Afghanistan Conflict Monitor

Afghan Forces Expansion Needed For Victory: US Commander

'Commander To Seek Expansion Of Afghan Forces, Officials Say', The Washington Post, 10 July 2009

EXCERPT: "Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the newly arrived top commander in Afghanistan, has concluded that Afghan security forces will have to expand far beyond currently planned levels if President Obama's strategy for winning the war there is to succeed, according to senior military officials. Such an expansion would require additional billions beyond the $7.5 billion the administration has budgeted annually to build up the Afghan army and police over the next several years, and the likely deployment of thousands more U.S. troops as trainers and advisers, officials said. McChrystal has not yet completed a 60-day assessment of the war due next month. But Defense Department officials in Washington and in Kabul said he has informed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, including in a status update this week, of the need to increase the Afghan force substantially. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss findings that have not yet been made public. The Afghan army is already scheduled to grow from 85,000 to 134,000, an expansion originally expected to take five years but now fast-tracked for completion by 2011. Several senior Pentagon officials indicated that an adequate size for the Afghan force might be twice the expanded number."

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See also:
'War in Afghanistan is being fought on two fronts', The Wall Street Journal, 10 July 2009
'Afghanistan: A war we cannot win', The Telegraph, 10 July 2009
'US military commander urges for more Afghan forces, civilian experts', China View, 9 July 2009

Related posts:
'Allied officers concerned by lack of Afghan forces', 8 July 2009
'The Afghan national police challenge', 24 June 2009
'Erratic Afghan forces pose challenge to US goals', 8 June 2009
'The long march: Building an Afghan national army', 29 May 2009
'Afghanistan's national security forces', 16 April 2009

Allied Officers Concerned By Lack Of Afghan Forces

'Allied Officers Concerned By Lack Of Afghan Forces', The New York Times, 7 July 2009

EXCERPT: "One week after several battalions of Marines swept through the Helmand River valley, military commanders appear increasingly concerned about a lack of Afghan forces in the field. 'What I need is more Afghans,' said Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, commander of the Marine expeditionary brigade in Helmand Province. He accompanied the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, during a visit with troops at Patrol Base Jaker here on Monday. General Nicholson and others say that the long-term success of the operation hinges on the performance of the Afghan security forces, which will have to take over eventually from the American troops. General Nicholson said the American force of almost 4,000 had been joined by about 400 effective Afghan soldiers. 'The net increase in Afghan security forces is zero' since the brigade arrived a few months ago, he said. The lack of Afghan forces 'is absolutely our Achilles' heel,' added Capt. Brian Huysman, commander of Company C of the First Battalion, Fifth Marines in Nawa."

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See also:
'Marines: More Afghan soldiers, training needed', Miami Herald, 8 July 2009
'Taliban kill eight police, surround east Afghan office', Vancouver Sun, 8 July 2009
'Three districts in Helmand still out of Afghan govt control', China View, 8 July 2009

Related posts:
'Erratic Afghan forces pose challenge to US goals', 8 June 2009
'The long march: Building an Afghan national army', 29 May 2009
'Afghanistan's national security forces', 16 April 2009
'Expansion of security forces fraught with challenges', 25 March 2009
'Creating effective Afghan security forces', 12 March 2009

Canada Commits Aid To Train Afghan Police

'Canada Announces $12 Million In Support For Rule Of Law In Afghanistan', ReliefWeb, 12 June 2009

EXCERPT: "The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs today announced that Canada will help strengthen the rule of law in Afghanistan—one of Canada's six priorities in the country—through an additional contribution of $12 million to support Afghan police salaries. 'This contribution demonstrates our continued commitment to helping Afghans improve security and rebuild their country as a stable, democratic and self-sufficient society,' said Minister Cannon. The International Police Coordination Board, which is chaired by Mohamad Hanif Atmar, Afghanistan's Minister of Interior, recently approved an increase in the number of police officers countrywide, including at least 1,000 new recruits in Kandahar province, ahead of Afghanistan's elections in August."

