North Korea 28May09

From Fox News:

South Korean and U.S. troops facing North Korea boosted their alert level Thursday to the highest category since 2006, after the communist regime threatened military strikes on allied troops in escalating tensions over its nuclear test.

North Korea threatened Wednesday to attack any U.S. and South Korean ships that try to intercept its vessels and renounced a 1953 truce halting the Korean War fighting, raising the prospect of a naval clash off the Korean peninsula's west coast.

The North was responding to Seoul's decision to join a U.S.-led anti-proliferation program aimed at stopping and inspecting ships suspected of transporting banned weapons, including nuclear technology. South Korea announced it was joining after the North's underground test blast of a nuclear bomb.

On Thursday, the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command increased the surveillance to level 2 from the present level 3, Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae said. He said that was the highest level since 2006, when the North conducted its first-ever nuclear test.

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North Korea

Flash Traffic:

From Fox News:

North Korea launched a tirade Wednesday against world powers threatening to punish it for conducting its second nuclear test, saying it is not afraid of sanctions and calling South Korea's decision to join an operation to prevent the spread of weapons a declaration of war.

The North also has reportedly restarted its weapons-grade nuclear plant. It staged a rally in its capital, Pyongyang, on Tuesday to celebrate the test.

The isolated communist regime said through its official news agency that it would respond with military action if South Korea tries to stop or search any of its ships as part of the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative.

"Those who provoke (North Korea) once will not be able to escape its unimaginable and merciless punishment," the North's official news agency said.

South Korea decided to join the anti-proliferation initiative on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, South Korea's mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported Wednesday that U.S. spy satellites detected signs of steam at the North's Yongbyon nuclear complex, an indication that it may have started reprocessing nuclear fuel.

The report, which could not be confirmed, quoted an unidentified government official. South Korea's Yonhap news agency also had a similar report.

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Pakistan Update 26May09

From Fox News:

Pakistani troops fighting street-by-street with Taliban militants have regained control of more than half of the largest town in the Swat valley, and many insurgents were now fleeing the battlefield, military commanders said Tuesday.

The militant threat has made Pakistan's Western allies increasingly anxious to see political stability in the country — a goal that may be helped by a top Pakistani court's decision Tuesday to lift an election ban on opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, the country's most popular politician according to polls.

The ruling removes a source of uncertainty and possible political conflict in the country as it battles Taliban insurgents spreading out across the nuclear-armed nation from the lawless northeast.

Sharif is now free to contest national elections in 2013 and become elected to parliament in a by-election. He had been blocked because of a criminal conviction in 2000 he has insisted was politically motivated.

Officials said the military's monthlong offensive was advancing in the Swat valley, where a growing humanitarian crisis is adding pressure to the government, which is being tested in its resolve to stand up to the militants.

From Al Jazeera English:

Pakistan has lifted a ban on Nawaz Sharif, the opposition leader, and his brother which had prevented them from running in elections.

The ruling in the Supreme Court on Tuesday enables the former prime minister to contest national polls in 2013.

"Nawaz Sharif can contest elections and Shahbaz Sharif will continue as chief minister of Punjab province," Ashtar Ausaf, the brothers' lawyer, said on Tuesday.

"This is a decision welcomed by the entire nation," Sharif said from the eastern city of Lahore.

"Today, an independent judiciary is giving independent decisions."

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Memorial Day Weekend 2009

This Memorial Day Weekend I am thankful for many things. I am thankful for the great Nation that we live in. I am thankful for our liberties and freedoms. Most of all I am thankful for all of those who have gone before me and sacrificed so much so all us can enjoy those freedoms.

I am thankful for the men who stood at Concord and Lexington. To those who endured the hardships of the opening battles and stayed the course to see the final victory.

To those who again answered the call, and in 1812 ensured that in our infancy we were not destroyed.

To those on both sides, Blue and Grey, who would fight for what they believed in and in the end see the Union survive and prosper.

To those who answered the call of, "over there", and threw back back the German Army and secured peace for that time.

To those who would again answer the call a generation later, to strike for liberty for all people, to storm the beaches and parachute into the darkness, to turn the tide at places like Midway and the Bulge, and to see a tyrants attempts at genocide destroyed.

To those who would fight another generation later from the Pusan Perimeter to the Frozen Chosin, to ensure that the light of freedom would not be extinguished anywhere.

To my Father's generation, who would give so much, to be ignored here in their own country and ridiculed by those they protected, but still would serve and fight and die for us.

To the men who stormed Grenada, parachuted into Panama, and the many Regiments who held the line in the sand, and secured the freedom of Kuwait.

And finally for this generation. For the many men who I have served with, some to never come home. That took up this new challenge and fought against a new tyranny and oppression called terrorism. Even though many again have ridiculed, or hidden their ridicule in veiled statements, these men have answered the call proudly and courageously, and still fight on even now while I am typing this.

