Afghans Lead the Fight in Afghanistan, General Says

08/14/2013 01:22 PM CDT                                       Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 11:03 PM
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2013 - Afghan security forces are in the lead and continue to grow in capacity and capability in the fight against insurgents, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command-East said today.
Army Maj. Gen. James C. McConville also told Pentagon reporters via satellite that even with the progress made by Afghanistan's security forces they are likely to need U.S. support beyond 2014.
Afghan forces are winning, he said, but aren't yet dominating the enemy in a way that takes away their will to fight. It will also take time before the Afghan air force is at full capacity, the general said.
However, when the Afghan air force reaches full capacity, he said, the enemies of Afghanistan "are not going to be willing to continue the conflict."
Meanwhile, ISAF's draw down is progressing, McConville said. Since March, he noted, the number of coalition bases has declined from 58 to 17.
"We have moved into an advise-and-assist role," said McConville, who's also the commander of the 101st Airborne Division. "Afghan security forces are in the lead [and] they are doing most of the fighting."
Two Afghan army corps -- the 201st and the 202nd -- operate in Regional Command-East. Those units, McConville said, are currently conducting integrated operations involving ground troops with indirect-fire and air support.
"In fact, the 201st just did the largest air assault in recent Afghan history with six Mi-17s and two Mi-35 [helicopters]," he said.
As Afghan forces have taken a higher-profile role in securing Afghanistan, the enemy is facing a propaganda problem, the general said.
"They used to be able to say that they were fighting foreign occupiers," he said, "and they can no longer really say that anymore because they're fighting Afghan security forces and they're fighting against the Afghan people."
There are only about two months left in the fighting season in Afghanistan, McConville said. And, with winter approaching and the holy month of Ramadan over, the general said he expects the enemy to come out fighting.
"We're expecting a spike in violence," he said. "We expect the enemies of the Afghan people to come out and try to achieve those objectives that they've not been able to achieve."
Now is a critical time, McConville said.
"This is the first time that the Afghan security forces have been in the lead during the entire fighting season," he said. "And they believe they're winning and I tend to agree with them."

Biographies: Army Maj. Gen. James C. McConville Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Face of Defense:Twins Serve Together in Afghanistan

By Army Sgt. Robert Yarbrough 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, May 29, 2013 - Army 1st Lts. Joseph and Joshua Mouré, twin brothers from Covington, Ga., are both deployed to Forward Operating Base Shank here with the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Army 1st Lts. Joshua, right, and Joseph Mouré pose for a photo May 24, 2013, at Forward Operating Base Shanks in Afghanistan's Logar province. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Robert Yarbrough  Joseph, about two minutes older than Joshua, is the fires support officer with the brigade's Company C, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, and Joshua is the liaison officer for the brigade's 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment."It was nice always having someone there to hang out with," Joshua said, about growing up with a twin. "We always were on the same football team, baseball team, things like that," added Joseph. "We grew up playing war and stuff like that, so we decided, I guess, we'll make it a career," Joshua said. Their parents, Joseph and Tammy Mouré, both served in the Army's Signal Corps, and the lieutenants said that was a factor in their decision to join. The twins joined the Georgia National Guard in 2006, attended the Georgia Military College, and were commissioned in 2008. They finished their degrees at North Georgia College and State University, where they met their wives, Abby and Ashley, who were roommates at the time. Joseph attended the field artillery basic officers leadership course at Fort Sill, Okla., and Joshua attended the infantry basic officers leadership course at Fort Benning, Ga. After their training, they were assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, also known as the Vanguard Brigade. "Since Josh was going to be infantry, I figured he needed somebody to protect him," Joseph joked. "It's good being the fires support officer so I can call in air assets, artillery, and mortar fire to help out the guys. It's pretty interesting de-conflicting and controlling those assets while the infantry are maneuvering around." As a liaison officer, Joshua is responsible for keeping the communication and information networks flowing between his battalion and the brigade. "I see what goes on at the brigade side, and I can help to translate down to the battalion, and vice-versa, so there's a clearer picture," he explained. The Mouré twins said being misidentified can be a challenge. "People come up and start talking to you, and you have no idea what they're talking about," Joseph said. "It gets old fast," Joshua added.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Face of Defense:

Army Civil Engineer Serves in Afghanistan

By Karla Marshall Army Corps of Engineers, Afghanistan Engineer District South KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013 - Linda Murphy said her passion to use her expertise to help Afghans improve their quality of life caused her to trade-in her designer pumps for some steel-toed boots. Afghanistan-deployed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civilian employee and civil engineer Linda Murphy, right, meets with Afghan Minister of Energy Ishmael Khan as part of her duties as the Afghanistan Engineer District-South Water and Infrastructure program manager. Courtesy photo  Murphy is a civil engineer, and she serves here as chief of the Water and Infrastructure Project Management Branch with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan Engineer District South.Competition spurred Murphy from a young age, she said. "My best friend and I were always competing in math grades and science fairs," she said. Those experiences, she said, taught her the value of working hard, living up to promises and commitments, and doing her best. So following her dream, she said, was not scary or particularly difficult. "I liked architecture but my best friend's dad was a Purdue University engineering alumnus and he convinced many of us from our high school to go into engineering at Purdue," Murphy said. Pursuing engineering at Purdue was a logical choice for Murphy, who said she figured out in high school that she wanted to be self-sufficient. Murphy reasoned that attaining a science, technology, engineering and math degree would help ensure that her future was wide open and that she'd always be employed. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., Murphy began her career as an engineer with the USACE Louisville District in Louisville, Ky., in 1983. Working her way up through the ranks at her home district, Murphy was chief of the Civil Project Management and Programs Branch of the Louisville District when she deployed to Kandahar Airfield in January 2012. "Now that I had gotten both my daughters off to college as fairly self-sufficient women, I decided to deploy to provide assistance to the women and men of the coalition forces and particularly to the women and men of Afghanistan," she explained. "I knew that I could contribute to the mission and grow as a person at the same time." One year later Murphy doesn't regret that decision and she has opted to extend an additional nine months to manage one of the South District's most challenging programs. She leads a team of project managers who oversee construction projects that directly contribute to the improvement of Afghanistan's infrastructure. Water and electricity availability, bridges and roads, university facilities and medical clinics all fall under Murphy's purview and leadership. "I have never been one to back down from a challenge," she said. "Working in Afghanistan has broadened my experiences, allowed me to do something outside my comfort zone, and given me a greater appreciation for what I have back home." In addition to a successful career with the Corps of Engineers, four of Murphy's best female friends are also engineers at the Louisville District. Having that core group of friends, Murphy said, has made her career a rewarding one. "For young women, engineering probably doesn't seem like a very glamorous career but if they are given opportunities to see engineers at work, ask questions, and are encouraged to enjoy math and science, more would probably show interest," Murphy said. "I am grateful that my core group of friends shares a similar background with me. As women who are engineers, we look for opportunities to mentor younger women and share our careers with them." The important thing is to be passionate about what you want to do, Murphy said. For her, coming to Afghanistan has enabled her to continue her passion. She believes that she and her fellow women engineers deployed to Afghanistan all serve for a common purpose and goal which emulates the Corps of Engineers' motto, -- Essayons, which means "Let Us Try." "We are daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, mothers, and even grandmothers -- coming together here for one cause -- to make a contribution for a better future for not only the women of Afghanistan but for everyone here," Murphy said. "And like our Corps' motto states, -- we will try. We will try our hardest."

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Demolishing unserviceable ammunition

03/27/2013 07:36 PM CDT                                                Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 5:37 AM

U.S. Marines demolish unserviceable ammunition, unexploded ordnance and other military items in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 17, 2013.

 Demolishing unserviceable ammunition

Afghanistan's Kunduz province

02/22/2013 08:00 AM CST     Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 7:45 PM
Precision Strike Kills Taliban IED Expert
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 22, 2013 - A precision strike killed Zekaria, a Taliban improvised explosive device expert, in the Chahar Darah district of Afghanistan's Kunduz province yesterday, military officials reported.

The strike will significantly degrade the ability of insurgents to conduct attacks in the Charhar Darah district, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command officials said.

In other news, ISAF Joint Command officials confirmed today that Habib, a Taliban leader, was killed by a precision strike yesterday in Logar province's Charkh district. He obtained weapons for insurgents and helped to plan attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Face of Defense:

Marines Enjoy Thanksgiving Feast, Camaraderie
By Marine Corps Cpl. Timothy Lenzo
Regional Command Southwest

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan, Nov. 23, 2012 - Marines with 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7 were in the holiday spirit this Thanksgiving. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7 enjoy a Thanksgiving Day meal featuring turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and pumpkin pie in the dining facility at Forward Operating Base Geronimo, Afghanistan, Nov. 22, 2012. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo  Thousands of miles from their loved ones, the Marines traded gathering with their friends and families for spending time with their brothers and sisters in arms."It's hard for Marines to be away from home this time of year," said Sgt. Corey Branner, logistics and supply chief with the battalion. For Thanksgiving, the dining facility at Forward Operating Base Geronimo served a special menu for the Marines. They ate turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and pumpkin pie. All their holiday favorites were available. It was a welcome boost of morale at a time when many Marines miss their families the most. "It's nice having a Thanksgiving Day meal rather than a [Meal, Ready-to-Eat]," said Branner, who hails from Chicago. "It helps the mindset of being away from home. A lot of these guys make groups of close friends in the Marine Corps, and today we are able to talk about more than Afghanistan, FOB Geronimo and work." Marines often refer to one another as brothers and sisters, and for deployed Marines during the holidays, that saying holds true. "They realize we are also their family," said Cpl. Justin Burns, warehouse noncommissioned officer with the battalion. "They turn to their brother to the left and right of them and say, 'You are my family, let's go eat dinner.'" With the familiar Thanksgiving Day smells of turkey and gravy wafting through the air, the Marines joked and shared stories. With the television playing sports in the background, it gave some Marines a familiar aura while deployed to another country. "I believe being away from their family for the holidays gives the Marines something to bond over," said Cpl. James Smoak, warehouse chief with the battalion. "No one wants to be away from their family, but I look forward to the camaraderie and spending time with my fellow Marines." This is Smoak's fourth deployment and each deployment was during the holiday season. He is accustomed to not being home for Thanksgiving and said his family supports him. "My family understands this is my job," said Smoak, from Icard, N.C. "This is what I do, and this is the profession that I chose." Unlike Smoak, many of the Marines are on their first deployment to Afghanistan, and first away from their families and friends. "We have a young battalion and some good senior leadership," Branner said. "I think the first time being away from home will be a humbling experience for them." The new Marines had a welcome surprise when they arrived at the mess hall. The decorations and Thanksgiving Day menu helped boost morale. "I don't think a lot of guys expected the mess hall to be decorated," said Burns, who hails from Fort Worth, Texas. "They had banners, cutouts and Happy Thanksgiving signs everywhere. It was really set up nice. They did a really great job for us." The meal meant more to the new Marines than a different menu. In a country where holidays are still workdays, the pumpkin pie, turkey and camaraderie helped bring the Marines with 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, closer together as a family.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Panetta Details Steps Needed to End Al-Qaeda Threat