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See also:
'In Afghanistan, voting takes courage', Canada.com, 12 June 2009
'As election looms, few Afghan police "adequately" trained: UN', The Vancouver Sun, 11 June 2009
'Afghan elections shaping up; Iraqi forces set for transition', United Press International, 10 June 2009

Related posts:
'Canadians after 2011 may rely on US protection', 27 May 2009
'"Drawback" new tactic: military', 4 May 2009
'Canadian involvement to narrow', 26 March 2009
'Canada to pay salaries of 3,000 police officers', 17 March 2009
'Afghanistan won't be stable by Canadian deadline: General', 13 March 2009

Erratic Afghan Forces Pose Challenge To US Goals

'Erratic Afghan Forces Pose Challenge To US Goals', The New York Times, 7 June 2009

EXCERPT: "The Afghan foot patrol descended a mountain and slipped through a canyon. Then things went wrong. One Afghan soldier insulted another. And there, exposed on dangerous ground, a scuffle erupted. The soldiers turned on each other with shoves, punches and kicks. One swung an ammunition can in a slow-motion haymaker. The patrol had already been hapless: a display of errant marksmanship, dud ammunition and lackluster technique. 'For months I've been telling everyone how proud I am of you,' seethed an American captain, yanking the Afghans apart. 'Today you embarrassed me.' The Obama administration has put a priority on expanding the size and abilities of Afghanistan’s security forces, first to help fight an expanding war and eventually to allow the Pentagon to draw down its troops. The task was inherited from the Bush administration, and the United States has helped to field roughly 170,000 Afghan soldiers and police officers in units created from scratch. In plans now under review, these numbers could double."

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See also:
'US troops work to quickly train Afghan forces ahead of election', Stars and Stripes, 5 June 2009
'Afghanistan's security void', The Washington Times, 4 June 2009
'Long memories', Strategy Page, 4 June 2009
'Afghan air power growing steadily', US Central Command, 3 June 2009
'Afghan police train for treacherous frontlines', AFP, 18 May 2009

Related posts:
'The long march: Building an Afghan national army', 29 May 2009
'In Zabul, US commander finds daunting need', 1 May 2009
'Afghanistan's national security forces', 16 April 2009
'Top commander says Afghan handoff "years away"', 6 April 2009
'Sustainable security in Afghanistan', 24 March 2009

UN Trains 35,000 Officers Ahead Of Elections

'UN Trains 35,000 Officers Ahead Of Elections', UN News Centre, 1 June 2009

EXCERPT: "The first batch of Afghan police wrapped up a training programme today that will eventually reach tens of thousands of officers in preparation for this year’s presidential and provincial council elections, announced the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Some 25 police officers have completed a two-day course in Kabul in the first phase of a programme that will train 350 officers in Herat, Kabul, Mazar and Kandahar who will then pass on their skills to 35,000 officers across the country ahead of the 20 August polls. The programme aims to prime the police officers to tackle security threats and provide voters with the confidence needed to come out in large numbers and cast their ballots without fear, a UNAMA spokesperson told reporters in Kabul."

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See also:
'Karzai consolidates power as NATO troops seek Afghan stability', Bloomberg, 1 June 2009
'Presidential campaign heating up', The National, 31 May 2009
'US urges more foreign aid for Afghanistan', The Washington Post, 30 May 2009
'Taliban speed up attacks as Afghan election nearing', China View, 28 May 2009
'Afghanistan's election gets rough, and it hasn't even started', Canada.com, 25 May 2009

Related posts:
'Taliban use voter cards as "visas"', 12 May 2009
'Sufficient troops needed ahead of elections: NATO', 12 March 2009
Taliban strategy aims to cut NATO logistics, undermine elections', 5 February 2009
'Young Afghan democracy facing its major test', 13 November 2008
'Worsening security threatens Afghan elections', 7 October 2008

