Afghanistan - News & Discussions

[datguy79]

Abdullah is currently leading with 43%. Either they are cutting deals or will hold a runoff with Ashraf Ghani.

UPDATE: Abdullah Leading Third Round of Partial Results

The amount of racist comment by so called "pashtunist" types has been shocking. Hopefully it doesn't translate to any post-election violence.

 

[nrupatunga]

The amount of racist comment by so called "pashtunist" types has been shocking.

Please elaborate.

 

[datguy79]

Please elaborate.

This is just the internet reaction, so take it with a grain of salt, but the number of butthurt people who fear the Pashtuns will be losing their centuries-old grip on power is growing. Funnily enough, Abdullah's dad is Kandahari.

 

[Bhadra]

This is just the internet reaction, so take it with a grain of salt, but the number of butthurt people who fear the Pashtuns will be losing their centuries-old grip on power is growing. Funnily enough, Abdullah's dad is Kandahari.

I hope he is not from the linage of "Shakuni"... of Mahabharata fame .. the evil prince of Ghandhara....

 

[cobra commando]

Afghanistan: Over 2,000
missing as heavy rains
trigger landslide

Kabul, Afghanistan: A landslide triggered by heavy rains buried a village on Friday in northeastern Afghanistan, leaving as many as 2,000 people missing, a top official said. Badakshan province Gov. Shah Waliullah Adeeb said more than 2,000 people were missing after a hill collapsed on the village of Hobo Barik. Adeeb said the landslide buried some 300 homes in the area - about a third of all houses there. The governor said rescue crews were working but didn't have enough equipment, appealing for shovels. "It's physically impossible right now," Adeeb said. "We don't have enough shovels; we need more machinery." He said authorities evacuated a nearby village over concerns about further landslides. Faziluddin Hayar, the police chief in Badakshan province, said the landslide happened about 1 pm Friday. Badakshan province, nestled in the Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges and bordering China, is one of the most remote in the country. The area has seen few attacks from insurgents following the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Over 2,000 missing as heavy rains trigger landslide | Firstpost

 

[cobra commando]

Aid rushed to survivors of
Afghan landslide


Aid rushed to survivors of Afghan landslide - The Times of India

 

[Bhadra]

Set up Afghanistan war inquiry, MPs urge government


BBC News - Set up Afghanistan war inquiry, MPs urge government

By Justin Parkinson

Political reporter, BBC News

The UK government should set up an inquiry into "lessons learned" after troops withdraw from Afghanistan at the end of this year, MPs have recommended.

The Commons defence committee said ministers should plan for a "thorough" study covering the aims of the war and whether efforts had been "sufficient".

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond promised to "look strategically across the campaign" after the mission ends.

More than 450 UK personnel have died in the Afghan conflict since 2001.

An official inquiry into the Iraq war began almost five years ago and has still to publish its findings. This follows arguments between the panel, led by former civil servant Sir John Chilcot, and Whitehall officials over which documents can be disclosed.

'Uncertain'

In its report on Afghanistan, the Defence Select Committee said the Taliban insurgency in the country remained "a strong and persistent threat".
It said the Afghan government would need the continued support of the international community after most UK and other international troops left.

The committee warned of an "uncertain" future and said it hoped Defence Secretary Philip Hammond's prediction that the country would not descend into civil war would prove correct.

It said that, while there had been gains in the rights of Afghan women and girls during the years international forces had been in the country, progress remained "fragile".

In contrast, the UK's counter-narcotics strategy had failed, with opium poppy cultivation in Helmand province soaring to record levels as the troops prepared to leave.

"We are concerned that this will continue to fund organised crime, and undermine the development of democratic government and governance," the report said.

The committee called on the government to begin work towards the eventual publication of an official history of the Afghan campaign, as well as commissioning a more immediate "lessons learned" inquiry.

It said: "The study should set out what the political ends were, how they changed during the course of the campaign, and judge whether the ways and means, diplomatic, economic and military, were sufficient during the course of the campaign."