I am proud and thankful for much. I have never been more proud though then to be called a US Soldier, and to stand with my brethren on the new high ground.

Happy Memorial Day to all of you.

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SAMS 25th Anniversary and Graduation

Today the United States Army's School of Advanced Military Studies celebrated its Silver Anniversary of twenty five years of graduating Military Officers and our Inter-Agency brethren to become the planners and leaders of our great Nation. (No, it was not my graduation. I still have another 6 months, but it was a nice light at the end of the tunnel for me as I went back to writing my thesis after the ceremony.) But, I digress.

The School of Advanced Military Studies was founded to arm our military officers with a variety of educational theories and studies to help them better solve the complex problems that the world is offering to us. LTG (Ret) James Dubik was the speaker for the graduation and he summed up these thoughts very well. He spoke using the writings of Emerson to illuminate his point. A Reformer looks at the current situation and studies and decides upon what needs to be changed and how. A Conservative looks at the situation and studies and decides upon what needs to be kept or conserved. The best officers look at the situation and can study and decide upon what needs to be reformed and conserved at the same time.

I could not agree more. In this ever-changing and complex world that we find ourselves in, we are faced with the challenge of constant transformation. Deciding upon these critical facts of what needs to be changed and what needs to be conserved. What do we modify, what do we tweak, what do we outright throw away and consume ourselves with, within a new fresh course of action?

This is a great challenge, but within my first 6 months in SAMS, this is one of the skills I have been learning. I will not claim by any stretch that I am an expert, I fully expect to spend the rest of my life, learning about this. But through SAMS I have been receiving and will continue to receive the multiple tools for my tool bag needed to continue doing this.

SAMS has done this for the last 25 years, schooling our Army's Leaders. I look around at the list of past graduates and am truly humbled to be a part of this program. I look forward to rejoining the force with these new skills and watching SAMS continue to progress and change over the next twenty-five years.

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Memorial Day History Part Three

I don't know how long they have been doing it for, but members of the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery have performed a beautiful ritual for as long as I can remember. Over the Memorial Day Weekend they place an American Flag on every grave site within the cemetery and then hold guard over them all weekend long. Ensuring that they all stay in place, and replace any that need replacing. It is just another example of the dedication of these Soldiers to their duty. Many have seen them walking the "tour", guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. But it is these actions that sometimes are missed by the public eye.

I have been blessed and cursed with attending the funerals of two brothers who fell in Iraq at Arlington. I can not say enough about what these Soldiers do for our families, and in rendering final honors to our Fallen Hero's. They are truly exemplary.

The Boy Scouts of America also have similar events that they take part in across the country. I know many Troops go to the National Cemeteries near them, and place US Flags on all the grave sites. I can not think of a more fitting honor, and lesson that these great young men are accomplishing and learning.

By order of President George H. W. Bush, on Memorial Day at 3PM, all Americans are asked to conduct a moment of silence. It may be personal, or it may be a part of your larger celebration. But it is meant to remind all of us of the true reason for this weekend. To honor all of those brave young men and women who have given that ultimate sacrifice.

Many of you have asked me, what can we do for the troops? Well this is just another example of something that can be done. Say a silent prayer within whatever religion you practice, and remember all that have given that ultimate sacrifice so that our Flag will still fly high, and our freedom and liberties remain strong.

God Bless America

Bryan

I have included the link to Arlington National Cemetery below this if you would like even more information.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/

(Photo is from the Arlington Website) Sphere: Related Content

Iranian Missile Test

From Fox News:

U.S. government officials confirmed Iran's provocative long-range missile test Wednesday as they worked to study details of the launch.

"At this point it appears Iran launched a medium ranged ballistic missile and the test appears successful," a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told FOX News.

The U.S. official said the Pentagon is trying to determine the missile's range, trajectory and other details about the solid-fuel Sajjil-2 surface-to-surface missile Iran launched Wednesday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the launch was a successful test-firing of a new advanced missile with a range of about 1,200 miles -- capable of reaching Israel and U.S. Mideast bases.

It is a new version of the Sajjil missile, which Iran said it had successfully tested late last year with a similar range. Many analysts said the launch of the Sajjil was significant because solid fuel missiles are more accurate than liquid fuel missiles of similar range, such as Iran's Shahab-3.

"Defense Minister (Mostafa Mohammad Najjar) has informed me that the Sajjil-2 missile, which has very advanced technology, was launched from Semnan and it landed precisely on the target," state radio quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. He spoke during a visit to the city of Semnan, 125 miles east of the capital Tehran, where Iran's space program is centered.

