-
Iraq and National Reconciliation
National Review Online invited me to participate in an online symposium about the Iraqi government’s efforts to end the insurgency by offering a plan for national reconciliation. There has been much criticism of this plan as it is feared insurgents responsible for killing American soldiers will be given a pass for their crimes. But in a war, there is no option to allow for 100% punishment of enemy combatants; for example, hundreds of thousands of Nazis escaped judgment at the end of World War II Bringing warring parties to the table often calls for seemingly distasteful compromises, but the ultimate…
-
Taliban losses in Afghanistan, gains in Pakistan
The latest round of fighting in southeastern Afghanistan has claimed over 82 Taliban fighters in two separate engagements in Kandahar and Uruzgan provinces. Security Watchtower provides a breakdown of the estimated casualties of Taliban and Coalition forces in southeastern Afghanistan since the beginning of April. An estimated 600 Taliban have been killed and 22 captured, with 41 Afghan and Coalition security forces killed or wounded combined. The estimated Taliban casualties do not contain the number of wounded, which is often twice the number killed in combat.
-
Kabul to Qalat
Haji, our Afghan driver and guide. Click to view. After arriving back in Kabul on a U.S. Air Force military C-130 transport from Kandahar, I met up with my friend Tim Lynch, the Afghanistan country manager for World Security Initiatives, a private contracting firm. WSI is located off of Jalalabad road, the main artery between Kabul and the eastern city of Jalalabad. The road is a rough ride and heavily populated with construction companies. Like most places in Afghanistan, the ride is always adventurous.
-
Observations from Southeastern Afghanistan
Here are some personal observations, from Kandahar, which are supported by numerous discussions with senior officers and the foot soldiers: Afghan police “on duty” at Patrol Base Wilson in Zari District. Click image to view. – Pakistan’s lawless tribal belts are a major source of Taliban support, including indoctrinating, funding, arming and training Pakistani and Afghan Taliban recruits. The Afghans I spoke to curse Pakistan for allowing this to happen. The porous situation on the Afghan-Pakistan border is a national security issue for Afghanistan, and the international community as al Qaeda is operating training camps within the Northwest Frontier Province…
-
Soft Targets
Haji Agha Lalai (left, Director of Kandahar Strengthening Peace) and Mullah Ibrahim (right). Click image to view. Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan: As Coalition and Afghan forces press on with Operation Mountain Thrust in southeastern Afghanistan, the fighting in the Zari and Panjwai has abated. Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hope, the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, has stated the offensive operations have now shifted towards joint security patrols between Canadian and Afghan police and army units. “We know from our report that any large Taliban groups have withdrawn… there must be a permanent presence, particularly…
-
Three Days of Operation Mountain Thrust in Kandahar
The other side of FOB Martello. Click image to view. Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan: On Saturday night, Charlie Company from the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry moved from Forward Operating Base Martello to the “430 compound”, a small, austere ANP base infested with large ants and adorned with a well in the center. The Canadian soldiers took advantage of the rare running water to wash up from the dust bowl at FOB Martello. The Afghan National Police guarded the soldiers from Charlie Company as they slept, packed into the mud-walled compound.
-
Press Conference with Colonel Chris Vernon on Mountain Thrust
Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan: Coalition forces have officially announced Operation Mountain Thrust, a concerted effort to dislodge the Taliban from eastern and southeastern Afghanistan. This operation has been ongoing for some time, and includes the offensive operations in Kunar, Uruzgan, Kandahar, Helmand and Zabul provinces. Colonel Chris Vernon, the Chief of Staff of Multinational Forces Brigade – Regional Command South, has commented on the operation in a press conference just minutes ago here at Kandahar Airfield. Download the audio here. The file is in MP3 format, approximately 12 Megabytes and about 10 minutes long.
