? In May 2016 President Obama authorized a military drone strike against the leader of the Taliban as he was traveling through Pakistan in a vehicle. Did the 'decapitation' strike achieve anything of consequence? Or did it set back the progress of peace talks with the Taliban and cause resentment with the Pakistan government? Read Did Killing Mansour Work?, by Micah Zenko and Jennifer Wilson, Council of Foreign Relations, May 25, 2017.

Renewed Calls for Afghan Peace Talks

Renewed Calls for Peace Talks. Recent territorial gains by the Taliban have caused many observers to conclude that there will not be a military victory against the insurgents. By some estimates the Taliban now control over 40% of the countryside - mostly rural areas. High profile attacks such as the recent bombing at the gates of the 'Green Zone' causing the death of over 150 people and the killing of over 130 Afghan National Army soldiers at Camp Shaheen in northern Afghanistan cast doubt on the ANDSF's ability to provide security to Afghanistan. The continued use of sanctuaries in Pakistan by insurgents, incompetent and ineffective senior leadership of the Afghan police and Army, and rampant corruption at all levels of government leads many commentators to believe that the security situation will not change for the better. There are now renewed calls and pressure for the Afghan government to engage in negotiations with the Taliban and other insurgent groups to end the conflict.

New Leader for High Peace Council. President Ghani has appointed Karim Khalili as the new head fo the Afghanistan High Peace Council. Khalili is a former vice-president. The question remains whether Ghani will give the HPC a real role of if this is just another symbolic appointment.

June 4,2017, "German Foreign Minister Gabriel calls for peace talks with Taliban", Deutsche Welle.

June 6, 2017. "Mattis: Taliban Can't Be Part of a Political Solution in Afghanistan", The Weekly Standard. The statements of SECDEF Jim Mattis are interesting. Is this a break from previous U.S. positions that a negotiated peace is the only way to end the conflict? Hmmmm.

Annotated Bibliography for Resolute Support

The Annotated Bibliography for Resolute Support is updated periodically. The ISAF mission ended on December 31, 2014 and the NATO Resolute Support mission started on January 1, 2015. The Resolute Support mission is primarily Security Force Assistance along functional areas at the ministry, institutional, and ANA corps level. The bibliography will be very helpful for advisors at all levels in Afghanistan as well as staff members of the RS mission. It has links to hundreds of documents, papers, publications, and websites about advising, the Afghan National Security Forces, and Afghanistan. The publication is an Adobe Acrobat PDF, is just over 200 pages long, and is less than 3 MBs big. You can read online or download at the link below.

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

Afghan War Glossary

In every military there is a huge amount of terms, acronyms, phrases, and words that are unrecognizable to the non-military members of society. To a newly deployed member of the military assigned to Afghanistan - the slang, abbreviations, and definitions used in theater can be perplexing as well. It takes a while to learn the lingo. For instance many newcomers confuse the terms Afghan and Afghani. To help out Afghan War News has compiled an online glossary.

www.afghanwarnews.info/glossary/afghanglossary.htm

Recent Videos about Afghanistan

"Afghanistan in Crisis: Where to Go From Here". New America hosts a 1 1//2 hour panel discussion on Afghanistan - moderated by Peter Bergen. Panel participants are John Dempsey of New America's International Security Program and Ioannis Koskinas of the Hoplite Group.

Countering IEDs with Helmand Bomb Squad. A video by OF-4 Una Sighvatsdottir of Resolute Support Headquarters provides an overview of counter IED training that the ANA 215th Corps is conducting in Helmand province. Watch the video here. (Video by RS HQs, 4 mins, March 11, 2017).

Learning to defeat Improvised Explosive Devices. Afghan National Army soldiers are attending training courses to learn how to diminish the threat of IEDs or improvised explosive devices.Watch a video of a course provided by Resolute Support advisors and trainers to the 215th Corps here. (Video by RS HQs, 1 min, May 17, 2017).

The Breadwinner - A Story of an Afghan Girl. A trailer has been released about a coming film by the movie actress Angelina Jolie. The movie trailer depicts some scenes of the movie - the story of a young Afghan girl who disguises herself as a boy to support her family. (Video posted by Tolo News, May 17, 2017).

Afghan Special Operations Forces training in Herat, Afghanistan. As part of the Winter Campaign in Afghanistan, members of the Afghan Special Operations Forces completed training at Camp Zafar, Herat. Watch a short video on the training. (RS HQs, May 1, 2017).

Advice for the Marines in Helmand, Afghanistan. The former commander of Task Force Forge provides some advice for the U.S. Marines deploying to Helmand province to standup Task Force Southwest in this Resolute Support HQs video. (30 April 2017, 1-min).

