Commander Outlines Afghanistan Campaign Objectives

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan, March 16, 2012 – Coalition troops and their Afghan partners have a new initiative and momentum going into this year’s fighting season, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Curtis “Mike” Scaparrotti, commander ISAF Joint Command, said here yesterday.

Scaparrotti, who also serves as deputy commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, commanded NATO International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command East in 2009 and 2010, he reminded reporters traveling with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta here this week.

RC-East troops operate in 14 provinces that lie largely along Afghanistan’s eastern border with Pakistan. That region was then, and still remains, a nexus of insurgent activity and a focus for ISAF operations, Scaparrotti said.

The difference between then and now, he said, is that before the troop surge began in 2009, “we did not have the initiative -- certainly not in all the areas.”

After nine months in his current job, he said, “It’s clear to me that we’ve made a good deal of progress here in Afghanistan.”

Marjah was a bitterly fought battleground a few years ago, Scaparrotti noted, but he can now walk down the main street without a bulletproof vest when he visits. Marjah’s elders, he added, tell him life there has a new normalcy, where a wedding party can hold a noisy street celebration without fear of insurgent attack. He noted Afghan forces now are largely responsible for security there, with only a Marine company as coalition support.

“That’s just an example of the difference that you see between the start of … the real surge and what we have today,” the general said.

The Afghan army and government are building leadership skills from the platoon and individual noncommissioned officer level to the highest ranked corps commanders and provincial governors, Scaparrotti said.

“The changes that have been made are all for the better, and those that are there are stronger,” he said.

Scaparrotti heads a 1,400-person headquarters in Kabul staffed with people from 33 countries, and is responsible for controlling regional commands at the tactical level. From that perspective, he said, the campaign for spring into summer will take a new tack in familiar places.

Afghanistan’s south and east remain the areas where ISAF expects the most enemy attacks, Scaparrotti said. His command’s focus for the coming fighting season is to deepen security in populated areas and move Afghan forces into a lead role combating insurgents.

With 23,000 U.S. troops set to leave Afghanistan by the end of September, the general explained, “I want to press [Afghan soldiers and commanders] into the lead now, while we have more combat forces here and we have the opportunity to assess weaknesses and apply our forces to help them improve them.”

Scaparrotti said security force assistance will become a key coalition mission as ISAF in the spring will begin to bring in 12- to 18-person advisory teams to work with Afghan army and police units. Those teams will help Afghan units further develop their skills while maintaining the coalition’s situational awareness throughout the theater, he said.

Security transition in Afghanistan is proceeding according to the agreement reached at NATO’s Lisbon summit in November 2010, the general said. The second round of that transition, under which Afghan forces take charge of security in areas Afghan government-designated areas, is under way, he said. The Lisbon agreement calls for five rounds of transition, with the last set to take place by autumn of 2013.

Scaparrotti listed the essential components of that plan: accelerate Afghan forces’ development; maintain the initiative and “relentlessly pursue the enemy”; help the Afghan government hire, place and train civil servants and extend essential services to more of the population; and communicate tangible and recognizable progress to the Afghan people.

“Much of this war … is about perception,” Scaparrotti said. Helping Afghan leaders communicate with their people is critical to the country’s future stability, he said.

To accomplish all those goals, coalition leaders and troops must be agile in recognizing their mission and force structure will steadily change from now to 2014 and beyond, Scaparrotti said.

“We have to make sure that the Afghans are developing that same agility,” he added.

The last crucial task is sustaining the coalition, which is something “we work at as a group … every day,” Scaparrotti said.

Panetta Assures Karzai of Continued Commitment

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan, July 9, 2011 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta assured President Hamid Karzai of the United States’ continued, long-term commitment to Afghanistan during meetings in Kabul today.

“I assured him the U.S. is committed to the long-term security of the Afghan people,” the secretary said following a dinner with the president. “Our goal here is to ensure that Afghanistan is stable in the future and can secure, defend and govern itself so it can never again become a safe haven for al-Qaida and its militant allies.”

While it was the secretary’s first meeting with Karzai in his new position, Panetta has dealt with the president while serving as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Panetta said he has a good relationship with the Afghan leader and that they will work together closely to ensure the relationship remains positive.

The goal is to establish a real partnership between the United States and Afghanistan, the secretary said.

Panetta said he believes the coalition and the Afghans are moving in the right direction in Afghanistan. He credits the military strategy in place and the resources provided by President Barack Obama and the American people.

The successes to date are giving the Afghans the opportunity “to establish their own independence free of Taliban influence,” he said.

During the meeting Karzai and Panetta discussed the transition now underway to shift security responsibility to Afghan forces, Panetta said. Overall, seven areas – three provinces and four municipalities covering 25 percent of the population – will transition to Afghan responsibility.

“We can begin the process of drawing down our forces,” Panetta said. “I think we’ve got the momentum on our side, President Karzai is supportive of President Obama’s proposal and we are both confident that we can get this done in a way that not only protects the security of Afghanistan but ensures the Taliban cannot return to this country.”