The announcement comes less than a month before Iran's presidential election and just two days after President Obama declared a readiness to seek deeper international sanctions against Tehran if it did not respond positively to U.S. attempts to open negotiations on its nuclear program.

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Memorial Day History Part Two

From the Website "Memorial Day History":

The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

"We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies."

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.

Tomorrow I will begin talking about some of the recent observances and what the Old Guard Regiment does at Arlington National Cemetery. The website I got this history from is a great reference, and I highly recommend checking them out. Here are also some other sites for your informational needs.

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Memorial_Day.shtml

http://www.patriotism.org/memorial_day/

http://www.cem.va.gov/

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Unique Perspective On Pakistan

I ran across this online diary or blog being run by Al Jazeera English today. It is a very good first person narrative of what the author, Imran Khan, is seeing in Pakistan right now. I highly recommend checking it out.

God Bless America

Bryan

http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2009/05/200951814292285641.html Sphere: Related Content

Pakistan Update 19May09

From Fox News:

Pakistan said Tuesday it was racing to help refugees fleeing a military offensive against the Taliban in its northwest — an exodus of some 1.5 million with a speed and size the U.N. said could rival the displacement caused by Rwanda's genocide.

The humanitarian challenge comes as the military said its troops are fighting street battles against insurgents in key towns in Pakistan's Swat Valley and amid government denials that the country is expanding its nuclear stockpile.

Lt. Gen. Nadeem Ahmed, who leads a group tasked with dealing with the uprooted Pakistanis, told reporters that the government had enough flour and other food for the displaced but said it needed donations of fans and high energy biscuits. He also said the refugees would get money and free transport when it was safe enough to return.

A "camp is not a replacement for home," Ahmed said, adding there are at least 22 relief camps operating.

The U.S. has praised Pakistan's military operation in Swat and surrounding districts, which comes amid long-standing American pressure to root out Al Qaeda and Taliban hide-outs along the border with Afghanistan. Militants in those sanctuaries threaten American and NATO troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan's own future, U.S. officials warn.

From Al Jazeera English:

About 1.5 million refugees have fled the Pakistani military's offensive against Taliban forces in the northwest of the country, officials say.

The fighting has resulted in an exodus with a speed and size that could rival the displacement caused by Rwanda's genocide, the UN said.

The humanitarian challenge comes as the military said its troops are fighting street battles against fighters in important towns in the Swat valley.

Lieutenant-General Nadeem Ahmed, who leads a group dealing with the uprooted Pakistanis, said that the government had enough food for the displaced, but said it needed donations of fans and high energy biscuits.

Mike Hanna, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, said: "The staggering figure, in details released by the UN, shows that only about 2,000 people are actually in the refugee camps."

Around 20 per cent of the Pakistani displaced are in about 24 camps at the moment, John Holmes, the UN humanitarian chief, said.

Hanna said: "The rest are staying with family and with friends.

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Memorial Day History Part One

Since Memorial Day is this coming weekend, I thought it might be effective to give a little of the history of the holiday prior to the celebration of it.

Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday celebrated on the last Monday of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day and serves to honor all who have died while in Military Service.

The first unofficial historical remembrances that were occurring on or about this day, started in 1865 to honor fallen Civil War Soldiers. There are many claims as to who was the first, but in my opinion that is not really important. The important part was that they were remembering them and paying them honor.

The official proclamation came from General John Logan (Commanding General Army of the Republic) on 5 May 1868 in General Order Number 11. It stated:

1. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but Posts and comrades will, in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, Comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers sailors and marines, who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than by cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead? We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security, is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull and other hinds slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains, and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledge to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon the Nation's gratitude—the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

II. It is the purpose of the Commander in Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to call attention to this Order, and lend its friendly aid in bringing it to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

III. Department commanders will use every effort to make this Order effective.

More tomorrow on the history.

God Bless America

Bryan

I used these references to write the post.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_day

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

http://www.usmemorialday.org/order11.html Sphere: Related Content

Pakistan Update 18May09

From Fox News:

Pakistan denied it was expanding its nuclear arsenal, a week after the top U.S. military officer said there was evidence it was doing so.

Pakistan is battling a growing insurgency by Islamist militants with links to Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Washington is considering giving it billions of dollars in aid to help fight the insurgents, who are also blamed for attacks on U.S. and foreign troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

At a congressional panel last week, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked whether there was evidence that Pakistan was adding to its nuclear weapons systems and warheads. He simply replied: "Yes."

But Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira denied that assertion Monday.

"Pakistan does not need to expand its nuclear arsenal but we want to make it clear that we will maintain a minimum nuclear deterrence that is essential for our defense and stability," he said. "We will not make any compromise."

Pakistan, a desperately poor country of 170 million people, is thought to posses more than 60 nuclear weapons under a program that began when its traditional enemy, India, started producing them.