Supporting Rehabilitation for Afghan Prisoners. The Italian military is supporting the foundation of a rehabilitation program that teaches job skills to prisoners at the Parwan Detention Center. Italy donated sewing tools and textiles to the prison. Watch a short video on this topic. (RS HQs, 1 min, May 24, 2017).

Afghan Nationals on the Job Training. A video by Senior Airman Joshua Crowley of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing provides an overview of training provided to Afghan Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs). Watch the video here. (Video by RS HQs, 2 mins, May 22, 2017).

A New Afghan Surge

With every new U.S. presidential administration comes a review of all aspects of foreign policy. The administration of President Trump is in the process of conducting a review of the Afghan conflict - now (at least for the U.S, NATO, and partner nations) in its 16th year. By now, General Nicholson (Resolute Support Commander), General Votel (CENTCOM Commander), and Secretary of Defense Mattis (DoD) have all voiced their concerns and recommendations. Word in the D.C. beltway is that a plan for increasing troop levels by 3,000 to 5,000 is in the works - some are calling this a 'mini-surge". Naturally, there are those that oppose the increase (both within the White House and Congress). Trump (we assume) will make the final decision.

The NATO and other partner nations are quietly being asked to raise their level of commitment as well. The Germans and British have already indicated that they will increase their numbers. It is expected that the European and other nations will increase troop levels collectively in excess of 1,000.

Most of the increased numbers will go towards the advisory effort - known as the 'train, advise, and assist' mission. This doesn't mean that 4,000 to 5,000 new advisors will show up - as many of these additional troops will be supporting the additional advisors (staff, intelligence, force protection, life support, transport, logistics, etc.). Although some of the additional advisors will be spread out among the national security ministries and institutions - it is anticipated that most will go out to the regional ANA corps and ANP police zone headquarters. Some may find themselves advising tactical units below corps level or as members of Expeditionary Advising Platforms (EAPs).

The current strength of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan is about 8,400. A significant increase may bring the troop level back up to the 10,000 mark or higher. Additional readings and info on this topic can be found below:

June 1, 2017. "Can a New US Surge Stabilize Afghanistan?", The Diplomat.

May 30, 2017. "A political surge is what's needed in Afghanistan", The Hill.

June 5,2017. "Why More Troops Won't Help Afghanistan", The New Yorker. Barnett Rubin provides his perspective on the current situation in Afghanistan.

Kabul Truck Bombing Aftermath

The devastating truck bomb on the outskirts of the 'Green Zone' in the diplomatic area of Kabul on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 is still having far-reaching effects. The sewage truck loaded with about 1,500 kgs of explosives killed more than 150 people and wounded more than 300. Afghan intelligence sources say that the explosives came from Pakistan. Many of the killed and wounded were employees of the Roshan telecommunications company. There have been street demonstrations against the Afghan government and subsequent terrorist bombings at funerals of those who died in the truck bombing. The government is in crisis mode with calls for the removal of key security officials by various political parties. Some observers fear that ethnic politics is agitating the fragile security situation and that opportunistic political leaders are using the tragic event to advance their personal positions.

June 6, 2017. "Ghani Says More Than 150 Killed in Kabul Truck Bombing on May 31", Gandhara.

ISIS in Afghanistan Update

U.S. and Afghan special operations forces have been taking the fight to the Islamic State in Khorasan (IS-K) over the past year or so. The strength of IS-K has been reduced from a high of 3,000 (estimates vary) to less than 1,000 (based on April/May estimates). This spring saw a concerted effort on the part of the Afghans and the U.S. to reduce IS-K enclaves in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. The U.S. has suffered several deaths (SOF Soldiers) in recent months in this region of Afghanistan. The offensive against IS-K received a lot of media attention when the U.S.dropped the Mother of All Bombs or MOAB on Islamic State positions. Although the IS-K's position in Nangarhar province is being diminished there are concerns that the insurgent organization will move on to other more remote areas of Afghanistan - such as Nuristan province. (See a Gandara report on June 4, 2017 entitled "Worries Over New IS Sanctuary in Eastern Afghan Province").

Afghan Corruption - It Just Doesn't Go Away

The U.S. and other nations have long identified corruption as a main factor in support for the insurgency and the ineffectiveness of the government and security institutions to defeat the insurgency. For many long years the international community has worked very hard (some years harder than others) to diminish corruption but still it persists at all levels of the Afghan government and throughout the security institutions. General John R. Allen, USMC and former COMISAF, once said "Corruption is the existential, strategic threat to Afghanistan". Some recent reports and news stories about Afghan corruption are provided below:

May 30, 2017. Industrial-Scale Looting of Afghanistan's Mineral Resources, United States Institute for Peace (USPI). This 20-page report details the large-scale looting of mineral resources amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars per year that fuels local conflicts, the wider insurgency, and supports power brokers and warlords.

