Afghanistan - Helmand

Panetta Is Safe After Breach Near His Plane at Afghan Base

Pool photo by Scott Olson

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta arrived at Forward Operating Base Shukvani, Afghanistan, on Wednesday.

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

Published: March 14, 2012

KABUL, Afghanistan — A tense visit to Afghanistan by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta got off to an unscripted start when a stolen truck sped onto a runway ramp at the British military airfield as his plane was landing. Mr. Panetta was unhurt, but Pentagon officials said the Afghan driver emerged from the vehicle in flames.


Glad I'm not going to Helman!

Afghanistan - massacre

What is going on?
This is tragic and ironically the solider is from the same part of Washington as the other Marines who committed the horrific murders for war trophies before.

click here

Taliban threat

The Taliban's website describes the massacre as a "continuation of the past acts of terror by the American monsters" and vows revenge.

"The Islamic Emirate assures survivors of the incident that it will, with God Almighty's assistance, avenge the martyrdom of each of the victims on the invading and beast-like murderers and punish them for their barbaric action," it says.

The Pajhwok Afghani News has a very professional and insightful piece. The video is graphic.

SECURITY AND CRIME

US soldier shoots 17 civilians dead in Kandahar (Video)

by Siddiqullah onMar 12, 2012 - 16:44

KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): A US soldier of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was detained on Sunday in connection with shooting dead at least 17 Afghan civilians in the southern province of Kandahar, officials said.

The incident took place on Sunday morning when a US soldier opened fire at four houses in Zangabad area of Panjwae district, killing the civilians and injuring five others, said Hajji Agha Lalai, a member of provincial council in the district.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News that local residents told him over telephone that the injured were rushed to the ISAF health facility in Kandahar.

However, Governor Toryalay Weesa said a US soldier opened fire on civilians this morning outside the ISAF base in Panjwae district.

The exact number of civilian casualties is yet to be confirmed but a delegation was sent to the area for further investigation.

PAJHWOK/Siddiqullah

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - Changes Blowing In the Wind

I'm preparing for my third visit to Afghanistan and I'm eager to get my boots on the ground.

My belief, and this is solely my opinion, is that our military needs to get lean and mean. We have the weapons of mass destruction, but they are not very effective when dealing with guerrilla warfare...I thought we learned this in Viet Nam. There needs to be effective decision making and NO more of this vacillation. We support the Taliban, the Taliban is bad, we are in negotiation with the Taliban...

We should only assist countries that want us and we should be for hire...isn't it a pity that the Chinese got the oil pipeline in Afghanistan. We can not keep spending BILLIONS of dollars outside our country when our own infrastructure is crumbling.

I like what I read here in US ARMY Stand To: but to accomplish this...they are going to need women! In order to get these women they are going to have to open up the combat designation and allow women these positions, if they qualify, so they can advance.

TODAY'S FOCUS:

The Army Posture Statement: A Leaner Army

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future? 

To meet a wide range of security requirements a leaner Army will have to make difficult choices. The Army will eliminate redundant capabilities and reduce the cost of doing business by finding efficiencies in overhead, business practices and other activities. The Army will draw down in a manner that preserves readiness and avoids any hollowing of the force. To satisfy this enduring requirement, the Army will continuously assess and adjust three rheostats: end strength/force structure, readiness, and modernization. These three foundational imperatives will be refined throughout the next several years to provide combatant commanders trained and ready forces in support of Joint Force 2020.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - Best Article regarding book burning

I know some of you reading these blogs might be saying...enough. But, considering this incident has cost 35 lives and set our accomplishments back to square one I want to understand what really happened.

Chain of Avoidable Errors Cited in Koran Burning

Shah Marai/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

New details about a Koran desecration may do little to soothe Afghans like the youths protesting at Bagram Air Base last week.

By ALISSA J. RUBIN

Published: March 2, 2012

The crisis over the burning, carried out by American soldiers near the detention center in Parwan on Feb. 20, brought a short-term halt to cooperation between the Americans and Afghans and has complicated almost every aspect of planning and negotiation for a military withdrawal. The burning touched off nationwide rioting and the increased targeting of American troops, leaving at least 29 Afghans and 6 American soldiers dead in the past week. 
Read more about what possibly happened.
click here

With less than two weeks before I'll be in Afghanistan, I'm wondering how this will effect everything.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - Repercussions

EnlargeMassoud Hossanini/AFP/Getty Images

Two U.S. troops guard the gate at the Bagram Air Field north of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on Feb. 21. U.S. officials say troops inadvertently burned Qurans at the base, which has touched off violent protests around the country.

I think this is a good consensus. The people of Afghanistan now look at us like the enemy. This after all the US Military has done for them. We have been rocketed back to square one. It is very Disturbing.

"I think that if we don't come to a reconciliation between the United States and the Afghan people that the strategy of sending small teams of American advisers from ministries to battalions is at real risk."

Nagl says Afghans are bitter that U.S. forces could be so culturally insensitive after so many years. American troops are angry they're being targeted by the very Afghans they're fighting and dying for.