By Cheryl Pellerin American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2012 - For the United States and its allies, ending the al-Qaida threat calls for a modified military footprint, close work with partners, and continued U.S. involvement in regions of the world where violent extremism has flourished, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said tonight. Addressing a large audience here at the Center for a New American Security, the secretary discussed significant national security challenges and opportunities ahead. He also outlined priorities that characterize the approaching end of the longest period of sustained armed conflict in the nation's history. The priorities, Panetta said, are fighting the war against al-Qaida and its affiliates, ending the war in Afghanistan, implementing the new defense strategy, meeting fiscal responsibilities, countering nuclear proliferation, improving cybersecurity, achieving greater energy security, implementing the Asia-Pacific rebalance, and taking care of service members, veterans and military families. "But tonight I wanted to focus on the goal that still remains at the top of the priority list, as it must. That goal that the president made very clear -- that we have a responsibility to disrupt, degrade, dismantle and ultimately defeat those who attacked America on 9/11 -- al-Qaida," the secretary said. " ... To protect Americans at home and overseas," he added, "we need to continue to pursue al-Qaida wherever they go, whatever form they take, wherever they seek to hide. We must be constantly vigilant, we must be constantly determined to pursue this enemy." What will it take, he asked, to achieve the end of al-Qaida? The essential first step is to finish the job that the United States and its coalition partners began in Afghanistan, he said, "and we are on track to do that." As the United States and its NATO partners agreed at the 2010 summit in Lisbon, Panetta said, Afghans must be responsible for their own security by the end of 2014. This transition will require continued commitment by the international community and the United States to help Afghan forces achieve this goal, he added. "We have come too far. We have invested too much blood and treasure not to finish the job," the secretary said. "There are no shortcuts, nor can we afford to turn away from this effort when we are so close to achieving success and preventing al-Qaida from ever returning to this historic epicenter for violent extremism." In Afghanistan and Pakistan, prolonged military and intelligence operations have significantly weakened al-Qaida, Panetta said. The terrorist group's most effective leaders are gone, its command and control has been degraded and its safe haven is shrinking, he added, but al-Qaida remains. "We have slowed the primary cancer but we know that the cancer has also metastasized to other parts of the global body," the secretary said. Two examples of that spreading al-Qaida presence are Yemen and Somalia. In Yemen, for example, the capabilities of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, are growing. This group has targeted the United States for attack and sowed violence and chaos in Yemen itself, Panetta said. "We have struck back in an effort to disrupt and dismantle this group through a very close partnership with the government of Yemen ... and the Yemenese themselves," he added. In Somalia, against the militant group al-Shaabab, progress also has been made, the secretary said, "in large part because of an effective partnership between the United States and the African Union Mission in Somalia." But the challenge is far from over, Panetta said. "President [Barack] Obama has made clear, we will fight not just through military means but by harnessing every element of American power -- military, intelligence, diplomatic, law enforcement, financial, economic and above all the power of our values as Americans," the secretary said. The second step in achieving the end of al-Qaida, Panetta said, involves maintaining pressure on al-Qaida in Pakistan, on AQAP in Yemen, and on al-Qaida-associated forces in Somalia. That means degrading the terrorists' senior leadership, dismantling their organizational capabilities, remaining vigilant to ensure the threat does not reconstitute, and working to build the capacity of U.S. partners, including Pakistan, to confront these shared threats, he added. "Despite challenges in the bilateral relationship between the United States and Pakistan," the secretary said, "one area in which our national interests continue to align is defeating the terrorists on Pakistan soil that threaten both of us. We remain committed to pursuing defense cooperation based on these shared interests." A third step is to prevent the emergence of new safe havens for al-Qaida elsewhere in the world that the group could use to attack the United States or its interests, he said. "The last decade of war has shown that coordinated efforts to share intelligence, to conduct operations with partners, are critical to making sure that al-Qaida has no place to hide," Panetta told the audience. "We will expand these efforts, including through support and partnership with governments in transition in the Middle East and North Africa," he added. "This campaign against al-Qaida will largely take place outside declared combat zones, using a small-footprint approach that includes precision operations, partnered activities with foreign special operations forces, and capacity building so that partner countries can be more effective in combating terrorism on their own," the secretary said. DOD will work whenever possible with local partners, he added, supporting them with intelligence and resources they need to deter common threats. In Mali for example, Panetta said, "we are working with our partners in Western Africa who are committed to countering the emerging threat to regional stability posed by AQIM." A fourth step needed to bring an end to al-Qaida involves investing in the future, he added, in new military and intelligence capabilities and security partnerships. "Our new defense strategy makes clear -- the military must retain and even build new counterterrorism capabilities for the future," Panetta said. As the size of the military shrinks, for example, special operations will continue to ramp up, growing from 37,000 members on 9/11 to 64,000 today and 72,000 by 2017, the secretary noted. "We are expanding our fleet of Predator and Reaper [unmanned aerial vehicles] over what we have today. These enhanced capabilities will enable us to be more flexible and agile against a threat that has grown more diffuse," Panetta said. "We are also continuing to invest in building partner capacity, including through Section 1206 authority to train and equip foreign military forces. Our new Global Security Contingency Fund has been very helpful in placing new emphasis on cultivating regional expertise in the ranks," the secretary added. A final point that too often takes a backseat to operations against al-Qaida, Panetta said, is how to prevent extremist ideologies from attracting new recruits. "Over the past decade we have successfully directed our military and intelligence capabilities at fighting terrorism," he added. "And yet we are still struggling to develop an effective approach to address the factors that attract young men and women to extreme ideologies, and to ensure that governments and societies have the capacity and the will to counter and reject violent extremism." To truly end the threat from al-Qaida, the secretary said, "military force aimed at killing our enemy alone will never be enough. The United States must stay involved and invested through diplomacy, through development, through education, through trade in those regions of the world where violent extremism has flourished." This means continued engagement in Pakistan, he added, and following through on U.S. commitments to Afghanistan's long-term stability. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has outlined a comprehensive strategy for North and West Africa that combines security assistance and economic development, strengthens democratic institutions and advances political reforms, Panetta said. " ... We will be vigilant and we will posture our military and intelligence forces to prevent and if necessary respond to threats of violence against our interests throughout the Middle East and North Africa, including threats against our embassies and consulates, and our diplomats themselves," the secretary said. "But to truly protect America, we must sustain and in some areas deepen our engagement in the world –- our military, intelligence, diplomatic and development efforts are key to doing that," he added. Pursuing an isolationist path, the secretary said, "would make all of us less safe in the long-term." "This is not a time for retrenchment. This is not a time for isolation. It is a time for renewed engagement and partnership in the world," Panetta said.