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Afghanistan Update 14May09

This is a potent and scary story. Do not let it shape your opinion of the Afghan Army in a negative way though. I worked with them for a year, and all in all they are exceptional. But it is important to understand the human dynamic though, and the significant challenges facing the boys on the line over there right now.

It's too early to really make any speculations, but I am watching intently what the final reports say though.

From Fox News:

Kunar River Valley, Afghanistan — A pre-dawn attack by the Taliban that killed three American soldiers and six other coalition troops earlier this month is raising new questions about many of the Afghan soldiers who were supposed to be fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with them.

Officials are investigating whether the Afghan troops may have colluded with the Taliban in the brazen assault on the remote coalition outpost along the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Their findings could complicate further the already difficult challenges U.S. trainers are having with the Afghan Army.

American officials have questioned 11 Afghan Army soldiers and one Afghan interpreter who were taken prisoner after the battle and later released. Many U.S. troops in the area suspect that the Afghan POWs may have passively helped their Taliban attackers by laying down their arms, or even actively colluded with the enemy in the attack.

Details of the battle have been sketchy, since all three Americans at Observation Post Bari Alai were killed in the fight. Of the four Latvian NATO soldiers who were also defending the post, two were killed and a third was badly wounded and evacuated to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany. According to a U.S. official, the remaining Latvian soldier was “shellshocked” by the attack and has been flown back to Latvia for treatment.

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Pakistan Update 14May09

From Fox News:

Troops secured footholds Wednesday in a Pakistani valley overrun by the Taliban, killing 11 enemy fighters and discovering five headless corpses near the region's main town, the army said.

Elsewhere in the turbulent northwest, police said dozens of assailants stormed a transport depot handling supplies for NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan and torched eight trucks before escaping.

Rising violence, including a string of attacks on NATO and U.S. supplies, have fed concern that more of Pakistan's border region is slipping from government control and into the hands of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned Wednesday that the threat militants pose to both countries is very real.

"Terrorists and extremists are extending their reach in whole areas of our countries," Karzai told a regional economic conference in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Under strong U.S. pressure, Pakistani authorities abandoned peace talks last month with Taliban militants and launched a military operation to expel them from their stronghold in the Swat Valley.

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Afghanistan Update 12May09

From Fox News:

Teams of homicide bombers and insurgents attacked two government buildings in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, sparking running gun battles in a major Afghan city, officials said. Armed insurgents took government workers hostage and ambushed an American quick-reaction force, wounding one U.S. soldier.

At least four security forces, two civilians and an unknown number of militants were killed in the attack, which began around 10 a.m. and raged for hours, a doctor said. But officials cited mass confusion over the multi-pronged attack in Khost city, and a doctor said bodies lay in the street that medical workers couldn't reach because of the fighting.

The attack began when a homicide car bomb exploded outside the Khost governor's compound, the Interior Ministry said.

Then a team of homicide bombers on foot tried to attack the nearby police headquarters, but were rebuffed by security forces and entered the neighboring municipality building, said Gen. Abdul Qayum Bakizoy, the police chief. Three bombers detonated their explosives, the Interior Ministry said, while other militants took city employees hostage, Bakizoy said.

A U.S. spokesman summed up the chaos: "A lot of stuff is going on right now."

A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed that 30 homicide bombers had attacked the government buildings.

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Why I Am Apolitical

A lot of you have asked via email questions about why I will not talk about my political leanings or why I stay out of certain policy debates about the military. That is a long and lengthy answer, but I will try to keep it short.

First and for most there are certain legal aspects to it, before I get into my personal opinions. I am writing this blog completely in the open as a military officer. Now, I do have the disclaimer at the bottom of my blog stating that these are my personal opinions and do not reflect the Army nor the Department of Defense; but I am still here as a military officer. I do not hide that fact, and I think it is helpful to understand that. I can not draw issue with my chain of command. That sounds simplistic in a way, of course you do not expect a soldier to write on a blog how much he disagrees with his immediate supervisor. But, my chain of command extends all the way to the President of the United States. I will not and can not take issue within that chain of command publicly.

Of my personal opinions on why I will not, there are two main ideas that I cling to. The first is the idea of credibility. If I ever, God willing, attain higher ranks within the military, I want to be credible to either side of the aisle. General Marshall was a perfect example of this during World War Two. He maintained his political neutrality and politicians, and the American Public trusted him, because they knew he was not swayed by political allegiance. When he gave a briefing his credibility was trusted implicitly. When he told a politician something that had to be done, they trusted that recommendation because they knew politics was not involved and it was pure advice without an outside agenda. I feel that is vitally important to a senior officer, to have that ability and credibility.

