Afghanistan Conflict Monitor

Afghan Forces Will Not Meet Takeover Deadline: US General

US General Cites Goals to Train Afghan Forces, The New York Times, 24 August 2010

EXCERPT: "The US commander in charge of building up Afghanistan's security forces has said that in the next 15 months he would have to recruit and train 141,000 soldiers and police officers to meet President Barack Obama's goals for getting Afghan forces to fight the war on their own. That figure is more than the current size of the Afghan army. Lieutenant-General William Caldwell, said the large recruiting number was to allow for attrition rates in some units of nearly 50 per cent. He said it would not be until October 2011 - three months after the deadline for the start of US withdrawals set by Mr Obama - that he will have built the Afghan security forces to their full capacity. For now, he said, 'they cannot operate independently'. General Caldwell's remarks, made by video feed from Kabul, to reporters at the Pentagon, underscored the challenge the Obama administration faces in trying to turn around the nine-year war, which has deteriorated on the ground and become increasingly unpopular among Americans. The Afghan army now numbers 134,000, with a goal of 171,600 by October 2011. The Afghan National Police has 115,500 officers, with a goal of 134,000 by October 2011. Desertions and resignations continue to be a problem."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Attrition, illiteracy big challenges in Afghan security growth, ABC News, 23 August 2010
If Afghan troops can’t read Cat in the Hat, this war is screwed, Wired News, 23 August 2010
Training Afghan police remains biggest challenge, CBS News, 22 August 2010

Related posts:
Afghan security forces will be ready by 2014: Karzai, 21 July 2010
Karzai is said to doubt West can defeat Taliban, 14 June 2010
Corrupt Afghan police blamed for locals joining the Taliban, 4 June 2010
Shaping ANSF: What it will take to implement Obama's new strategy, 10 December 2009
Karzai wants ANA to replace foreign forces in five years, 20 November 2009

Suicide Attack Kills Seven Afghan Police

Suicide Attack Kills Seven Afghan Police, AFP, 5 August 2010

EXCERPT: "A suicide attacker rammed a car bomb into a joint Afghan-NATO military convoy in northern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing seven police and injuring five civilians, officials said. The officers and soldiers were on a patrol in the insurgent-troubled Imamsaheb district of northeastern Kunduz province when they came under attack, district administrator Mohammad Ayoub told AFP. The interior ministry confirmed the toll of dead and wounded, while NATO said some coalition troops had been injured, without giving further details. Ayoub said the bomber was driving an explosives-laden car, which detonated on hitting the convoy."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Pakistani school seeks to turn boys from Taliban, AFP, 4 August 2010
Taliban kills 220 civilians in July despite new "code of conduct", WireUpdate, 4 August 2010
In Afghanistan, no shortage of suicide bombers, NPR, 28 July 2010
ISI runs, controls network of suicide bombers in Afghanistan, Sify, 26 July 2010

Related posts:
Afghan suicide bombing kills 40, 10 June 2010
Over 60 percent of suicide bombers are physically disabled, 22 October 2008
Teen describes madrasah effort to make him a suicide bomber, 6 June 2008
Suicide bombings in Afghanistan increasing; Attackers tend to be "young, poor and uneducated", 11 September 2007

Afghan Security Forces Will Be Ready by 2014: Karzai

Karzai says Afghan Security Forces Will Be Ready to Be On Their Own by 2014, The Dallas Morning News, 21 July 2010

