Obama's Afghanistan Strategy Falling Apart & CiA running 3,000 Assassins

[C. Flower]

http://publicintelligence.net/ana-cf...ship-problems/

[Count Bobulescu]

Five criteria Obama uses before approving a drone attack: (as Obama told CNN earlier this week; thanks to Danger Room). One, "that It has to be a target that is authorized by our laws," two, that "It has to be a threat that is serious and not speculative," three, that it "has to be a situation in which we can't capture the individual before they move forward on some sort of operational plot against the United States," four, that "we've got to make sure that in whatever operations we conduct, we are very careful about avoiding civilian casualties," and five, "that while there is a legal justification for us to try and stop [American citizens] from carrying out plots ... they are subject to the protections of the Constitution and due process." http://bit.ly/cWdPhE

FP's Stephen Walt on Gen. Allen's "upbeat assessment" of the war: Walt takes Allen to task for being, like other ISAF commanders of the past, upbeat about the situation on the ground. "Well, it's déjà vu all over again: Today, despite a dramatic increase in "green on blue" attacks (i.e., attacks by Afghan security forces on U.S. or ISAF personnel) and the announced departure of other U.S. allies, the latest American commander continues to portray our efforts in a positive light, especially with respect to the progress made by Afghan security forces." http://bit.ly/PMTdm9

EYEBALLING THE CHARLOTTE SPEECHES -

Obama's pledge to end the war in Afghanistan by 2014, and his reiteration of that pledge in Charlotte last night, has struck some as not altogether factual. It depends on what your definition of "over" is. The U.S. will have to negotiate another SOFA agreement with the Afghans and, should they win this one, a small force - likely heavily favoring special forces and other trainers - will stay on for years to come. From last night: "In 2014, our longest war will be over."

NYT's Sanger: "Well, maybe. That is the deadline for pulling out all American and other foreign troops. But the White House has said that it envisions an ?enduring force' in Afghanistan for years to come that could amount to 10,000 to 15,000 troops. They would not be in combat, but they would be there to stop the Taliban from overtaking Kabul, the capital, and to keep Pakistan from losing control of its 100 or so nuclear weapons. The United States' combat role may soon be over; it is less likely the war will be."

[Count Bobulescu]

Taliban 'prepared to work with US on security in Afghanistan'

London, Sep 10, 2012, (PTI):
The Taliban is prepared to completely disown al-Qaeda, allow the US to retain several military bases in Afghanistan and agree to a ceasefire deal to end its 11 year conflict with NATO, a new report released here today claimed.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...-security.html


TALIBAN THREATEN TO KILL BRITAIN’S PRINCE HARRY. Just days after the British Crown announced the Prince Harry was headed to Afghanistan to man helicopters for four months, the Taliban announced that it would do everything in its power to kidnap of kill the 27-year-old prince. “We are using all our strength to get rid of him, either by killing or kidnapping,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters. Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, known as “Captain Wales” in the military, is stationed in the volatile Helmand province, at the forefront of NATO’s fight against the Taliban. Read more

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/...=1&ref=reuters

Wanna really mess with your enemy's head? Call in a cyber attack. When front-line troops need to rain some cyber punishment on their enemy, they've now got an option. FP's Killer Apps' John Reed tells us that the Pentagon is creating a wild new option for troops in the field that gives them the power of a cyber attack with a click of their mic. Right now, only combatant or operational commanders can call in for a Cyber Effects Request Format, or CERF. But soon, perhaps -- thanks to the Army, which is pushing for this -- smaller, tactical, front-line troops could call in for cyber fire support, too. But educating planners on just what cyber tools are and what they can do is the steep part of this learning curve. http://bit.ly/OSwCE7

[Count Bobulescu]

Another milestone reached.

Tomorrow marks the end of the surge in Afghanistan, as the last of the 30,000 troops President Obama ordered to Afghanistan in November 2009 return home. Soon, only about 68,000 American troops will remain in Afghanistan, and come mid-November, ISAF Commander Gen. John Allen will make recommendations to Obama about how much of that force should remain in the country through next year.

Much of the remaining conventional combat power will work in eastern Afghanistan and with Afghan units. The jury is still very much out on what the surge accomplished and what it didn't. And its effects won't fully be felt for many months. There are still pockets of violence where surge troops operated, and it is still far from clear if the Afghan National Security Forces will be able to step up to create a sustainable piece.

For now, ISAF spokesman Col. Tom Collins wrote in an e-mail to Situation Report that the surge was "clearly successful" because it brought "time and space" for the Afghans and coalition forces to achieve some key markers. It pushed insurgents out of the main population centers of the south, like in Kandahar City, and the communities along the Helmand River Valley. "There are still pockets of periodic violence to in outlying areas to be sure, but these populated areas are largely free of violence today," Collins wrote.

The surge also gave room to the Afghan army and police to grow, from 80,000 members of the Afghan National Army and 73,000 national police in January 2009 to 189,000 and 148,000 respectively. Last month, over 80 percent of the operations in the south were led by the Afghan Army, according to Collins.