Secondly, I do believe a great deal of what Samuel Huntington wrote in his seminal work, "The Soldier and the State." Without getting too long winded, let me briefly summarize and hopefully do him some credit. First a military officer is a professional. He is not swayed by emotions and idealism but rather is grounded in his technical expertise within the military arena and conducts his opinions in the realm of realism. He cautions that even though a military leader must understand Grand Strategy he must remember his place. He may give his opinion, and rightfully so he should, but once a decision is made it is our place to execute our orders. That is part of the foundations of our Republic that maintain the military in it's place, and never threaten the leadership of our civilian leaders.

Clausewitz writes that, "War is Politics continued through other means." That is an often used quote, but it's true meaning does not become evident until we dissect it a bit further. Clausewitz firmly believed that warfare could not be divorced from the political realm. It was the politicians that fully understood the many reasons and rationales for going to war. By that line of thinking, war became their final tool to use, and thus became still an operation within their realm. This further concretes the idea that we must always remain responsive, loyal, and obedient to our orders.

I hope that this sheds some light on the issue. I know many of my fellow bloggers will discuss things I will not. These are my personal opinions on why you will not find that here. I hope that explanation helps and you understand me a bit better.

God Bless America

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Change of Command in Afghanistan

I'm sure by now everyone has seen the news. General David McKiernan will be replaced by General Stanley McChrystal. The MSM is having a field day with this. I've heard everything from, "he got fired", to ,"he got SACKED." I almost thought I was listening to a NFL game the way one talking head said it. I'm sure you can guess which one of my favorite MSM channels that was.

My point is this, lets show a little bit of respect here. General David McKiernan is one helluva a Soldier, Leader, and Warrior. He has given his entire adult life to serving his country, to include his own blood, sweat, and tears. Can we not ask for a little respect. I don't know why he's being moved. Its not my place to speculate. But I do know this, General David McKiernan has done more in his life, then these reporters combined have done. In addition, it has been done for his country, not for personal gain.

On a separate note, General Stanley McChrystal and LTG David Rodriguez who are heading over, are absolute all-stars. I can't say enough about either of them. Two absolute Warriors. If there had to be a change, these are the men you want heading into the fray.

General McKiernan, I salute you. Words can not express the thanks that is owed you for all you have done in Afghanistan. I hope the MSM figures that out soon.

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Breaking News On Afghanistan Command

CNN and Fox News are both carrying the Secretary of Defense's Press Conference live. General McKiernan is changing command to the recommendation of General Stanley McCrystal. LTG David Rodriguez is being recommended to be the Deputy Commanding General.

God Bless America

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/11/pentagons-commander-afghanistan-replaced/

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Happy Mother's Day

Happiest and sincerest wishes to all the Mothers out there. I know without mine, I would not be where I am today. Thank You to her, and to all of the Mothers out there.

I hope you all had a wonderful day.

God Bless America and all the Mothers out there.

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Gary Sinise and The LT Dan Band

Getting ready for them to kick off in a few minutes. Photo is from an earlier concert featured on Defenselink. They are here on Fort Leavenworth for Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Thank You to all our Military Spouses.

God Bless America

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Afghan Culture 101 Part 3

A question I received a great deal last night and this morning was just how does the Taliban fund their operations. Well, tonight's post will seek to answer those questions based upon open source information. By open source I refer to newspapers, news reports, journals, and books.

There are two main areas that the Taliban use to fund their operations. One of them is the illicit trade of Poppy for Opium, and the second is charities. I use charities loosely, and you will see why.

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam and can generally be associated with the idea of tithing within the Christian Religions. It is literally the giving of alms to the poor. All Muslim people give to the Zakat. Now, in recent years portions of the Zakat from the Middle East especially but really world-wide have been funneled towards the Taliban. Some of this is knowingly sent under the guise of support to the Madrases or religious schools, and some is purely innocently sent to them.

At the beginning of the Global War on Terror countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait cracked down on transfers of money to places like Pakistan where they knew the money was going to the Taliban. In turn, Muslim Extremist Organizations turned to the Hawala Networks to continue these transfers of money. Hawala is the underground network of money transfers within the Islamic World. Their are rarely records kept, but in many ways it works a lot like a Money Order. You go to the Representative in your area, deposit a certain amount of money, a small percentage is deducted, and then the next day, a person in another part of the region can go withdraw that amount of money. Not a great deal is known about it, besides the fact that it works very efficiently and effectively.

That is the first way they are receiving funds. In many ways we helped establish this to be blatantly honest. When the Soviets were in Afghanistan we were funneling large amounts of money to support the Muhajidean in Afghanistan through Pakistan in much the same way.