-
Reflections on Haditha
Iraqi child from Barwana attack receiving treatment at Al Asad Air Base after being rushed to the hospital by the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. Photograph by SSgt Beckstead.. Click image to view. Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan: The accusations of a Marine “massacre” in Haditha continue to dominate the headlines, but the fact is we still do not know what happened in the city on November 19th, 2005 in the aftermath of the roadside bombing on the Marine patrol. What we do know is one Marine from Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment was killed and another wounded,…
-
The Road to Tarin Kot
Troops from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry prep for the field. Click image to view. Shah Wali Kot, Afghanistan: I’ve embedded with 7 Platoon, Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Regiment. This is a proud group of soldiers who bristle at the common perception in Canada that their primary mission is peacekeeping. “We’re not peace keepers, we’re soldiers,” the soldiers freely told me during numerous casual conversations. Afghanistan is far from a peacekeeping operation. The Canadian soldiers are actively fighting the Taliban insurgency in Kandahar province.
-
The demise of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, courtesy of Task Force 145 (with airstrike video)
Photograph of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi after his death. Click image to view. Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan: The death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the late commander of al Qaeda in Iraq, has provided the Coalition forces and the Iraqi people with a moral victory against al Qaeda in Iraq. Zarqawi was a powerful symbol of modern jihad, a ruthless commander willing to exercise brutality on the battlefield. Zarqawi is a legend in the jihadi community, who is often said to rival Osama bin Laden in popularity among the younger breed of jihadists. Zarqawi’s image and audio and video tapes are widely distributed,…
-
Media Death Watch in action on purported kidnapped Canadian soldier
Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan: Earlier this week, Glenn Reynolds reproduced an informal email from Afghanistan, which included an anecdote about the Canadian media maintaining the “Death Watch” (their own words) at Kandahar Airfield. The reporters are restricted to maintaining a presence at the airbase to report on potential deaths or wounding of Canadian soldiers. The soldiers resent the media for this, and the reporters do not like manning the Death Watch as well. They are at the mercy of the news bureaus, who crave the sensational stories.
-
Kabul accident changes ISAF driving rules; Suicide attacks in Kandahar
Traffic in downtown Kabul. Click to view. The fallout from last week’s traffic accident and subsequent riots has reached the international troops. On last week’s radio interview with Rob Breakenridge, I predicted Coalition forces would soon be forced to moderate their driving habits. Today, Lt. Gen. David Richards, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), indicated his troops’ behavior on the roads is now an issue. “There are too many in the (U.S.-led) coalition, ISAF, international community who drive too quickly and in an inconsiderate way and we are all determined to improve that so the people here…
-
Chora Police Station Retaken; Kabul Police Chief Sacked
Map of ISAF Mission in Afghanistan. Click to Enlarge. Coalition and Afghan National Army (ANA) forces retook the Chora district police station in Uruzgan province which was attacked and seized Taliban earlier in the week. This was a joint air assault operation, and Chora received a reinforcement of Afghan National Army troops to bolster security in the region. “Insurgents may have attacked the police headquarters, but they never had the capability to control Chora, as evident of their immediate retreat in the face of Afghan and Coalition forces,” said Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, the spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force…
-
Quiet Friday in Kabul; Mullah Abdullah threatens Canada, Britian
Mullah Dadullah on Al Jazeera. Kabul, Afghanistan: Kabul remains calm as demonstrations failed to materialize following Friday’s day of pray in the mosques throughout the city. Afghan, Coalition and United Nations intelligence feared further protests would be organized to punctuate fiery sermons from radical mullahs, but there were no reports of protests or violence in the city. The Afghan government’s call for moderation, combined with an increased security presence and a night time curfew has prevented an escalation of violence. “The city has returned to normal,” said a long time Western resident of Kabul. It is expected the curfew will…
-
A day in Kabul; Police remain a target in Southeast
Kabul, Afghanistan: The city of Kabul remains quiet as evidence emerges that U.S. Army troops fired on demonstrators while leaving the scene of Monday’s accident. According to General Amanullah Gozar, Kabul’s chief of highway police who was present at the accident, the U.S. convoy started to leave the accident site after the Afghan mob turned violent. Soldiers in one or more lead vehicles fired warning shots into the air, but a soldier in the trailing vehicle apparently fired into the crowd after hearing gunshots from the crowd. General Gozar confirmed the traffic accident was indeed unintentional, and the U.S. troops…
-
Two days after the Kabul riot
Kabul, Afghanistan: The city of Kabul has settled down after Monday’s violent outbreak that followed a traffic accident involving a runaway U.S. military vehicle and Afghan civilians. The riots were suppressed in eight hours, and the Karzai government instituted an overnight curfew, which has been extended for Wednesday night. While many businesses were closed on Tuesday (I ventured out to pick up a cell phone on Tuesday but the business was closed), there was plenty of traffic and Afghan police and army on the streets. Several long-time residents of Kabul stated today it was business as usual, and the level…
-
Combat in Southeastern Afghanistan; Mullah Dadullah not captured
The fighting in southeastern Afghanistan continues as Coalition and Afghan forces press into previously unpatroled Taliban strongholds. Over the weekend clashes occurred in Kandahar, Helmand and Ghazni provinces. These provinces have been the scene of the majority of the fighting over the past few months.