In an exclusive interview with Situation Report last month, ISAF Commander Gen. John Allen said he would watch the post-surge environment in the south:

"I'm going to watch it very closely because this in the end, of course, is the spiritual homeland of the Pashtun rebellion. So for us it is less about a full-up conventional battle her than it is about consolidating our holds on the population," he said.

[Count Bobulescu]

Final ‘surge’ troops leave Afghanistan
U.S. meets deadline for drawdown; force now stands at 68,000.
( by Craig Whitlock , The Washington Post)

Afghanistan: U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that the last of the 33,000 "surge" troops that President Obama dispatched to Afghanistan have left the country, leaving 68,000 American forces to fight the war. Panetta argued that the surge had accomplished its goals of reversing the Taliban's momentum and building up the Afghan security forces.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...c=nl_headlines

[5intheface]

America - Fack Yeah!

America - **** Yeah! - YouTube

Just checking that you realise this is satire Cruimh?

[5intheface]

Not the way I see. It is the battle hymn of the republic 2.0
You are either with us or against us, 5intheface all I've ever asked of my people is that they obey USA orders as they would the word of God. We are there[central Asia] to help the Muslim, because inside every Muslim there is an American trying to get out. It's a hardball world, 5intheface. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over.

Oh I see you did realise it was satire.

[Count Bobulescu]

TACOMA, Wash. — An Army staff sergeant accused of massacring 16 civilians in southern Afghanistan last spring is expected to make his first court appearance on Monday during an evidentiary proceeding that could shed new light on one of the most barbaric war crimes attributed to a U.S. service member.

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, 39, was charged with 16 counts of first-degree murder after military investigators implicated him in the March 11 shootings of civilians in two villages adjacent to a NATO base in the impoverished Panjwai district of Kandahar province. Nine of the victims were children.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...53e_story.html

[fluffybiscuits]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...53e_story.html

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&...o_MFgDi70tM4Qg

[Count Bobulescu]

Girls only! The actress Angelina Jolie opened a "girls only" school in Afghanistan, the Times of India reports. "Jolie plans to fund more schools by selling her own self-designed accessories collection, the Style of Jolie, to retail stores for the first time with 100 per cent of the profits going to her new foundation, The Education Partnership for Children of Conflict."

Gen. Joe Dunford surrendering a hostage to fortune.

ICYMI: ABC's Martha Raddatz' interview yesterday morning with Gen. Joe Dunford on needing a plan B for Afghans to provide their own security. Raddatz: "When asked if there's a 'Plan B' in case Afghanistan isn't capable of providing for its own security by 2014, Dunford replies without hesitation that 'it's going to work.'"

Dunford: "I'm confident that we have a plan in place right now to grow the Afghan security forces to the level they need to be at in order to secure the country." And, on the need for sustainability: "The critical piece is to ensure that the Afghan security forces do have the sustainability in the future where they can continue to secure the people and allow the political transition to take place as well as development." On the tough fight this season: "We've seen some indication that the Taliban would like to be successful this year, particularly conducting high profile attacks and assassinations of Afghan leaders to try to erode the will of the coalition... we'll be able to provide the Afghans the support they need to be successful this summer."

[Count Bobulescu]

Anyone got any reports on the 3000 assassins of thread title fame? They seem remarkably quiet.

[C. Flower]

Anyone got any reports on the 3000 assassins of thread title fame? They seem remarkably quiet.

Look behind you.

[Count Bobulescu]

Look behind you.

You would need eyes in the back of your head around here alright.

[Count Bobulescu]

DOZENS DEAD IN ONE OF AFGHAN WAR'S DEADLIEST TALIBAN ATTACKS. Early Wednesday, nine Taliban fighters dressed as Afghan soldiers attacked a government compound in the western part of the country, killing at least 44 people and wounding more than 100 others during a hostage standoff, The New York Times reports. It was "one of the deadliest insurgent attacks" in the decade-long Afghanistan war, according to The Times. The insurgents gained access when two suicide attackers blew up an army pickup truck filled with explosives at the entrance gate. The explosion tore open the mayor's office and surrounding buildings, and opened a path to the provincial courthouse, where the attackers took civilians and employees hostage. Over the ensuing seven-hour gunfight, Taliban members occasionally took hostages to the basement to shoot them. Read more


ARMY STORING $900 MILLION IN MOSTLY OUTDATED EQUIPMENT. The Army program that supplies replacement parts for the thousands of eight-wheeled Strykers driving around Iraq and Afghanistan have piled up nearly $900 million in unused Stryker replacement parts, Stars and Stripes reports (That's as much as the entire military budget of Serbia, Quartz points out). Most of the equipment is housed in an Auburn, Wash., warehouse, and much of it is woefully outdated. Still, the program continues to place orders, according to a Defense Department Inspector General report released late last year. Read more

[Count Bobulescu]

TODAY’S PHOTO GALLERY

AFGHANISTAN AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT. Women in full hijab, toting machine guns, as they train for the Afghan Uniform Police; a Frenchman skiing in the Shahidan Valley during the “Afghan Ski Challenge”; young Afghan Scouts in full uniform; an Afghan model in a fashion show – all are remarkable images as curated by The Atlantic’s "In Focus" blog. See it here