The second way they are making money is through the Opium Trade. We talked last night about the farmers, but it is so much more then that from the Taliban perspective. They help secure the farmers while they are growing it, and then help and assist in the transfer of it to processing sites and eventually out of the country. They primarily move it out through Pakistan, bound for Europe, Great Britain, and the US, and through the former Soviet Republics to the North, with most of it going to Eastern Europe and Russia. Their is also smaller amounts that go out through Iran to people within Iran and Turkey.

In this way, they control the trade of the Opium. They get cut a share of the profits, which is very substantial; and in turn along the same trade routes that it goes out, they receive weapons in on.

The natural comment at this point becomes, well cut it off. If you stop the money then they can't continue operations. That is true, but much harder then it sounds.

First off, we can't just go destroy the Opium in the fields. The farmers are nothing but pawns in this, and to destroy their livelihood only turns them even more to the Taliban side. What has to happen is we must have a viable alternative for them to grow, something they make at least equal money off of. We must have farm infrastructure in place. The Soviets did a very effective job of making the land un-farmable by destroying all of the aqueducts. Third, security must be in place to safeguard them. Four, you have to destroy the very criminal syndicates that sponsor these actions so they don't try to come back.

Finally beyond the money issue, we must deny the Taliban and Al Qaeda sanctuary, so that they can not re-arm, re-group, and re-equip themselves. Pakistan is doing a good job right now of taking the fight to the Taliban there. That must continue.

God Bless America

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Afghan Culture 101 Part Two

Last night, we discussed the tribal structure within Afghanistan. Tonight we are going to talk about the Taliban.

The Taliban were the ruling government of Afghanistan until 2001 when we overthrew them. At that time, they became very splintered and many returned to the FATA and North West Frontier Provinces of Pakistan. In 2005 though, they started to become resurgent within Afghanistan. How they did it was very interesting.

The Taliban realized that their extreme beliefs would not sit well with everyone, so they toned down their rhetoric. They also realized that they needed help if they were going to try to take on ISAF. So they began forging alliances. The first place that they went was their original home within southern Afghanistan. If you remember from yesterday, this is the home of the Durrani Tribe. They also reached out to groups like the Haqqani Network and HIG in Eastern Afghanistan that are generally associated with the Ghilzai Tribe. The Durrani and the Ghilzai have historically been bi-polarly opposite from one another. But now, they began to unite certain members of the tribes into a loosely unified movement. They still do not like one another, but are willing to work together to try and attack ISAF.

HIG and the Haqqani Network are both based around Warlords. With the Haqqani Network, they are led by Jaluddin Haqqani, a former member of the Taliban Government, and now a regional commander based out of Pakistan and Eastern Afghanistan. HIG stands for Hezb-E Islami and is lead by Hekmatyar Gulbuddin. He again is based out of the eastern areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is a warlord, former fighter against the Soviet Union, and now allied with the Taliban. These two groups are what has been referred to as the Neo-Taliban by some, in order to show the difference between the Southern Afghanistan and Eastern Afghanistan movements.

This is one of the reasons many times that the MSM automatically applies bad to the term warlord. There are some very high profile men, who are warlords and bad guys. But, like I said last night that is not the whole picture. For example Ahmad Shah Massoud has been called a Warlord by some. His death was a great tragedy on 9 September 2001. Make no mistake, the Taliban had a reason for killing him right before 9-11. He was an extremely intelligent man, a born warrior and leader, and very moderate in his views. Not all warlords are bad. Personally, I believe at least half of the problems that we have had in Afghanistan would not have occured if Massoud had not been assassinated.

Now the Taliban did not stop here though. They knew that the tribal structures within Afghanistan had been weakened by over 30 years of war. They started to form alliances with strong tribes, and exploited weak tribes by offering them protection and money in order to gain their support. One of the main reasons they were able to do this is lack of penetration by the Government of Afghanistan. There were many areas that Government Forces were not operating in. The Taliban slid into these holes, offered security, stability, courts, money, and equipment. Like we talked about yesterday, the average Afghan will do what he has to do to support his family, just like we would in many ways. With this lack of governmental infrastructure, the Taliban were able to slide right in.

A main area that we see them using is Poppy's. Poppy is very easy to grow, does not require aqueducts (which the Soviets destroyed), is drought resistant, and gains a good deal of money for the average farmer. It also is very lucrative for the Taliban and the organized crime networks to use since it does gain so much money on the open market. The Taliban offered all the things that we talked about above, and then offered the villages poppy to grow, secured them and their crops, and then helped them transport it to the middlemen who would refine it. Not a bad deal for a poor Afghan Farmer when their is no viable alternative from the Government.