EXCERPT: "A landmark international conference on Tuesday endorsed President Hamid Karzai's plan for Afghanistan's security forces to take over responsibility for safeguarding the country within four years, setting a potential timeline for foreign troops' departure. The Afghan capital was under virtual lockdown for the high-level gathering, which passed without any major attack. However, insurgents fired rockets at Kabul's international airport overnight, forcing the diversion of a plane carrying U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Bagram air base, north of the capital. Helicopters thundered overhead as the delegations arrived and departed. Below, the streets of Kabul were nearly deserted except for patrolling police. 'I remain determined that our Afghan national security forces will be responsible for all military and law enforcement operations throughout our country by 2014,' Karzai told the delegates, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and dozens of foreign ministers and other dignitaries."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Afghanistan makes promises, but no guarantees, AFP, 21 July 2010
Analysis: Taliban ties at heart of conference, The National Post, 21 July 2010
Kabul Conference sets lofty goals, Newsweek, 21 July 2010
Achieving Kabul Conference objectives a challenging mission, China View, 21 July 2010
Kim Sengupta: Throwing cash at a corrupt government shows how the West is desperate for an exit, The Independent, 21 July 2010

Related resources:
PRESS CONFERENCE (near verbatim transcript): At the close of the Kabul International Conference on Afghanistan, held at the Government Media Information Centre, Kabul [pdf], United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, 21 July 2010
A Renewed Commitment By The Afghan Government To The Afghan People [pdf], The Government of Afghanistan, 21 July 2010

Related posts:
Karzai pledges reforms in exchange for int'l backing, 20 July 2010
Afghan conference eyes 2014 security handover: Report, 19 July 2010
Karzai is said to doubt West can defeat Taliban, 14 June 2010
Violence, political uncertainty plague post-jirga Afghanistan, 10 June 2010
Karzai's plan to negotiate with the Taliban, 18 May 2010

Insurgents Behead Afghan Cops

Insurgents Behead Afghan Cops, AFP, 21 July 2010

EXCERPT: "Insurgents beheaded six Afghan policemen after overrunning their checkpost, NATO said Wednesday, as authorities claimed to have foiled suicide attacks on a landmark international conference in Kabul. The beheading took place Tuesday in the northern province of Baghlan, a region where insurgents have gained strong footholds in recent years, NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said. The military said police 'successfully repelled' an insurgent attack on a school, clinic and the district governor's building in Dahanah-ye Ghori, killing several insurgents. But added: 'During the attack, insurgents overran a police checkpoint and killed the police officers by cutting off their heads.' ISAF condemned the 'brutal' killings. Abdul Majeed, provincial governor confirmed that six Afghan policemen had been killed in their post but refused to give details."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Afghan gov't: Soldier shot Americans amid argument, The Associated Press, 21 July 2010
Two US civilians, 10 Afghans killed in attacks, Hindustan Times, 20 July 2010
Attacks mar Afghan handover target, The Press Association, 20 July 2010

Related posts:
Suicide bombers attack Afghan police compound, 7 June 2010
Corrupt Afghan police blamed for locals joining the Taliban, 4 June 2010
Suicide attack hits Afghan police in Paktika, 21 May 2010
Taliban attack American base outside Kabul, 19 May 2010
Taliban bombing kills 18, including 5 US troops, 18 May 2010

Afghan Conference Eyes 2014 Security Handover: Report

Afghan Conference Eyes 2014 Security Handover: Report, AFP, 19 July 2010

EXCERPT: "International powers fighting in Afghanistan will agree next week to hand over control of security in the country to Afghan forces by 2014, a British newspaper reported Sunday. A leaked communique circulated ahead of Tuesday's meeting of donor nations in Kabul will set out a phased transition beginning this year, according to the Independent on Sunday. 'The international community expressed its support for the president of Afghanistan's objective that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) should lead and conduct military operations in all provinces by the end of 2014,' the agreed statement says, according to the paper. It also pledges that foreign powers will continue to 'provide the support necessary to increase security during this time, and the continued support in training, equipping and providing interim financing to the ANSF'. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and senior officials from over 60 countries and international organisations are scheduled to attend the Kabul conference to discuss the rebuilding of the troubled nation. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said this month he would be 'very surprised' if Afghan forces had not taken over security by 2014, and Prime Minister David Cameron has said he wants Britain's troops home by 2015."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Suicide bomber kills 3 as Kabul prepares to host diplomats, The Washington Post, 19 July 2010
Liam Fox: Troops will leave Afghanistan by 2014, The Daily Telegraph, 19 July 2010
2,000 US troops to exit Afghanistan early next year: Biden, Eurasia Review, 18 July 2010
Afghan army key to Nato withdrawal, BBC News, 13 July 2010
Petraeus warns it could be years before Afghan troops manage on their own, The Guardian, 30 June 2010