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta

Rabbi Ministers Across Afghanistan

By Heidi Hunt 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo., March 14, 2012 - The anatomy of an aircraft system contains miles of wire, thousands of sensors, hundreds of dials, indicators and switches. Air Force Senior Airman Shawn Watters is an aircraft electrical and environmental systems technician from the 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Watters, who is serving in Kandahar, Afghanistan, is assigned to phase dock, where he and his team conduct more than 500 inspection hours on the A-10 Thunderbolt II. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Heather Skinkle  Yet, with surgeon-like skill, Air Force Senior Airman Shawn Watters is able to decipher the intricacies of an aircraft's electrical and environmental systems.Watters serves as a 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft technician in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He's assigned to phase dock, where he and his team conduct more than 500 inspection hours on the A-10 Thunderbolt II. "We ensure our systems remain fully operational during inspections and fix any discrepancies," Watters said. "A lot of preventative maintenance is carried out in the phase dock." His mission as an electrical and environmental technician is to primarily handle the jet's crucial systems, such as the flight deck pressurization, landing gear, internal and external lighting, and the electrical systems. "We also assist the fuels and engines shops and the crew chiefs with various troubleshooting," Watters explained. "Additionally, we run the liquid oxygen farm on base where we fill oxygen tanks for the C-130 Hercules, [used for] medical evacuations." He typically works more than 12 hours-a-day to complete assigned tasks at the phase dock, but said he doesn't mind. He knows his hard work has a direct impact on the mission. "Working on the A-10 is amazing because it directly supports the soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen on the ground fighting," Watters said. "I know that what I am doing helps ensure my brothers-in-arms come home safe. I love that my mission is primarily troop support, and that is a good feeling." While his duties on base here differ from what he is doing with his deployed assignment, Watters said he enjoys what he does. "At Whiteman, I am a flightline environmental and electrical technician, so the job is very different," he said. "At home I troubleshoot more often, and I have to problem-solve quickly. The flightline is more unpredictable than the phase dock, because on the line you never know when work is going to occur." Watters, who departed two days after Christmas, is set to redeploy this summer. The best part of his deployment so far, he noted, is the mission and the people. "I work alongside people from the 442nd Fighter Wing, and our unit is like a family; they have been great," he said. "I am fortunate to have met so many new people." Watters also volunteers as a mail carrier and for litter carrier duty. For the latter, he carries wounded troops from the base's hospital to the aircraft that is taking them out of the war zone. "It feels good that I'm helping fight against terrorism and now have the opportunity to support Operation Enduring Freedom," he said. "That is why we are here."