To close up for tonight, the Tribes and Local Leadership is where this fight will be won or lost (in my humble personal opinion.) The Taliban have realized this, and are exploiting a weakened tribal structure and lack of government penetration in certain areas to grow their power base within Afghanistan. We must understand this, and do the exact same things. We must strengthen the local leadership, inject security, money, jobs, equipment, and training at the local level. We must find viable alternatives for the people to make money over the long term. Finally, we must help the Afghan Government gain that penetration for themselves at all levels within the country.

God Bless America

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Afghan 101 Part 1

Due to the increased amount of troops that we are sending to Afghanistan and the complete lack of cultural understanding displayed within the MSM I decided to due a mini-series of articles on Afghanistan. The first couple will focus upon the ethnic groups and culture of Afghanistan. Tonight I am going to try to shed some light on the different ethnic groups within Afghanistan.

This is not a complete or scholarly work. This will be generalized in nature in order to keep it relatively short enough for a blog entry. There are entire books written upon the subject. One of my personal favorites right now is, "Koran, Kalashnikov, and Laptop" by Antonio Giustozzi. I highly recommend it. Not only does it hit on the major elements of the culture of Afghanistan but also the reasons and the way the Taliban have become resurgent within the country.

Their are five main ethnic groups within Afghanistan. They are the Pashtun, the Hazara, the Tajik, the Uzbeck, and the Nuristani. The Pashtun are the largest and inhabit in general the southern and eastern regions of the country. Their ethnic lands stretch across this region of Afghanistan and throughout the FATA and North-West Frontier Provinces in Pakistan. They have two main "super tribes" within them, called the Durrani and the Ghilzai. Historically they have been the ruling tribe of Afghanistan with such notable figures as King Durrani and President Karzai.

The Tajiks are next group. They are closely related to the Persians in Iran and to the people that inhabit the countries to the north of Afghanistan such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. They are well educated, and very good artisans. They generally inhabit the northern sector of Afghanistan with some areas within the eastern portion of the country.

The next group is the Uzbeks. They are ethnically a Turkmen people. They inhabit in general the north central and north western regions of the country. They again are well educated, superb craftsman, and generally enjoy ethnic ties to the people that live to the north of Afghanistan in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The Hazaras are the next group, and generally believed to be descended from Genghis Khan's Army. They live in general within the central part of Afghanistan, but do have communities within the FATA and North-West Frontier Provinces of Pakistan. They are educated, great warriors, and farmers. One key thing that sets them apart from the other groups, is that in general they are Shiite Islam while the others are generally Sunni.

The last group is the Nuristani. They are much more lighter skinned then the other ethnic groups, and many have blond hair. They are considered to be ethnically close to both the Persians and the Indian People. They historically claim lineage to Alexander the Great's Army, and after seeing them and their features I tend to believe it. Again, they cherish education, skilled artisans, and fierce warriors.

A reoccurring trait that you see over and over again is the well educated, skilled artisan and craftsman, and fierce warriors. That is the God's honest truth. They are a proud people, and they have a right to be.

A pronounced difference historically between the Afghan People and Western People is their understanding of identity. If I walked down a street in America and asked what are you, a general answer would be American, or maybe I'm from Texas. That is not the way the Afghan's see things. They will first tell you their family unit, then maybe a larger family unit or clan, then a tribe or sub-tribe, then a tribe, then maybe I'm an Afghan. The focus is bi-polarly different from ours. As we have an identity based upon our country, they have an identity based from the bottom up. Their family, their clan, their tribe, and then their country are the most important things. Keep this in mind, it will become very important soon.

Warlords, the MSM loves to use that word. Many times these men are tribal leaders. Yes, some of them have done illegal things by our standards, and make careful note of that, by our standards. Growing poppy many times is not seen as a bad thing. Smuggling goods, is not seen as a bad thing if it helps your family and tribe prosper, and it is all you have. Now remember; family, tribe, clan, country is the order. Tribal Leaders will do what is necessary to help their Tribe. If they need money and poppy is the only way, well they will grow Poppy. Now I am not going to say they are all misunderstood. But, most of the problem is we don't understand them at all. Yes, some have done some very bad things. But, to make a generalized statement that Warlords are all bad, shows you do not understand the complete picture.

Finally for tonight, there is a reason why it is called the, "warring season." Families will fight other families. Clans will fight other clans. Tribes will fight other tribes. Super-Tribes will fight other super-tribes. It is a way of life that has gone on for a very long time. What does this all mean? They are fiercely independent. If they need something, whether that is security, stability, or money, they will find a way. If the central government is not providing it, they will find a way. If that means joining with the Taliban, for the time being, then that is what they will do. This is what GEN Petraeus and Secretary of Defense Gates are referring to as the Moderate Taliban that we need to engage. It is these people that we have to out-reach to and sway them back to our, "side."

But, it is only through Central and Local Government, Afghan National Army, and Afghan National Police penetration in these areas with viable alternatives to the Taliban that we will accomplish this. This is our (ISAF and Afganistan's) challenge over the next year and the next decade.