Former Minister: Afghan Police Only Way To Victory

'Former Minister: Afghan Police Only Way To Victory In Afghanistan', Talk Radio News Service, 27 May 2009

EXCERPT: "As Iraqi security has improved, the situation security in Afghanistan has become increasingly unstable. The Obama Administration recently pledged to increase the amount of soldiers stationed in Afghanistan by 30,000, but critics claim that the only way to improve Afghan security is by cultivating the security forces themselves, not by adding more American soldiers. Today, the United States Institute for Peace stated some of their alternative policies because they believe that a surge will inevitably fail. One of the main problems with the Afghan police force presently, according to Ali Jalali, the Interior Minister of Afghanistan from 2003 to 2005, is that the public does not trust the police. He cited an example where Afghan police officers at a checkpoint were armed only with rocket-propelled grenades, which intimidated the public. The Afghani police system established after 2001 was ineffective because the financial resources were not given, and their role as protectors of the law mixed with the need to stop insurgents, Jalali said, adding that when the army and police have common goals, neither institution does their job effectively."

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See also:
'US boosts effort to train Afghan police', NPR, 27 May 2009
'Afghan police needs strong judiciary' [audio mp3], Talk Radio News Service, 27 May 2009
'Illiteracy epidemic in Afghan police' [audio mp3], Talk Radio News Service, 27 May 2009
'Afghan police in uphill struggle' [video], Al Jazeera, 25 May 2009

Related posts:
'Afghan police face critical tasks', 30 April 2009
'Afghanistan to boost police by 15,000: Minister', 20 April 2009
'Afghanistan's national security forces', 16 April 2009
'Policing in Afghanistan: Still searching for a strategy', 18 December 2008
'UN says Afghan security worse, more police needed', 26 September 2008

"Civilian Surge" Sparks Concern, Debate

'Afghan "Civilian Surge" Sparks Concern, Debate', AFP, 25 May 2009

EXCERPT: "Reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan need a radical rethink, some politicians and officials here have warned, as the country prepares for an influx of hundreds of foreign civilian specialists. The first of at least 600 experts have begun arriving in Afghanistan in a bid to bolster the fight against a Taliban-led insurgency that shows no signs of abating, eight years after the Islamists were forced out of power. Their remit includes training the Afghan army and police, and giving guidance in non-security sectors like agriculture, health and education, and comes amid a far larger surge in the number of foreign troops. However some here say the effort might repeat the errors of current practice that, they say, lacks focus, wastes money and fails to deliver improvements quick enough. Concerns about the 'civilian surge' have been compounded by reports that the US National Guard is providing some of the specialists. Experts say the sight of more foreigners arriving in military uniform -- some with 'civilian' emblazoned across their chests -- is sending mixed messages to Afghans tired of the international military presence."

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See also:
'Afghanistan's reconstruction outpaces oversight', The Associated Press, 25 May 2009
'Shades of Iraq, millions spent in Afghanistan lack adequate oversight', The Christian Science Monitor, 19 May 2009

Related posts:
'Military personnel filling Afghan civilian posts', 22 April 2009
'Rebuilding Afghanistan will be long, costly effort', 25 March 2009
'Bottom-up approach needed in Afghanistan: Report', 17 February 2009

US Audit Faults Security Spending in Afghanistan

'US Audit Faults Security Spending in Afghanistan', The Associated Press, 19 May 2009

EXCERPT: "The military command overseeing $15 billion in U.S. programs to develop Afghanistan's security forces cannot be sure the money is being managed effectively, a top government watchdog warned Tuesday. In its first audit report since being formed a year ago, the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) says the Combined Security Transition Command 'lacks effective contract oversight capabilities.' It is the command's responsibility to ensure U.S. tax dollars are spent properly, the audit says. That means command staff must visit locations where contractors are working to verify that contractors are following the terms of their deals with the government.' This is not happening,' the audit said. Arnold Fields, the special inspector general, said during a telephone interview with reporters there is no substitute for firsthand inspections."