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Ms. Amena Afzali signing an MoU

The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Mukul Wasnik and the Cabinet Minister for Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSAMD), Ms. Amena Afzali signing an MoU between the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled, Government of Afghanistan and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, in New Delhi on March 06, 2012.  (PIB photo)   06-March-2012

Transition to Afghan Control a Prudent Step, Officials Say

By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2012 - A transition to Afghan security lead in the country in 2013 is a prudent step, but one that doesn't change the December 2014 deadline for NATO to end combat operations in the country, Pentagon officials said today. Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby amplified on remarks Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta made yesterday on his way to NATO meetings in Brussels. In an interview with reporters traveling with him, Panetta said the U.S. goal "is to complete all of that transition in 2013 and then, hopefully, by mid- to the latter-part of 2013, we'll be able to make ... a transition from a combat role to a training, advise and assist role." The secretary was speaking in broad terms about the process of transition in Afghanistan, Kirby said. Transitioning security responsibility to the Afghans began last year, when NATO transferred security responsibility to Afghan security forces for seven areas. Later in the year, Afghan President Hamid Karzai chose 11 other areas to begin transition to Afghan lead. Afghan army and police forces now have lead responsibility for more than half the population of the country. But the transition is a multistep process, Kirby said, and Panetta will be discussing that process with NATO allies in Brussels today. The final plan about transition and the particulars of the process will be decided in May by heads of state at the NATO summit in Chicago, he added. "The secretary was pretty clear that he hopes to transition at least the lead for combat-type missions to Afghan national security forces earlier than 2014," Kirby said. "We really do believe that ... the gains we have made on the ground have allowed us to begin these type of conversations." Kirby stressed that no deployment schedules have changed. The captain said officials watch conditions all the time, and the allies will continue to hedge bets to preserve as much flexibility as possible. "The enemy always gets a vote," Kirby said. The ultimate goal is to complete transition by the end of 2014, but many steps remain before that date, he said, emphasizing that transition takes time and is an evolution, not a sharp decision point. "It is a well-reasoned process," Kirby said. "It's going to be informed by conditions on the ground and opinions and judgments of operational commanders and informed by general assessment of the performance and capabilities ... of the Afghan forces." It's not too soon for the allies to be discussing the final phases of the transition, Kirby said. "Given the success we've made and the progress that the Afghan national security forces have made, this is something we need to consider," he said. "2014 is not that far away. It would be imprudent -- in fact, I think it would be irresponsible -- if we and our allies and partners were not starting to have these discussions now."

Related Articles: Panetta: Afghanistan Tops NATO Conference Topics

Medical checks on some Afghan children

U.S. Army Spc. Joe Kunsch, a medic assigned to the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force (TF) Spartan Steel, conducts medical checks on some Afghan children in Khowst province, Afghanistan, Jan. 25, 2012. TF Spartan Steel is part of the Spartan Brigade based at Forward Operating Base Salerno in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Epperson, U.S. Army/Released)

Panetta Orders Investigation of Video

Vows Accountability

By Karen Parrish American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta released a statement today strongly condemning the actions of a small group of Marines depicted in a video that began circulating online yesterday. The video shows four Marines apparently urinating over three enemy corpses in Afghanistan. The secretary's statement said he has seen the footage and finds the behavior depicted in it "utterly deplorable." "I condemn it in the strongest possible terms," Panetta said. "I have ordered the Marine Corps and ISAF commander [Marine Corps] Gen. John Allen to immediately and fully investigate the incident. This conduct is entirely inappropriate for members of the United States military and does not reflect the standards or values our armed forces are sworn to uphold. Those found to have engaged in such conduct will be held accountable to the fullest extent." Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Panetta called Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the video today. "The secretary expressed his view that the conduct depicted in the footage is utterly deplorable, and that it does not reflect the standards or values American troops are sworn to uphold," Little said. "The secretary also noted in the conversation that he has ordered that the video be immediately and fully investigated." The International Security Assistance Force also released a statement strongly condemning the actions, which it called "disrespectful, ... inexplicable and not in keeping with the high moral standards we expect of coalition forces." "This behavior dishonors the sacrifices and core values of every service member representing the fifty nations of the coalition," the ISAF statement continued. ISAF officials said a thorough investigation has begun. "Any individuals with confirmed involvement will be held fully accountable," the statement said. A Marine Corps statement released yesterday said "the actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our Corps. This matter will be fully investigated."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