The United States will withdraw 10,000 troops by the end of the year and will draw down another 23,000 by the end of September 2012. That still leaves around 70,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Those troops “will continue the strategy and operations through 2014,” Panetta said. “My goal is to make sure we can continue the effort to establish greater security in this country so we can transition to the Afghans.”

Karzai and Panetta also discussed the quality of Afghan forces. The training effort is paying off, but there is more to do, Panetta said. Afghan officials told Panetta that they are looking to improve the quality of the officer and noncommissioned officer corps. “Bottom line is they have an increasing confidence in their military to do the job,” he said.

Karzai asked Panetta how the United States managed to field an Army that was both professional and apolitical throughout its history.

“I said it began with George Washington making very clear that that’s the way we ought to be operating,” Panetta said. “I told him it would be well if he would do the same thing as president of this country.”

General Details Afghanistan Campaign Plan

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan, June 6, 2011 – The population centers of Afghanistan’s Helmand and Kandahar provinces and Spin Bolduk on the Pakistan border constitute key areas in the fight against the Taliban this year, the commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command said here today.

Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez told reporters traveling with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that the Taliban and its terrorist allies are trying to return to the area, which coalition and Afghan troops wrested from them over the past year.

“We’ve been able to degrade and attrit their leaders and their command and control, which is obviously critical to what they are doing,” the general said. Over the past year, he added, coalition and Afghan forces also have degraded Taliban support bases.

But the Taliban are “going to go all-out to reverse the losses they’ve had in the past year,” the general said.

The Taliban are going after the gains the coalition has made, Rodriguez said, noting the Taliban will try to kill Afghan tribal and government leaders, and attack Afghan security forces.

“We have to continue those efforts to get the irreversible momentum that we need and the Afghans’ desire [to maintain gains made] in the south so we can shift our main effort back to the east,” Rodriguez said. The east is a far more complex area because of the mixture of tribes that live there, the mountainous terrain and long-established ties over the Pakistani border, he explained.

All this is occurring as coalition forces prepare to draw down. The agreement signed at NATO’s November summit in Lisbon, Portugal, calls for the Afghan government to have security control of the country by the end of 2014.

“As we look forward to drawing down, we have to make those good decisions and judgments about how to draw down and get more Afghans in the lead while we still continue the momentum forward,” Rodriguez said.

Though it’s a tall order to hold the territory in the south, disrupt the Taliban in the east and draw down coalition forces, it can be done because of the increased numbers and capabilities of Afghan forces, the general said. The coalition’s surge in Afghanistan was 40,000 more soldiers, 30,000 of them American. “The other part that’s not focused on … is there are more than 94,000 Afghan forces,” he noted.

At some point, the general said, momentum for security will be irreversible. Communities are seeing the benefits to being allied with the Afghan government. Governance and economic development are coming to the areas. Roads, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure improvements mean buildings jobs and set the stage for long-term prosperity, Rodriguez said.

Once the irreversible momentum is in place in the south, the coalition can shift its main effort to the eastern part of the country, he said.

“It’s all conditions-based,” the general added. “It does not mean that you are shifting forces. There are a lot of things that go into the main effort: the prioritization of the [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance], the prioritization of mobile Afghan forces --national civil order police, the commandos, and so on.”

And Afghan forces are getting better. Afghan units are arriving at their areas better trained from the start, Rodriguez said, and then they partner with coalition forces. As time goes by, the Afghan forces -- be they police or army -- need less and less direct supervision and guidance, the general said. And as the army and police get stronger, he added, they get better recruits.

Afghan forces still need help to operate, he acknowledged, with the major shortages being command and control, intelligence integration, logistics, medical evacuation and high-end special operations forces.

Coalition commanders want more Afghan units, the general said.

“They are getting better leaders all the time, they are getting better numbers, and [coalition commanders] know the overall plan is to work themselves out of a job here,” he said.

Impact of bin Laden’s Death Still Unknown, Gates Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan, June 4, 2011 – It is too early to see if the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden will have an effect on the fighting in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

Speaking during a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the secretary also said the responsible drawdown of American forces ordered by President Barack Obama will begin next month.

Bin Laden used Afghanistan as a safe haven for years before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. He had years to develop relationships with local Afghans, and he was a particularly close friend with Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

The drawdown must be cautious to begin, Gates said. “It is too soon yet to see the consequences or meaning of the elimination of bin Laden,” he added.

Officials hope that because of the close ties between Mullah Omar and bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader’s death at the hands of Navy SEALs in Pakistan will lead to many in the Taliban to walk away from al-Qaida and disavow the organization, the secretary said.

“I think it’s too early to tell. My hope is that we would have some indication perhaps later this year of the impact,” the secretary said. “But I think the important thing is for us to see through where we are today. We have enjoyed a lot of success over the last year to 18 months. We need to continue that.”

If coalition and Afghan forces can continue to hold the territory that has been recaptured in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, then “we will be in a position toward the end of this year to perhaps have an opening with respect to reconciliation, or at least be in a position to say we’ve turned a corner here in Afghanistan,” Gates said.

“I think making any change prior to that time would be premature,” he added.

Karzai said he hopes those in the Taliban who are not affiliated with terror groups will “take this opportunity to return to their country in peace and dignity and participate with the rest of the Afghan people in rebuilding their country.”