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To continue reading the "Contract Oversight Capabilities of the Defense Department's Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A) Needs Strengthening" report, click here [pdf].

See also:
'Afghan war funding gets Senate approval', Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2009
'US troop surge "could push Taliban into Pakistan"', The Guardian, 22 May 2009
'Changing US strategy in Afghanistan', Public Radio International, 22 May 2009
'Are we winning or losing in Afghanistan?', The Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2009
'Contractors say Blackwater supplied forbidden guns', The Associated Press, 21 May 2009

Related posts:
'US arms may be falling into Taliban hands', 19 May 2009
'In Zabul, US commander finds daunting need', 1 May 2009
'Afghanistan: Key issues for congressional oversight', 23 April 2009
'Sustainable security in Afghanistan', 24 March 2009
'Iraq, Afghan auditors issue quarterly reports', 30 January 2009

Canada To Create "Model" Villages In Kandahar

'New Tactic Aims To Create "Model" Afghan Villages', The Globe and Mail, 19 May 2009

EXCERPT: "Canada's reconstruction mission in treacherous southern Afghanistan is poised to embark on a new phase in the coming weeks with efforts focused on normalizing small population centres on the five main approaches to Kandahar, the country's second-largest city. The aim is to create 'model villages' where normal daily and economic activity can flourish in a secure environment and the reach of the central Afghan government is felt, unlike in so many of the existing communities that dot war-ravaged Kandahar province. The idea is simple: identify suitable small villages on the main thoroughfares in and out of the city where coalition support is strong, establish a secure perimeter and then embark on a concerted information campaign to win over the hearts and minds of local villagers. 'This is a recognition that population centres are more pivotal,' said Cory Anderson, who is currently in charge of the 60 civilians working with the reconstruction team. Indeed, a similar approach is being applied within Kandahar city itself, 10 districts totalling between 500,000 to 800,000 people where the aim is to identify population 'pockets' amenable to rejecting the Taliban in favour of a positive alternative, Mr. Anderson said."

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See also:
'Afghan police train for treacherous frontlines', AFP, 19 May 2009
'Canada could stay beyond 2011, MacKay says', The Globe and Mail, 18 May 2009
'Taliban hit police in the south', PressTV, 17 May 2009

Related posts:
'Afghan police face critical tasks', 30 April 2009
'Canada to pay salaries of 3,000 police officers', 17 March 2009
'Afghanistan won't be stable by Canadian deadline: General', 13 March 2009
'Creating effective Afghan security forces', 12 March 2009
'Canada's engagement in Afghanistan', 4 March 2009

Afghan Police Face Critical Tasks

'Afghan Police Face Critical Tasks', Online International News Network, 29 April 2009

EXCERPT: "Army Brig. Gen. Anne F. Macdonald, Assistant Commander for Police development in Kabul said that Afghan police force faces various challenges in the country. 'We can help, but ultimately it is going to be up to Afghan security forces - most notably the police - to make the difference,' she said. She indicates that there is no shortage of Afghan police in the country. She says Taliban think that Afghan police are the danger to them so they kill them, noting that last year 1,500 Afghan police killed in the country last year. The Afghan police face tremendous challenges, according to U.S. embassy and military officials. Thirty years of invasion, warlordism and the Taliban did not improve the situation. There was no police force, just militias that extorted money from the people and protected drug lords. She explains about the recruiting process of Police in Afghanistan and said they must be ensure that Afghan police must not be connected to Taliban or any other terrorist groups in the country."

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See also:
'New AfPak strategy prompts US general's optimism for Afghan forces', Jane's, 29 April 2009

Related posts:
'Afghanistan to boost police by 15,000: Minister', 20 April 2009
'Afghanistan's national security forces', 16 April 2009
'Top commander says Afghan handoff "years away"', 6 April 2009
'Policing in Afghanistan: Still searching for a strategy', 18 December 2008
'Afghanistan's future threatened by poor police', 10 June 2008