2012 as a time to build on gains

Soldiers in Afghanistan Focused on Allen's 2012 Objectives By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 23, 2011 - As the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan looks to 2012 as a time to build on gains made and extend the security zone east of Kabul, the soldiers of Regional Command East know they have a vital role to play in making that possible. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanks troops from the 172nd Infantry Brigade on Forward Operating Base Sharana in Afghanistan, for helping to reach a turning point in the conflict, Dec. 14, 2011. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of U.S. and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan, told reporters traveling here last week with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta he hopes to consolidate gains made in Afghanistan's north, south and west over the next year. And as "significant counterinsurgency operations" continue in the east, Allen said his goal is to push the security zone east of Kabul. In addition, he cited an evolution toward an advisory mission in Afghanistan to enhance capability within the Afghan security forces as the United States looks toward scaling back its combat mission there. Army Col. Edward T. Bohnemann, commander of the 172nd Infantry Brigade, recognizes the emphasis that puts on his soldiers in remote but strategically important Paktika province. Bohnemann's brigade is deployed from Grafenwoehr, Germany, with its headquarters just 30 miles from the Pakistan border at Forward Operating Base Sharana. Among his combat outposts sprinkled through the province, some are directly west of the border. Paktika province is home to historic transitory routes between the two countries. It's also an infiltration point for fighters, munitions and weapons filtering into Afghanistan bound for Kabul, Kandahar and the northern regions. Bohnemann noted the challenge of stretching his soldiers and their Afghan counterparts to cover such a vast region. "There are too many small goat trails [and] small dirt roads to say I am going to have a hard stop at the border," he said. "It's too big of a border." Some of the border areas are so remote that when an incident occurs, "trying to get there rapidly becomes problematic," he said. So Bohnemann and his soldiers concentrate on improving the trends and making the most effective use of the capabilities they have. "I focus my soldiers on, how do we interdict, neutralize, slow the flow so that other places can build capacity [and] build on the security gains they have seen throughout the areas of Afghanistan," he said. Choking that flow, he recognizes, will be critical to Allen's goal of expanding the security zone around Kabul. "My piece of that is ... to stem the flow of weapons [and] fighters to the security zone," he said. Exacerbating the challenge, he acknowledged, is Pakistan's decision to scale back cross-border coordination following the Nov. 24 border incident that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. "There is not a whole lot of cross-border coordination right now," he lamented. "I would love to see the lines of operation open up." On the positive side, Bohnemann told reporters he's seen enemy attacks drop significantly during the five months since his brigade arrived here. He expressed growing confidence in the capability of Afghan security forces in his area of responsibility, and in the work his troops have done to establish conditions for their long-term success. "Every day, when you look at the Afghan security forces, they are in the lead," he said, noting that Afghans are independently leading two-third to three-quarters of operations here. "The Afghans are in charge in Paktika province," he said. "And they are doing more and more every day." Based on their growing capability, Bohnemann said he believes, "there is no insurgent force in Paktika that is going to overwhelm the Afghan security forces out there." "They have had some fights, [and] the Afghan security forces have stayed and held their ground," he said. "On occasion, they have called for us for support," particularly when they need to evacuate a wounded or fallen comrade. "But they are holding their ground." Bohnemann said he anticipates a natural progression as his soldiers transition toward an advisory role with the Afghan security forces. He acknowledged areas where the Afghans still need assistance, including logistics and the systems to make the supply train more efficient. "What I am focused on is: Are they tactically sufficient to maintain security in the province? Can they support themselves?" he said. "My mission, my focus is getting the Afghans ready for the future." Bohnemann said he's confident he has "the right soldiers in the right units" on the ground to support that mission. Looking to the future, he said he expects the U.S. and ISAF drawdowns to maintain that balance, based on conditions on the ground and "not on a particular glide path to zero." During his visit here last week, Panetta told Bohnemann's troops he believes the effort in Afghanistan has reached a turning point, thanks to the work they and other coalition and Afghan forces are doing. "I really think that for all the sacrifice that you're doing, the reality is that it is paying off," he told them. "We're moving in the right direction. And we're winning this very tough conflict in Afghanistan."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta Marine Gen. John R. Allen Related Sites: 172nd Infantry Brigade Related Articles: Allen Cites Time of Optimism in Afghanistan Panetta Thanks Front-line Troops for Successes in Afghanistan

Scaparrotti: ISAF Border Operations Continue

But With Care

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2011 - International Security Assistance Force operations continue in Afghanistan along the Pakistan border, but are conducted with special care to avoid escalating current tensions, a senior commander said here today.

Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of the ISAF Joint Command and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, told reporters during a roundtable discussion that success in Afghanistan requires close communication with Pakistan.

Relations between ISAF and Pakistan have been tense since the cross-border incident Nov. 26 that left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead. Pakistani authorities have closed ground supply routes through their country and ended American use of the Shamsi airbase.

Scaparrotti declined to discuss the border incident in light of the ongoing investigation but, acknowledging his professional and personal association with Pakistani military leaders, expressed condolences about the lives lost.

"What happened is a tragedy," he said.

Scaparrotti said ISAF continues to communicate regularly with the Pakistani military as before the incident, but coordination is not as close as it has been in the past.

"We are being a little more careful," he acknowledged. "But we are still running interdiction. We are still working with the Afghans right on the border posts. We are still running reconnaissance and doing the things ... that we need to do. And as I said, we are still pressing the Pak military so that we can continue communication."

Scaparrotti said he believes "over time, we will [regain] that coordination, that communication that we had in the past."

The November incident has caused ISAF leaders to consider ways to bolster the coordination and communication along the border, where insurgent provocation can have a deadly effect.

"There are certainly incidents where insurgents along the border have instigated a fight [using] direct fires or indirect fires, and they have done so in proximity to [Pakistani] military border locations," the general said. "We think it was to draw our attention, or perhaps, in some instances, to draw conflict here between Afghan, coalition or Pakistan forces."

