Archive for the 'Afghanistan' Category

Small Wars Journal, The Afghans That Fought.

The Commandos were built by the U.S. Army Special Forces, commonly known as the Green Berets, and designed as an elite light infantry force similar to U.S. Army Rangers.  While selection of Commando candidates did not differ significantly from that of the average Afghan National Army soldier, each had an additional twelve weeks of training and were regularly partnered with small elements of Special Forces advisors.  In practice the Commandos were frequently used as shock troops, shuttled from key battle to key battle, rather than used as special operations forces.  While they were partnered with American elements, especially Special Forces teams, the Commandos usually fought and performed capably.  The presence of critical U.S. enablers, such as air support, medical evacuation, and intelligence that went along with being partnered with Americans often stiffened the resolve of the Commandos to the point that they were generally a dependable partner.

They could fight at night, conduct limited internal sustainment, and hold their own against the Taliban.  Through airframes and ground vehicles within the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command, the Commandos could provide emergency resupply for their forces that enabled them to operate in combat for up to 72 hours.  Some even could call in their own air support and conduct intelligence driven operations.  Commandos suffered far more casualties than American forces, and their headquarters element even set up a wounded warrior program to allow injured fighters to be able to continue to serve in non-combat roles within the organization.  A set of Special Forces officers and sergeants even attempted make the force capable of operating with minimal internal logistic support that was prepositioned at each of the Commando bases, such as “chuck wagon” style mobile feeding and mortars for fire support rather than aircraft.  Unfortunately, senior leaders decided instead that the Commandos should operate inside a functional Afghan military logistics system for any operation that lasted more than 72 hours.  That fatal flaw, building a force in our image logistically, proved to be the Commandos’ Achilles heel.  American Army units are designed to function in a resource intensive logistics system which can provide just in time delivery of critical supply needs.  Yet when faced with Afghanistan’s infrastructure challenges of few roads and vast distances, even our logistics system strained.

As the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorated and province after province fell, many Commando units continued fighting.  Around Kandahar City, Commandos and other security forces battled the Taliban for more than a month.  When the U.S. contracted logistics withdrew and the Afghan supply system collapsed, the Commandos were not able to perform as they were designed: supported by a heavy logistics footprint that could resupply them on demand.  Commando elements began to run out of ammunition, food, and water.  Some surrendered after extended sieges or battles, putting themselves at the mercy of the Taliban.  At least one Commando unit was summarily executed, likely a warning by the Taliban to those who would similarly resist.  Even after the fall of Kabul, several Commando units refused to give in and began the slow march to the Panjshir, where a nascent resistance to the Taliban was building.  Other units moved to Hamid Karzai International airport and helped secure the outer perimeter during the U.S. led evacuation.

Amateurs talk tactics.  Professionals talk logistics.

So the notion that the Afghan army was filled with cowards and ne’er-do-wells is just not accurate.  Oh, to be sure, some of the regulars were that and much less, but there were some well-trained fighters.

They were built in our own image, relying on a heavy logistics footprint, and when we withdrew leaving them no means of fulfilling that footprint, the entire schema collapsed because it was built on a foundation of first world fighting doctrine, not Afghanistan.

And because rather than kill the Taliban, we wanted to play armed social worker and try out fancy COIN doctrine with ROE that disillusioned and disemboweled the American fighting man.  I still have record over this blog of folks in the Helmand Province literally begging the Marines to go after and kill the Taliban rather than stick around and try to “win hearts and minds” and build the society.  So in addition to leaving them with a doctrinal understanding more suited to American warfare, we left them with an enemy that had not been substantially weakened.

Because we had idiots in charge – idiots that killed the sons of America with their malfeasance.

I think this is what Lt. Col. Stu Scheller has been saying all along.  Michael Yon also has thoughts.

Guess who slithers out and weighs in?

The way the U.S. handled its withdrawal from Afghanistan has done damage to the United States’ credibility and reputation abroad, said David Petraeus, former head of the CIA and former commander of U.S. Central Command.

[ … ]

“There is damage to our credibility and to our reputation,” he said in an interview with CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett for “The Takeout” podcast.

The Biden administration recognizes that, and will need to work very hard to craft a “whole-of-governments” approach to the world and to China as it so “skillfully” did in the first seven months of the administration, Petraeus said.

“And again, that was very very impressively carried out, but clearly now there will be some damage, in a way and they’ll have to work extra hard to do that,” he said. “And it will be done, as always, with deeds not just with words. Words will be needed but people will really be watching for the deeds.”

Yes.  “Skillfully,” you see.

I laughed out loud when I read this.  It’s the only time I’ve ever seen the word “skillfully” and this administration used in the same sentence.

Not posed or answered: “Did the administration’s crap weasel approach to the exit from Afghanistan do as much damage to the U.S. reputation as did your divulging classified information to Paula Broadwell during your extramarital affair do to your own reputation and the campaign?”