-
Fighting in Uruzgan; Osama bin Laden sighting in Pakistan
Satellite map of the Afghan-Pakistan border region. Click to Enlarge. The provincial border region of Kandahar, Uruzgan, and Helmand remains a hot spot in Southeastern Afghanistan. Fighting between Coalition forces and the Taliban intensified Tuesday in the Tarin Kowt District of Uruzgan. Over 24 Taliban were confirmed killed after a joint Afghan and Coalition patrol engaged Taliban fighters in the region. Coalition air support was called in to strike Taliban positions. The Afghan military claims up to 60 Taliban were killed in Uruzgan, while suffering five killed and six wounded.
-
Iraqi Government Forms; Recent Counterterrorism Ops
The establishment of the Iraqi government, after five long months of contentious negotiations, has dealt Zarqawi and al Qaeda in Iraq’s efforts to derail the political process. As Zarqawi stated in his 2004 letter to Osama bin Laden, once the Iraqi people begin to take control of the political and and security responsibilities, al Qaeda’s foothold in Iraq will become tenuous. In Zarqawi’s own words, “If we fight them [the Iraqi government], that will be difficult because there will be a schism between us and the people of the region. How can we kill their cousins and sons, and under…
-
Battles in Southeastern Afghanistan
Recent activity in Southeastern Afghanistan. Click to Enlarge. Coalition forces continue to maintain the offensive against the Taliban in Southeast Afghanistan. A joint task force of Afghan and Coalition security forces encountered “organized armed opposition” from the Taliban during a joint operation near the town of Azizi in Uruzgan province. Twenty Taliban were confirmed killed, with up to 80 suspected killed after a combined ground and air assault on Taliban positions. This would put the number of Taliban killed in action over the past week between 220 to 280. In a separate raid, Mullah Mohibullah, the Taliban commander for Helmand…
-
Fighting in Afghanistan, Talibanistan
Recent activity on the Afghan-Pakistan border. Click to Enlarge. The latest estimate of Taliban casualties during the fighting over the past few days is approaching 200, with 25 Coalition, Afghan security forces and civilians killed. The Daily Times of Pakistan reports the fighting around Kandahar City, which was initiated by two separate Coalition operations, resulted in an estimated 100 Taliban killed. The U.S. military reported up to 60 Taliban were killed in the fighting at Musa Qala, where the Afghan security forces thwarted a major Taliban assault.