The committee also said: "A relatively small investment could have a significantly beneficial impact on future planning."

A source told the BBC that the hearings for an Afghanistan inquiry would not necessarily take place in public and its findings could be shown only to ministers and Whitehall officials.

Such decisions would be have to be made by a future government, they added.

One of the committee members, Labour MP Dai Havard, told the BBC: "It's not meant to be 'let's find a head on a stick and someone to blame'.

"It should be that Parliament says to the executive that it needs to address these issues. We have to learn from these experiences."

In response to the committee, Mr Hammond said: "As combat operations in Afghanistan draw to a close we can be proud of the contribution British forces have made to ensuring that the country cannot be used as a base for international terrorists to attack us and our interests.

"We have a highly effective process for identifying lessons to be learned in near real time, but we will want to look strategically across the campaign as a whole to see what longer-term lessons need to be learned, once the mission is over."

For Labour, shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker said: "It is important the we learn the lessons from our involvement in the long and difficult combat operation in Afghanistan.

"The evolving role of the armed forces over the course of the mission presented great challenges to the military, and we should examine these fully to ensure we gain an insight in to all aspects of what happened over the last number of years."

 

[nrupatunga]

Obama Hopes for "Limited Military Presence" in Afghanistan by Year's End

President Obama arrived in Afghanistan on Sunday for an unannounced visit, in which he commended U.S. troops for the sacrifices they have made and said he was hopeful that a bilateral agreement signed by the end of the year would allow for "limited" troops in the country.

"Of all the honors that I have as serving as president, nothing matches serving as your commander-in-chief," Obama told troops in Bagram.

Obama thanked the soldiers for progress in Afghanistan, including the recent Afghan election, more local girls in school and Afghans reclaiming their communities.

"Al Qaeda is on its heels in this part of the world and that's because of you," Obama said.

The surprise trip came as the U.S. and NATO are withdrawing most of their forces ahead of a year-end deadline. Obama is seeking to keep a small number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014 to train Afghan security forces and conduct counterterrorism missions.

But that plan is contingent on with Afghan President Hamid Karzai's successor signing a bilateral security agreement, which Karzai himself has refused to authorize.

"For many of you, this will be your last tour in Afghanistan," Obama told the troops, crediting them with the lead Afghan forces have taken to secure the country.

Obama said he hopes a bilateral security agreement would be signed by year's end, and at that point, "America's war in Afghanistan will come to a responsible end."

Beyond 2014, Obama said there would be a "limited military presence" in Afghanistan in order to "make sure that Afghanistan can never again ever be used to launch an attack against our country" and insure Afghanistan doesn't regress.

The President landed at Bagram Air Field at about 8:15 p.m. local time (11:45 a.m. ET).

Air Force One had secretly left Washington from Andrews Air Force Base under cover of darkness at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday night.

This is the fourth trip of Obama's presidency and the first since May 2012, when he visited the Presidential Palace and made an address to the nation.

Others traveling with the president included National Security Adviser Susan Rice, plus advisers Dan Pfeiffer, Ben Rhodes and John Podesta, whose son is currently serving in Afghanistan. Country music star Brad Paisley also joined the group, and will perform for troops during the visit.

A pool of White House reporters and photographers accompanied the president under the strict condition that they not report on the trip until authorized, due to security considerations.

It initially was unclear if Obama would meet with Karzai, but the Afghan president issued a statement saying that he was asked to meet Obama at Bagram Air Base, but he turned down the offer and said he was ready to host him at the palace instead.

He did promise to shake the hand of every single service member on the base following his remarks. "I might not be able to take a selfie with everybody but I'll shake every hand," the president said.

At least 2,181 members of the U.S. military have died during the nearly 13-year Afghan war and thousands more have been wounded.

There are still about 32,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, down from a high of 100,000 in mid-2010, when as Obama sent in additional soldiers to quell escalating violence.