May 27, 2017. Inspector general grads to boost anti-corruption efforts, Resolute Support HQs. A press release by RS HQs featuring recent graduates of the Ministry of Defense IG school. The newly minted IGs will join 570 of their IG colleagues operating across Afghanistan.

Afghan War News Snippets

Montenegro Joins NATO. Montenegro has officially become the 29th member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The small Balkan nation on the Adriatic Sea will continue to contribute to the Resolute Support mission primarily with the Train, Advise, and Assist (TAA) mission at Camp Marmal in northern Afghanistan.

Bombing at Herat Mosque. On Tuesday, June 6th a bombing killed at least seven (maybe ten) people at a mosque in the western Afghanistan city of Herat. The bomb was hidden in a motorcycle left in the parking lot outside the mosque. (The Independent, June 6, 2017).

New Book on Afghan War. Aaron B. O'Connell, a veteran of the War in Afghanistan, is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve and a former professor of American history at the U.S. Naval Academy. His has penned a new book recently released (April 2017) entitled Our Latest Longest War. Losing Hearts and Minds in Afghanistan. Available at Amazon.com.
www.amazon.com/Our-Latest-Longest-War-Afghanistan/dp/022626565X/

Current State of Hezb-i Islami. A lot of commentary has been passed on in the media about the negotiated return of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to Kabul and the Hezb-i Islami group renouncing violence against the Afghan regime. Certainly this event promises to liven up the political environment in Kabul. But how does it affect the Hezb-i Islami foot soldier in the more remote areas of Afghanistan? Franz J. Marty, a freelance journalist based in Afghanistan, recently spent some time with a Hezb-i Islami controlled area in eastern Afghanistan and provides an insightful article on the topic in "Afghan Jihad Frozen in Time?", The Diplomat, April 25, 2017.

U.S. Airstrike Kills Three Afghan ABP Members. Three policemen with the Afghan Border Police (ABP) were killed in a 'friendly fire' incident on June 9, 2017 in southern Afghanistan. (Reuters, June 10, 2017).

The Death of Two NPR Journalists in Afghanistan. Two NPR reporters died in June 2016 in Helmand province. Controversy surrounds the circumstances of their death. Read "Not a Random Attack: New Details Emerge From Investigation of Slain NPR Journalists", NPR, June 9, 2017.

TAAC Air Commander to Move On. BG David Hicks, currently commanding general of Train, Advise, and Assist Command - Air (TAAC Air), will be reassigned to the Pentagon to be Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements.

Blackhawks for Afghanistan - Horrible Idea. The U.S. Congress has effectively killed the ability of the U.S. military to supply the Afghan Air Force with the helicopters it needs. Instead, plans are to provide the AAF with expensive and hard to maintain Blackhawks. This is good for the Sirkorsky folks and politicians in Connecticut but not so good for the Afghans. The fielding plan - using U.S. instead of Russian helicopters - puts back the readiness of the AAF by two to four more years. Read more in a news article in Army Times, May 17,2017.

Fort Hood Unit Completes Afghan Tour. Members of the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade recently returned home after completion of their mission in Afghanistan. During their 9-month tour the unit was responsible for sustainment efforts supporting the Resolute Support Mission in the Combined Joint Operations Area - Afghanistan (CJOA-A). During the deployment three unit members died and ten were wounded. "Wagoneers return from Afghanistan", Fort Hood Sentinel, June 8, 2017.

ANA Refines Comms Procedures. Communications is a vital part of military operations and the ANA are fielding specialists that can provide for good comms. Read more in Afghan soldiers take essential communication skills to battlefield, DVIDS, June 7, 2017.

Cosmopolitan for Afghanistan? A small group of Kabul University students have launched a monthly women's magazine - Gellara. Read more in "Afghanistan gets Cosmo-inspired women's magazine", Fox News, June 5, 2017.

A Bad Month for Afghanistan. The disaster that occurred at Camp Marmel (209th Corp HQs attack killing more than 100 soldiers) coupled with the recent truck bombing in Kabul has made the past month or more very disheartening for those who want to see progress in Afghanistan. The past few weeks have been terrible. Read more in "A Black Week in Kabul: Terror and protects", by Martine van Bijlert and Thomas Ruttig of Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), June 4, 2017.