-
The Inaccurate Taliban Offensive; Taliban military commander Mullah Dadullah reported captured
Mullah Dadullah may have been captured during recent fighting in Afghanistan. The news reports of a major Taliban offensive in southeastern Afghanistan are inaccurate, as Coalition offensives and Taliban attacks have been lumped together to give the impression of a coordinated Taliban assault in multiple provinces. A reading of the various reports indicates that while the Taliban has launched a major strike on a police station and government center in Helmand province and a small scale attack on a police patrol in Ghazni, as well as two suicide attacks against U.S. contractors in Herat and an Afghan army base in…
-
The Canadian Mission in Kandahar
Map of ISAF Mission in Afghanistan. Click to Enlarge. Almost five years after the liberation of Afghanistan from the Taliban, the American public is largely unaware of the scope of NATO’s commitment to providing stability for the Afghan people and combating al Qaeda and the Taliban. Through the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), NATO plans to increase its personnel in Afghanistan to approximately 15,000, and will expand the mission into the southeastern provinces of Day Kundi, Helmand, Kandahar, Nimroz, Uruzgan and Zabul. These provinces are areas of increased Taliban and al Qaeda activity, and suicide bombings, roadside bombings and small…
-
Task Force 145 Strikes in Latifiyah; Nets Abu Mustafa
Task Force 145 appears to have been busy over the weekend. In conjunction with the raid in Yusifiyah, which killed 25 al Qaeda and resulted in the downing of a Coalition helicopter and the death of two U.S. Soldiers, TF-145 struck near the town of Latifiyah. Multinational Forces – Iraq reports 15 al Qaeda were killed and 8 captured during series of raids over the course of two days on May 13-14.
-
The Battle of Yusifayah
Yusifiyah is yet again the focus of Coalition raids. Unnamed Coalition forces, most likely Task Force 145, slugged it out with al Qaeda in the city on Sunday. Multinational Forces – Iraq reported the strike forces killed “more than 25 terrorists, detained four, destroyed three safe houses and a vehicle loaded with weapons and ammunition.” Task Force 145 also took some casualties, as the defending al Qaeda forces were able to shoot down a helicopter, killing two Americans in the process. While the military hasn’t identified the type of helicopter shot down, it is likely based on the casualties that…
-
Task Force 145 Strikes Near Ramadi
Suspected locations of Task Force 145 raids on al Qaeda cells. Click to Enlarge. Task Force 145, the mix of special operations forces assigned to hunt Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and al Qaeda in Iraq leaderships and cells, appears to have struck again, this time in Julaybah, an area “identified as a terrorist safe haven” which is located about 8 miles east of Ramadi. Three terrorists were killed and four captured during the fight. The Multinational Forces – Iraq press release provides an overview of the engagement:
-
Independent Operations and the Iraqi Army
Nearly one year ago, the media questioned the “readiness” of the Iraqi Army and declared “few Iraqi battalions are operational.” This stemmed from Multinational-Forces Iraq’s attempts to establish metrics for the readiness of the Iraq military, and the media’s lack of understanding of the meaning of these metrics.
-
al Qaeda’s assessment of the state of affairs in Baghdad, “the epicenter of jihad”
The latest internal al Qaeda in Iraq document, which was captured in conjunction with the video outtakes from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s latest tape, highlights the state of affairs of al Qaeda in Iraq. The document is titled “A glance at the reality of Baghdad in light of the latest events.” It provides a blunt assessment of al Qaeda’s strategy and tactics in the battle for Baghdad. Combine this document with the “Al Qa’ida in Iraq Situation Report” released in April, which discussed the state of affairs in Anbar province, and it becomes clear al Qaeda in Iraq is very concerned…
-
Embedding in Afghanistan
The plan to embed in Afghanistan has come to fruition. Late next week, I will be headed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, and will embed with the Canadian Army, and will spend about three weeks in country. The activity in and around Kandahar has been intense as the Taliban are attempting to reestablish control of southeastern Afghanistan. There is still a chance I may meet up with a U.S. Army unit operating in Afghanistan (the Marine unit I wanted to embed with is rotating out of country.) I need your help to cover the costs of the embed. I do not have…
-
Task Force 145 may have struck again in Samarra
Suspected locations of raids on al Qaeda cells. Click to Enlarge. Over the past month, Task Force 145, the special operations unit designated to hunt Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other high value al Qaeda targets, has dismantled al Qaeda cells in the cities of Yusifiyah and Balad. It appears Task Force 145 has struck at two more al Qaeda cells and killed a senior member of Ansar al-Islam over the weekend. On Friday, two al Qaeda cells were dismantled near the city of Samarra.