Obama spent just a few hours on the base before getting back on Air Force One and flying to Europe to refuel before heading back across the Atlantic.

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Obama makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Obama makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

And White House outs Kabul CIA Chief of station. A conspiracy of dunces.

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Afghanistan hopeful of boosting military ties with India under the Modi government | idrw.org

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Fledgling Afghan air force faces solo mission as US withdraws | idrw.org

 

[datguy79]

A total of 138 insurgents were killed in the past 24 hours of anti-terror operations conducted in different provinces of the country, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, as Afghans are expected to go to the presidential polls on coming Saturday.
The statement said the operations, carried out jointly by the Afghan Army and the police, were conducted in the provinces of Takhar, Kunduz, Zabul, Baghlan, Logar, Herat and Helmand.
It added: "As many as eighty-six more militants have been injured and six others arrested."
This happens as security institutions have said despite a warmer weather condition that supports increase in the number of insurgency incidents in this round, security measures are equally put in place to secure the process.
The two candidates running Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai are expected to end their campaign tonight at 12 and observe silence periodfor two days until the election day on Saturday.

Over 130 killed in counter-terror operations ahead of vote

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Afghanistan Takes Long View with India, Russia, China | idrw.org

 

[cobra commando]

2 militants killed for cutting off Afghan voters' fingers

Afghan security forces killed two militants blamed for cutting off the fingers of 11 voters in western Afghanistan, the government said on Tuesday. Militants cut one ink-dyed finger off each of 11 voters, who had cast their ballots on Saturday in the presidential polls in the province of Herat, the Interior Ministry said. The victims said their attackers had told them "to go and ask the candidate you voted for to get your fingers back." Afghan security forces led a search for the perpetrators after the crime was reported in Rabat district of the province. Two militants were killed, and a third injured, the Ministry said.
2 militants killed for cutting off Afghan voters' fingers - The Hindu

 

[nrupatunga]

Why Afghanistan Won't End Up Like Iraq

This past Saturday, on June 14, Afghanistan successfully held the second round of its presidential elections, which could usher in the first peaceful and democratic transfer of power in its history. This election was a run-off between the two frontrunners from the previous round, held on April 5: former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani. Both candidates, unlike incumbent President Hamid Karzai, have pledged to sign a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States, which would allow for a continued U.S. presence in Afghanistan post-2014.

The election featured an unexpectedly large turnout of over 7 million individuals. Afghans voted despite threats from the Taliban, demonstrating a widespread desire for peace and acceptance of the basic framework of the state, its institutions, and the electoral process. While there were some violent incidents, none of them seriously disrupted the election.

Both Abdullah and Ghani have decent resumes, suggesting that either candidate would be up to the task of administering the still unsettled country. Ghani worked as a senior World Bank economist and is thought to be relatively untainted by the corruption that dominated Afghanistan during Karzai's presidency. However, this could also work to his disadvantage, as he spent much of his time in Washington D.C. without first-hand experience working in Afghanistan. He may not be ready to handle Afghanistan's warlords, get things done in an imperfect system, and possibly even fight a war if necessary. This is the sort of experience that Abdullah has (though Ghani's supporters have argued that electing Abdullah would represent a return to darker times).

Unfortunately, several aspects of the election display disturbing features. One such feature is the ethnic tone the election has taken. Ethnic Pashtuns, who make up the largest group in the country, have dominated the country since they created it in the 18th century, though they account for less than half its population. It is important to remember that Afghanistan is a fairly young country, founded by Pashtun tribesmen who essentially cobbled together a conglomerate of territories from the eastern parts of the Safavid (Persian) Empire, the northwestern regions of the Mughal Empire of India, and the southern areas of the Uzbek Khanate of Bukhara. Afghanistan survived because it served as a buffer state between the British Indian Empire and the Russian Empire. Nonetheless, it is perhaps more stable than a colonial construct like Iraq because most of the groups within Afghanistan have a history of living together and intermingling under the periodic empires that would sweep up the region.