Related posts:
Karzai is said to doubt West can defeat Taliban, 14 June 2010
Violence, political uncertainty plague post-jirga Afghanistan, 10 June 2010
NATO suffers deadliest day this year in Afghanistan, 8 June 2010
Taliban fighters estimated at 36,000: UK general, 3 March 2010
Taliban vow guerrilla warfare against NATO, 11 February 2010

Report Faults US for Being Too Optimistic About Afghan Security Capabilities

Report Faults US for Being Too Optimistic About Afghan Security Capabilities, The Washington Post, 29 June 2010

EXCERPT: "The U.S. military has systematically overstated or failed to adequately measure the capabilities of Afghan security forces, whose performance is key to the Obama administration's exit strategy for the war, according to a new government audit. Efforts to prepare and equip Afghan forces are also plagued by a shortage of U.S.-led coalition trainers and mentors and a corrupt and inadequate Afghan logistics system, the report by the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction said. The coalition did not challenge the findings and acknowledged significant ongoing problems. But it said the report, released Monday, was outdated and failed to take sufficient account of recent improvements in the training program."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
U.S. toils to build police force in Kandahar, NPR, 29 June 2010
War by other means, part 2: Arming the militias, GlobalPost, 29 June 2010
British troops train Afghanistan police cadets, BBC News, 29 June 2010
U.S. military criticized for purchase of Russian copters for Afghan air corps, The Washington Post, 19 June 2010

Related resource:
Actions Needed to Improve the Reliability of Afghan Security Force Assessments [pdf], Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), 29 June 2010

Related posts:
Afghan army improves, but still lacks leaders, 2 June 2010
Training of Afghan military, police has improved: NATO, 31 May 2010
Reluctant Pashtuns hamper Afghan recruitment drive, 4 March 2010
NATO falls short in push for new trainers, 24 February 2010
Shaping ANSF: What it will take to implement Obama's new strategy, 10 December 2009

Ignatieff Calls for Afghan Training Past 2011

Ignatieff Calls for Afghan Training Past 2011, CBC News, 16 June 2010

EXCERPT: "Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says Canada should commit its military to training Afghanistan's police and soldiers after its combat mission in Kandahar ends in 2011. It marks the first time the Liberal leader has publicly stated his position on what role Canada's soldiers should have in Afghanistan beyond next summer. In a speech in Toronto, Ignatieff said he believes the current combat mission should end on schedule, but his party is ready for a 'frank national conversation' on Canada's post-2011 presence in Afghanistan. In the meantime, he accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of 'walking away' from the Afghan mission 'as if it never occurred.' Along with a continued civilian presence to bolster Afghanistan's fledgling government, Ignatieff proposed that some Canadian troops to remain in the Afghan capital Kabul for an undefined 'fixed period' to provide training at a military and police staff college."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Canadian army well-prepared for future roles, thanks to Afghan mission, top commander says, Toronto Star, 15 June 2010
Security boss leaves Canadian project in Afghanistan, Toronto Star, 15 June 2010
NATO chief wants more Afghan troops trained, CBC News, 10 June 2010

Related resource:
Canada in the World: A Global Networks Strategy [pdf], Liberal Party of Canada, 16 June 2010

Related posts:
Canada tables its eighth quarterly report on Afghanistan, 14 June 2010
Afghan deployment past 2011 possible: MPs, 3 June 2010
Keeping our promises, 14 April 2010
US to press for Canada to keep troops in Afghanistan, 25 March 2010