The president said Afghan forces will continue to take on Taliban fighters, but that “the Afghan people would want that this campaign … does not bring them casualties in the form of more civilians bombarded or night raids that cause deaths to civilians, or detentions of civilians that cause suffering.”

Afghanistan at Important Point in Struggle, Gates Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan, June 4, 2011 – The conflict against the Taliban in Afghanistan has reached an important inflection point in the struggle for the future of the country, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

Gates met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the presidential palace in Kabul, where Karzai presented Gates with the Wazir Akbar Khan award, named for an Afghan leader who fought against the Russians.

During a joint news conference after their meeting, Karzai thanked Gates for his support of the Afghan people and for always trying to see the struggle against terrorists through their eyes. The president, speaking through a translator, said that in the meetings with Gates he once again brought up the matter of civilian casualties. He asked the secretary to end bombardment of homes and night raids.

In his remarks, the defense secretary acknowledged weariness in both Afghanistan and the United States over the duration and costs of the conflict.

“I am keenly aware that some of these [International Security Assistance Force] military operations have at times impacted the Afghan people in unwelcome ways – from minor but grating inconveniences to, in some rare but tragic cases, civilians accidently killed or injured – losses we mourn and profoundly regret,” he said.

“But we also know that the vast majority of civilian casualties are caused by the Taliban – who intentionally target innocent men, women and children with their terror attacks. And few Afghan citizens want a return to the cruel and despotic regime that so devastated this country during the 1990s.”

Gates took the opportunity to speak directly to the Afghan people. He said the Taliban have suffered serious losses in leadership, manpower and territory over the last year and a half. At the same time, the Afghan national security forces have grown by tens of thousands, and they are far better trained.

“This shift in military momentum provides the Afghan government an opportunity to strengthen the confidence of its people though economic development, fair enforcement of the rule of law, attacking corruption and the provision of basic services,” he said.

Next month, ISAF will begin a gradual, responsible transition of security responsibilities to Afghan forces, Gates said, with all coalition forces out of the country by the end of 2014. As the transition moves forward, “we are committed to a long-term strategic partnership with Afghanistan,” he added.

“We will continue to train, equip and support Afghan security forces and do what we can to help the government improve the lives of its citizens,” Gates continued. “In short, there will be no rush to the exits. “I know that Leon Panetta, President’s Obama’s choice as my successor, shares this view.”

The United States has learned the catastrophic consequences – for the Afghan people, for the region, and for the world – of allowing violent extremists allied with terrorists to dominate Afghanistan, the secretary said.

For the upcoming transition to be successful, the Afghan government and security forces must be willing to step up and take more and more responsibility for governing and defending their own territory, Gates said. “This is the true manifestation of Afghan sovereignty,” he added. “The international coalition wants to be a strong partner in this effort, but ultimately, it is up to the Afghan people and their elected government to chart Afghanistan’s destiny.”

Gates will visit with U.S. and coalition service members over the next few days. “It will be my last chance as defense secretary to look them each in the eye and thank them for their service and sacrifice – on behalf of the future of Afghanistan, the stability of this key region, and the security of the United States,” he said. Gates retires June 30.

Alaska Guardmembers deploy in support of Mongolian Expeditionary Forces

By Army Staff Sgt. Karima Turner

Alaska National Guard

CAMP DENALI, Alaska (3/23/11) - Two Alaska Army National Guardmembers recently deployed as U.S. liaisons in support of Mongolian Expeditionary Forces in Afghanistan.

Army Maj. Scott Monson, 297th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, and Army Sgt. Maj. Richard Hildreth, recruiting and retention command, were selected as the next officer-non-commissioned officer team to deploy to Afghanistan in support of this mission.

The team is the fourth rotation of its kind, with the first in 2009, and will act primarily as U.S. liaisons for the MEF, but will also be available as tactical advisors.

Monson and Hildreth mobilized in late January in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, conducting training in Fort Benning, Ga. prior to beginning their long journey to Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan, where they are scheduled to be deployed for six to eight months.

“As liaisons and tactical advisors to the Mongolian Expeditionary Teams, our guys provide support to the Mongolians as needed,” said Maj. Mark Binggeli, a former liaison officer to the MEF.

“The Mongolian Expeditionary Forces don’t have airlift, they don’t have forward operating bases, billets, anything like that. When the initial team was sent over in 2009 they established places for them to stay, uniform and equipment requirements and helped to facilitate other needs. Now the liaisons are assisting in ensuring that support continues.”

Working through the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership program, the Alaska National Guard formed a state partnership with Mongolia that has lasted nearly a decade.

“I think it’s a good international relationship that we’ve developed and that relationship continues to be strengthened by sending these teams to assist,” said Binggeli. “It also benefits our senior NCOs and officers because they get a really good experience working with foreign nations and actually conducting these kinds of deployments.”

As the Mongolians’ direct link to the U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and the base support group at Camp Eggers and other sites in country, the Alaska Guardmembers act specifically as U.S. representative liaisons and advisors to ensure proper communication and understanding between the Mongolians and other U.S. or NATO elements during their deployment.