Such provocations are one reason "we are working very hard, as we have in the past, to develop better communications with the [Pakistani] military on the other side of the border," the general said. "That has been one of our priorities."

A working relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is critical for both nations, he said.

"It is important for the region," he said. "And it is important for us to move forward. It is important to Afghanistan because they have neighbors that they have to have a cooperative relationship [with] on their borders as well."

As the transition from ISAF to Afghan security lead gains steam, the general said, the capabilities of Afghanistan's forces are another crucial focus of ISAF efforts.

Scaparrotti previously commanded the 82nd Airborne Division and deployed as commander of Joint Task Force-82 with responsibility for Regional Command East in 2009. He returned to Afghanistan in July 2011 after a year away, and said he's impressed by the gains achieved in the interim.

"It is clear that today ... we have the initiative in this fight," he said. "I see it in the terrain we hold and the terrain that the [Afghan national security forces] hold compared to a year ago."

Afghan security forces also have developed better leaders throughout their command structure, he said.

"We are producing a better leader that goes into their army," Scaparrotti said, with Afghan corps and brigade commanders now also more experienced than a year ago.

Still, as more operational responsibility passes to Afghan forces, their command-and-control, supply and maintenance, and counter-bomb capabilities must increase, he noted.

Afghan forces are struggling to establish and strengthen their logistics, supply and maintenance abilities, he said, adding that aiding those efforts is an ISAF focus point.

"They [also] have to develop the capacity to deal with [roadside bombs] as we are capable of dealing with them. And that capacity is coming along as well," he added.

The general noted ISAF forces are close to achieving the 10,000-troop drawdown set for this year, and will reduce by another 23,000 by the end of summer 2012, leaving 68,000 service members where there are now roughly 91,000.

"As we look at the drawdown of forces, we are looking carefully at the environment that develops and then the balance -- I call it the posture of the force that we need," Scaparrotti said.

As its forces dwindle, ISAF must maintain its ability to muster joint fires, allocate intelligence assets, and deploy lift and route-clearance teams, he noted.

"It is those things that as we draw down the number of maneuver forces here down to 68,000 after next September, that we will look at very closely," he added.

"I am confident at this point, although we are still working the strategy, that we are going to be able to continue to [68,000] as we come down through this fighting season to that objective here in the fall," Scaparrotti said.

Civilian government and administrative capability likewise remains a key focus, he said.

"The governance within Afghanistan has steadily made progress in terms of their ability to deliver both representation and basic services for the people," Scaparrotti added.

(Editor's note: Karen Parrish contributed to this article.)

Biographies:
Army Lt. Gen. Curtis Michael Scaparrotti Related Sites:
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Panetta, Karzai Salute Progress in Afghanistan

Panetta here for his second visit as defense secretary  By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2011 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai here today to laud the progress that's been made in Afghanistan as they conducted what Panetta called "very productive discussions" about ways to build on it. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta enters a press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2011. Panetta said the United States was committed to working with the Afghan government to promote a free and independent country. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  Panetta, here for his second visit as defense secretary, said he believes 2011 will prove to be "a very important turning point in the war.""We have not won," he said. "We have not completed this mission. But I do believe we are in the process of making significant progress here." Panetta noted the lowest levels of violence in five years, with the Taliban insurgency weakened to the point that it has not been able to conduct successful attacks or regain lost territory. "There is no doubt that over the last two years, Afghan and international forces have been able to seize the momentum ... from the Taliban insurgency and establish security in critical areas, including Taliban heartland in the south," the secretary said. Panetta noted that he visited U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan -- an area he said will continue to be a focus of efforts in the coming years -- earlier today to get a firsthand assessment of the situation from commanders and troops on the ground. "I come away convinced that as we continue making important progress and building security, that we are moving closer to our goals of denying al-Qaida [and its affiliates] safe haven in this area to conduct attacks on the homeland," he said. Panetta also recognized the increasingly capable Afghan national security forces that "are absolutely essential to the ultimate success of our efforts here." These forces, who Panetta said have sacrificed alongside their American and international counterparts, have set the stage for security transition in Afghanistan. Panetta noted that based on Karzai's transition plans announcement last month, half of the Afghan population will soon live under Afghan governance and security control. This transition "represents the fact that we have now made important gains during the campaign," Panetta said. "We are moving toward a strong Afghanistan that can govern and secure itself for the future." Particularly promising, he said, is the fact that these gains continue even as the United States begins the process of drawing down the first 10,000 of its surge forces. "When we look at these achievements, clearly we are going in the right direction," the secretary said. Karzai said Afghanistan now is more stable and moving toward a better future. What's left to be done, he said, is to extend individual security to protect the Afghan people from attacks. Panetta agreed that despite the progress made, much work remains to be done. "Are there challenges? Of course there are. Does the Taliban remain dangerous? Of course it is. Does this mean that we are going to continue to see high-profile attacks in the future? Yes we will," the secretary said. "But are we going in the right direction?" he continued. "Are we making significant progress here in Afghanistan? Yes we are." Looking to the future, Panetta offered assurance that the United States is committed to forging a long-term relationship with Afghanistan. Afghanistan has the support of the United States, he said, and it also "has the backing of the region and the international community as it seeks to build a stronger and more stable country for the future." Expressing regret for Afghan as well as American lives lost in pursuit of this future, Panetta pledged that their sacrifices "will not be in vain." "Ultimately, we will achieve the goal of a sovereign and independent Afghanistan," he said, "that can secure and govern itself -- one that will never allow al-Qaida and the Taliban to be able to establish a safe haven here from which to conduct attacks on America."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta Related Sites: Special Report: Travels With Panetta NATO International Security Assistance Force