Pashtuns have exclusively run Afghanistan for most of its history. However, this state of affairs is hard to maintain forever. The Soviet invasion destroyed the Afghan state and the resulting insurgency empowered many non-Pashtun groups in the north of the country, particularly Tajiks (a term for Central Asian speakers of the Persian language, called Dari in Afghanistan, who are traditionally dominant in urban centers), Hazaras (a Shia ethnic group of the mountainous central region), and Uzbeks. Abdullah — who is a Tajik — would be the country's first non-Pashtun leader if he wins, which might explain the coalescence of the Pashtun vote behind Ghani, a Pashtun. If tensions between the two candidates develop into ethnic fissures rather than just political rivalry, that bodes ill for Afghanistan. This, however, is unlikely to be taken to its logical extreme in such a mixed region.

Unfortunately, tensions between the two candidates have risen due to accusations of fraud, especially by Abdullah, whose camp has accused Karzai of using the electoral infrastructure to support Ghani. Ominously, it seems possible that Abdullah is setting himself up for a confrontation if he is not declared the unconditional winner of the election (though he has called for restraint). In any case, the counting of votes has just begun and official results will not be due until July 22, allowing for plenty of time to deal with fraud.

Despite the potential for trouble in Afghanistan, there are some hopeful signs. A weariness of war permeates the country, making large scale conflict undesirable by most parties.

Many former warlords are now politicians and wealthy businessmen who would prefer to see the country at peace so they can keep on making money. Having experienced the Taliban during the 1990s and knowing the consequences of fighting each other instead of the Taliban, almost all former warlords and indeed most of the population agree on the necessity of defeating the Taliban. Contrary to what many analysts believe, the Taliban have limited popular support and are unlikely to make spectacular gains. Unlike Iraq, most of Afghanistan is mountainous and has a long warrior tradition and the incidence of constant war for the last 30 years means that much of the country is armed and inhabited by communities willing and able to fight for their home turfs.

For all these reasons, Afghanistan is probably less likely than Iraq to experience instability despite the continuous threat of the Taliban. Religious and ethnic cleavages are less pronounced than in Iraq and Afghanistan's inhabitants have a long tradition of sophistication and a history of peaceful coexistence in a region characterized as a great crossroads of people and trade, connecting many great civilizations. Perhaps driven by a memory of this past and a desire for such a future, Afghanistan's factions will exercise restraint despite whatever the outcome of the election may be. It is likely that the country will slowly continue to muddle towards stability rather than collapse.

The article seems more like a hope than having actual reasoning. Soon we will know once the west leaves.

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Defense News Mobile - White House to Request $60B for Afghanistan in 2015

 

[nrupatunga]

Iran's Influence in Afghanistan - Rand EBook

 

[cobra commando]

Afghan Provincial Governor's Office Attacked, Seven Suicide Bombers Killed

KABUL: Seven suicide bombers were reportedly killed when a group of militants Wednesday launched a massive offensive against the police headquarters and the provincial governor's office in Kandahar, the capital of Afghanistan's Kandahar province, 450 km south of Kabul. "A group of militants first carried out a suicide car bomb attack next to the Kandahar police headquarters and minutes later some militants opened fire on the governor's office," Dawa Khan Minapal, spokesman for the provincial government, told Xinhua. The gun battle between the security forces and the attackers was still going on, Minapal said, adding that the militants have occupied some buildings near the governor's office and police headquarters. Meantime, an official, who declined to be named, said that the militants who attacked the governor's office had been killed after an hour of fighting. At the same time, Ayub Salangi, a deputy in Afghanistan's interior ministry, said on Twitter that seven suicide bombers had been killed and an operation for eliminating the remaining attackers was going on.
Afghan Provincial Governor's Office Attacked, Seven Suicide Bombers Killed - The New Indian Express

 

[abhi_the _gr8_maratha]

Defense News Mobile - Obama War-Funding Request Gets No Attention at Senate Hearing With Afghanistan Nominee