Remember I told you this?

I told Michael by text message that none of this is surprising and I still believe there is more than meets the eye.  I do not believe any of this is due to incompetence or accident.  This is all intentional.  Every bit of it.

The Taliban are begging for U.S. diplomats to return to Kabul.  In fact, they’re not begging for it, they’re demanding it.  You see, they want to be recognized.

As I told Michael, they want their very own SpecOps (right, did you see their presence on the runway at the airport with pant legs rolled up, dressed differently from each other, unkempt hair, irregular weapons, etc.).  It’ll be a long time before there is anything special about their SpecOps.

They want to rule, they want money.  Yes, they want aid.  And they want gas pipelines to run through Afghanistan from Turkmenistan to Pakistan (something they’ve wanted for a long time), and they want mining of the precious metals and gems, and they want a cut of all of that money.  They want to live in big homes like rich people, and they want to sit in front of cameras and look important.

And guess what – they’ll get it.  Leaving Americans in Afghanistan is the perfect pretext for the State Department to return so that “diplomatic solutions to our problems can be worked out.”  The State Department wants to recognize the Taliban.  They’re another Muslim people to court, and the State Department has never seen an America-hating Muslim people they don’t love.

Here is the news.

The Taliban is preventing multiple flights from taking off from the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, CBS News reports.

An NGO in Afghanistan said two planes have been ready to evacuate 600 to 1,200 people, including 19 American citizens and two permanent residents, for the past six days while the U.S. government and Taliban continue to talk.

They won’t behead the Americans unless there is no cooperation and payment.  They’ll behead those who worked with the Americans.  They’ll use Americans as hostages.

You heard it here first – before it happens in real time.

From comments at this article.  Unsourced, so I cannot verify.

What happened in Afghaistan was, at best, criminal negligence and at worst treason
American Aircraft, Equipment & Armored Vehicles
2,000 Armored Vehicles Including Humvees and MRAPs
75,989 Total Vehicles: FMTV, M35, Ford Rangers, Ford F350, Ford Vans, Toyota Pickups, Armored Security Vehicles etc.
45 UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters
50 MD530G Scout Attack Helicopters
ScanEagle Military Drones
30 Military Version Cessnas
4 C-130s
29 Brazilian made A-29 Super Tucano Ground Attack Aircraft
Heavy Equipment, Including Bull Dozers, Backhoes, Dump Trucks, Excavators
=208+ Aircraft Total
At least 600,000+ Small arms M16, M249 SAWs, M24 Sniper Systems, 50 Calibers, 1,394 M203 Grenade Launchers, M134 Mini Gun, 20mm Gatling Guns and Ammunition
61,000 M203 Rounds
20,040 Grenades
Howitzers
Mortars +1,000’s of Rounds
162,000 pieces of Encrypted Military Communications Gear
16,000+ Night Vision Goggles
Newest Technology Night Vision Scopes
Thermal Scopes and Thermal Mono Googles
10,000 2.75 inch Air to Ground Rockets
Reconnaissance Equipment (ISR)
Laser Aiming Units
Explosives Ordnance C-4, Semtex, Detonators, Shaped Charges, Thermite, Incendiaries, AP/API/APIT
2,520 Bombs
Administration Encrypted Cell Phones and Laptops ALL operational
Pallets with Millions of Dollars in US Currency
Millions of Rounds of Ammunition including but not limited to 20,150,600 rounds of 7.62mm, 9,000,000 rounds of 50.caliber
Large Stockpile of Plate Carriers and Body Armor
US Military HIIDE, for Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment Biometrics

That’s quite a list of hardware.  Very responsible to leave behind in the hands of the enemy, yes?  Hey, DoD does consider them to be the enemy, don’t they?  Don’t they?

Michael Yon.

We have Americans with blue passports ready to leave Afghanistan. Taliban will allow landing. US Department of State blocking flights. Rick Clay’s team has three jets ready. These jets were on ground on 30 August 2021.

Senator Johnson’s team called us and we on conference call right now.

Our government is blocking taking out Americans from Afghanistan. Taliban is helping. US State Department blocking.

He has started a Go Fund Me campaign to go back to Afghanistan and try to do some good if possible.

I told Michael by text message that none of this is surprising and I still believe there is more than meets the eye.  I do not believe any of this is due to incompetence or accident.  This is all intentional.  Every bit of it.

The Taliban are begging for U.S. diplomats to return to Kabul.  In fact, they’re not begging for it, they’re demanding it.  You see, they want to be recognized.

As I told Michael, they want their very own SpecOps (right, did you see their presence on the runway at the airport with pant legs rolled up, dressed differently from each other, unkempt hair, irregular weapons, etc.).  It’ll be a long time before there is anything special about their SpecOps.