Restoring Pakistan Relationship Critical

Panetta quoted Afghanistan success By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Dec. 12, 2011 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed confidence today that the United States and Pakistan can patch up their differences, emphasizing that "ultimately, we can't win the war in Afghanistan without being able to win in our relationship with Pakistan as well." The secretary said restoring the strained relationship with the United States critical to long-term progress in Afghanistan. "I think it is going to be important, as we are able to move and progress in our efforts in Afghanistan, that we continue to do outreach in Pakistan," he said. "It is essential to stability in that region that we not only achieve a peaceful resolution with regards to Afghanistan, but that we are able to develop a more stable relationship with Pakistan as well," he said. "If that region is ever going to find peace, it is going to happen not only by achieving stability in Afghanistan, but also by achieving some degree of stability in Pakistan as well." The U.S. relationship with Pakistan has been "difficult and complicated," Panetta conceded. "But it is an important relationship, and it is one we have to continue to work at." The secretary noted that Pakistan has provided important cooperation to the United States. "At the same time, we have had some serious difficulties with regards to some of the operations that involve groups in the FATA [federally administered tribal areas] and groups along the border," he said. Strain between the two countries increased after the May 2 raid that took down Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, and intensified after a Nov. 26 engagement near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. U.S. Central Command is conducting a full investigation of the incident, under the leadership of Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen A. Clark from Air Force Special Operations Command. "A number of interviews have been conducted," to determine factors involved in the incident, Panetta said. He expressed hope that the investigation will shed light on "exactly what happened," but said he has not yet received an update on any findings. Meanwhile, Panetta said Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, commander of U.S. and ISAF forces in Afghanistan, reports that operations are continuing to secure the border areas. Even before the border incident, Allen reached out to Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Gen.Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to develop a relationship that would allow the United States and Pakistan to better coordinate and control border-area operations to prevent incidents, he said. "Obviously what took place has complicated that relationship," Panetta said. "But I think the effort now is to try to see if we can restore that kind of communication with regards to those border incidents." The United States also is working to get Pakistan to reopen ground supply routes into Afghanistan it closed after the border incident. "I am confident that will happen," Panetta said. "I remain confident that at one point, we are going to be able to restore our normal supply routes." For now, Panetta said he's satisfied that troops have the supplies they need to continue their operations in Afghanistan. "Our command structure has done an incredible job ensuring that one way or another, we are able to get those supplies in," he said. Ultimately, restoring a solid relationship goes well beyond supply routes and border operations, the secretary said. And if there's one thing he said he's learned, both at CIA and at the Defense Department, it's the need to continue working at the relationship, even through "bumps in the road" and crises. "The most important thing is to keep lines of communication open and make sure we do everything we can to restore some degree of a relationship that will allow us to be able to fulfill our mission," he said. Panetta emphasized that the mission of confronting terrorism supports both the United States' and Pakistan's interests. "The terrorism that threatens us also threatens them," he said. "And if we can recognize that, despite our differences, there are some common areas that we share in terms of our security, then I think we can ultimately find a way to resolve our differences and improve our relationship," he said.� The secretary also spoke about President Barack Obama's request that Iran return a recovered U.S. RQ-170 drone aircraft to the U.S., saying the request was "appropriate." However, the secretary admitted that he didn't "expect that will happen." Panetta said it's difficult to know how much engineering know-how the Iranians will be able to obtain from parts of the downed drone in its possession. "I don't know the condition of those parts. I don't know exactly what state they are in," he said. "So it will be a little difficult to tell exactly what they are going to be able to derive from what they have been able to get."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta

Father, Daughter Reunite in Afghanistan

"I feel blessed" By Army Spc. April York 2nd Brigade Combat Team KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 12, 2011 - An Army father and his soldier daughter have reunited in Afghanistan. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bobby Hagy and his daughter, Army Pfc. Amanda Hagy, share a laugh during their reunion on Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, Dec. 6, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Spc. April York  Army Pfc. Amanda Hagy is an imagery analyst here at Camp Nathan Smith for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Carson, Colo. Her father is Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bobby Hagy, the senior non commissioned officer for the 528th Sustainment Brigade from Fort Bragg, N.C.Amanda deployed to Afghanistan in May, and works in her brigade's tactical operations center. She had been deployed for about six months when her father was sent on a 30-day deployment to perform an inspection of the special operations groups under his leadership. Some of those groups are deployed in Afghanistan. "I knew that I was going to be near Amanda so when I got to Kandahar Airfield I put my feelers out to get over her way," the sergeant major said. "It's freaking awesome that my dad could come out here to see me," Amanda said. "I feel blessed." "It's been good to see her," the command sergeant major said, "and if I could stay around here for the next six months to be deployed with her, I would."