Suicide Bombers Attack Afghan Police Compound

Suicide Bombers Attack Afghan Police Compound, The Associated Press, 7 June 2010

EXCERPT: "At least three suicide bombers attacked a police training center Monday in southern Afghanistan's largest city, but the assailants were killed before they could inflict any casualties, officials said. One of the attackers drove an explosives-laden car up to the gate of the center and detonated the bomb, blowing a hole in the compound wall, the Interior Ministry said. Two other bombers tried to storm through the hole, engaging in a gunbattle with police before blowing themselves up outside. Gen. Gul Nabi Ahmadzai, head of police training programs for Afghanistan, gave a slightly different account, saying the two gunmen were killed in firing by police. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack and said four bombers were sent. The different accounts could not be immediately reconciled."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Suicide squad attack Afghan police academy: ministry, AFP, 7 June 2010
Suicide car bombing rocks S. Afghanistan, 3 attackers killed, China View, 7 June 2010
Buildup of top Afghan police seen as key for NATO, The Associated Press, 11 May 2010

Related posts:
Corrupt Afghan police blamed for locals joining the Taliban, 4 June 2010
Taliban "terror" campaign steps up in Kandahar, 12 May 2010
Kandahar campaign has seven months to succeed, 11 May 2010
Kandahar critical test for Afghanistan's future, 3 September 2009

Corrupt Afghan Police Blamed for Locals Joining the Taliban

Corrupt Afghan Police Blamed for Locals Joining the Taliban, The Independent, 4 June 2010

EXCERPT: "Corruption and the abuse of power among Afghan police have alienated local people and driven some to join the Taliban, British commanders returning from Helmand have warned. Senior officers stressed that the police force was being urgently reformed and that new members were winning the trust of residents in areas recently recaptured from the insurgents. But Brigadier James Cowan, the last head of UK troops in Helmand, said some police had caused severe damage in the past. He added: 'The police in many ways were the cause of the problem as well as the solution... We have had cases so often when captured Taliban mention the police for them joining the insurgency in the first place.'"

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Afghan police failings fuelling Taliban recruitment, say UK army chiefs, The Guardian, 4 June 2010
15 fleeing Afghan police personnel arrested, Press Trust of India, 4 June 2010
Armed farces, TIME, 4 June 2010
Afghan police earn poor grade for Marja mission, The New York Times, 1 June 2010

Related posts:
Training of Afghan military, police has improved: NATO, 31 May 2010
Drug rehabilitation program offers hope to ANP addicts, 17 May 2010
Audit finds poor controls on Afghan police program, 21 April 2010
How the UK really rates Afghan police, 29 March 2010
NATO frustration as Afghan police flunk drug tests, 9 February 2010

Training of Afghan Military, Police Has Improved: NATO

Training of Afghan Military, Police Has Improved, NATO Report Says, The Washington Post, 30 May 2010

EXCERPT: "A U.S. military review in Afghanistan has concluded that the addition of more than 1,000 new U.S. military and NATO troops focused on training has helped stabilize what had been a failing effort to build Afghanistan's security forces, but that persistent attrition problems could still hinder long-term success. U.S. war plans depend on Afghan forces maintaining security in areas of southern and eastern Afghanistan, where the U.S. military is adding 30,000 troops this summer. More broadly, the Obama administration's counterinsurgency strategy places a heavy emphasis on an expansion of the Afghan security forces before the United States begins to withdraw troops in July 2011. Caldwell's report card on the training effort, which The Washington Post obtained in advance and is expected to be released within the next couple of days, paints a mixed picture."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
At least 6 Afghan police killed in two separate incidents, CNN, 30 May 2010
US puts hopes in bedraggled Afghan police, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2010

Related resource:
Sarah Collinson, Samir Elhawary and Robert Muggah, States of fragility: stabilisation and its implications for humanitarian action, Overseas Development Institute / Humanitarian Policy Group, 30 May 2010

Related posts:
Hundreds more trainers may be needed: NATO, 18 May 2010
US troops fill NATO training gap in Afghanistan, 28 April 2010
NATO falls short in push for new trainers, 24 February 2010
NATO will "transform" ANP failures, 15 January 2010