They want to rule, they want money.  Yes, they want aid.  And they want gas pipelines to run through Afghanistan from Turkmenistan to Pakistan (something they’ve wanted for a long time), and they want mining of the precious metals and gems, and they want a cut of all of that money.  They want to live in big homes like rich people, and they want to sit in front of cameras and look important.

And guess what – they’ll get it.  Leaving Americans in Afghanistan is the perfect pretext for the State Department to return so that “diplomatic solutions to our problems can be worked out.”  The State Department wants to recognize the Taliban.  They’re another Muslim people to court, and the State Department has never seen an America-hating Muslim people they don’t love.

Beware what you ask for.  You might get it.  There is an eternal jihad.  The silliness and absurdity of the situation has even caught the attention of Chris Muir (sent to me by Michael).  Good.  But besides the absurdity, there are dangerous machinations afoot, the effects of which will carry on long after this absurdity is over.

He’s controversial and say what you will about him, he’s a hundred times smarter and more savvy than any current flag officer in the U.S. military.

Of course, I claim as I have before that none of this is accidental or a mistake.  It’s all intentional.

In the planned departure of American troops from Kabul, not only did they leave Americans behind, they left dogs as well.  I say planned because this was all carefully orchestrated to turn over weapons to the Taliban and AQ and demoralize American troops.  It covers their tracks, you see, from weapons trafficking, opium trade and other nefarious activities.

Trained dogs used by #US #Forces have also been left at #Kabul airport pic.twitter.com/iSVtbFDqHB

— Sumaira Khan (@sumrkhan1) August 31, 2021

From Michael Yon.

COL US ARMY to Rick Clay and to me in final hours. Rick had three jets on ground in Kabul. I had arranged Taliban bringing American mother and three American children all the way to gate. Turned away by American Army.

We had Americans at the gate in plenty of time. U.S. Army abandoned Americans to Taliban. I was personally involved in the rescue as was Rick Clay, David Eubank, Taliban helped us, until Colonel Matt Rogers from US Army said he cannot take them in.

Others were involved who cannot be named.

Taliban actually delivered the American mother and children for us and stayed with them for hours until she told Taliban to go home.

This isn’t an accident.  It’s not incompetence.  I suppose you could say it’s malfeasance (but for it to be malfeasance it is normally considered as shirking your responsibility), but for sure, it’s intentional.  I think they carried out the orders given from above.

Sleep well Col. Rogers.

Conservative Treehouse.

According to a Politico report, using leaked classified intelligence from the U.S. intel community, the Pentagon knew well in advance that a suicide bomber was coming to the Abbey Gate long before the explosion.  According to the leak, the military knew where and when the attack was coming; and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned allies to avoid the area.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chief’s Chariman Mark Milley, and CentCom Commander General Kenneth McKenzie all knew in advance the Abbey Gate was going to be bombed on Thursday, yet they kept the gate open.

(Politico) – Just 24 hours before a suicide bomber detonated an explosive outside Hamid Karzai International Airport, senior military leaders gathered for the Pentagon’s daily morning update on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.

Speaking from a secure video conference room on the third floor of the Pentagon at 8 a.m. Wednesday — or 4:30 p.m. in Kabul — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed more than a dozen of the department’s top leaders around the world to make preparations for an imminent “mass casualty event,” according to classified detailed notes of the gathering shared with POLITICO.

During the meeting, Gen. Mark Milley, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned of “significant” intelligence indicating that the Islamic State’s Afghanistan affiliate, ISIS-K, was planning a “complex attack,” the notes quoted him as saying.  Commanders calling in from Kabul relayed that the Abbey Gate, where American citizens had been told to gather in order to gain entrance to the airport, was “highest risk,” and detailed their plans to protect the airport.

“I don’t believe people get the incredible amount of risk on the ground,” Austin said, according to the classified notes.

On a separate call at 4 that afternoon, or 12:30 a.m. on Thursday in Kabul, the commanders detailed a plan to close Abbey Gate by Thursday afternoon Kabul time. But the Americans decided to keep the gate open longer than they wanted in order to allow their British allies, who had accelerated their withdrawal timeline, to continue evacuating their personnel, based at the nearby Baron Hotel.

American troops were still processing entrants to the airport at Abbey Gate at roughly 6 p.m. in Kabul on Thursday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest there, killing nearly 200 people, including 13 U.S. service members. (read more)

Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby was furious about the intelligence leak when questioned earlier today.

If you were trying to demoralize the U.S. military and disgrace America, what would you have done any differently than what you’ve witnessed in the past couple of weeks?  That’s what I thought.

Here is the thing about this report.  The interesting thing isn’t that we knew beforehand, or that we knew beforehand and did absolutely nothing.  I don’t ascribe this to incompetence.  I think there’s more at play.

The interesting thing is that an intel report was leaked.  I suspect this isn’t from the CIA, but rather, DIA.

What this means is that departments are at war with each other within the administration.  This administration is coming apart at the seams.