Tomorrow I will get into more on Koran, Kalashnikov, and Laptop and the Taliban.

God Bless America

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Iraq and Afghanistan Update 4May09

Iraq from Fox News:

Iraq's government Monday ruled out allowing U.S. combat troops to remain in Iraqi cities after the June 30 deadline for their withdrawal, despite concern that Iraqi forces cannot cope with the security challenge following a resurgence of bombings in recent weeks.

Asking U.S. forces to stay in the cities, including volatile Mosul in the north, would be embarrassing for Iraq's prime minister, who has staked his political future on claims that the country has turned the corner in the war against Sunni and Shiite extremists.

The departure of heavily armed combat troops from bases inside the cities is important psychologically to many Iraqis, who are eager to regain control of their country after six years of war and U.S. military occupation.

U.S. officials played down the Iraqi decision, with Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman saying it's up to the Iraqi government to request an extension of the U.S. presence in the cities and "we intend to fully abide by" terms of the security agreement.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, told reporters Monday that violence had not risen to a level that would force a change in the withdrawal schedule.

Last month, however, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Raymond Odierno, said he was worried that Iraqi forces won't be ready to assume full responsibility for Mosul by the end of June.

Privately, some U.S. officers fear the Iraqis may lose control of Mosul within a few months after American forces pull out of Iraq's third largest city, where al-Qaida and other Sunni militants remain active.

Well it is there country. If they don't want us to remain in the cities as per the agreement, then its a null and void issue. I'm not sure why the MSM is making such a big deal about this.

Afghanistan from Fox News:

President Hamid Karzai chose a powerful warlord accused of rights abuses as one of his vice presidential running mates on Monday, hours before leaving for meetings in Washington with President Obama and Pakistan's president.

The selection of Mohammad Qasim Fahim, a top commander in the militant group Jamiat-e-Islami during Afghanistan's 1990s civil war, drew immediate criticism from human rights groups.

A 2005 Human Rights Watch report, "Blood-Stained Hands," found "credible and consistent evidence of widespread and systematic human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law" were committed by Jamiat commanders, including Fahim.

Karzai was "insulting the country" with the choice, the New York-based group said Monday.

Fahim served as Karzai's first vice president during the country's interim government put in place after the ouster of the Taliban in the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. During the 2004 election, Karzai dropped Fahim from his ticket in favor of Ahmad Zia Massood — the brother of resistance hero Ahmad Shah Massood, who was assassinated by Al Qaeda two days before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Well it's his choice. Calling Fahim strictly a warlord might be a stretch though. Before we start throwing words like that around, we have to understand the tribal structures and networks within Afghanistan. Something I have never seen anyone do when they are making reports like this. Sounds like a good blog post for tomorrow evening, since it will be a long one.

God Bless America

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Pakistan Update 4May09

From Fox News:

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday he is "gravely concerned" about the "crisis" Pakistan is facing as Taliban militants fight their way past the army toward the capital of Islamabad.

Adm. Mike Mullen, who visited Pakistan and Afghanistan last week, added that while fighting continues in Iraq, and the U.S. remains committed to the mission, "the main effort in our strategic focus from a military perspective must now shift to Afghanistan."

Mullen told reporters at the Pentagon Monday that the Taliban, aided by Al Qaeda, are "recruiting through intimidation, controlling through fear and advancing an unwelcome ideology through thuggery."

"The consequences of their success directly threaten our national interests in the region and our safety here at home," Mullen said.

Mullen was speaking ahead of a joint meeting in Washington, D.C., this week with President Obama, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai to discuss economic, political and security benchmarks for ousting militant forces from the region.

Mullen expressed concern that the political leadership and military leadership in Pakistan are working at cross-purposes. Taliban operatives have moved through the Swat Valley, which Pakistan's government essentially ceded to the fundamentalists last month in hopes of batting down additional confrontations.

However, Monday morning, the mayor of Methar Lam City, north of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, was assassinated, and militant forces continue to expand their area of control throughout the border region.

God Bless America

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Great Somali Hat

A friend of mine sent this to me, and I had to post it for your viewing pleasure also(Thanks Pat). I don't know who created it, but my "hat" is off to them. That and the US Navy SEAL Snipers who made it all possible.

God Bless America

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Jack Kemp

The Honorable Jack Kemp was a great man, who I mourn the passing of. Politics aside, here is a true gentlemen, who I believe always tried to do the right thing, no matter what the cost. You will be missed Sir, we need more men like you. My thoughts and prayers are with the Kemp Family.

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the sun be always at your back,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

God Bless America, Jack Kemp, and his family.

Bryan

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518721,00.html Sphere: Related Content

Pakistan Update 3May09

From Fox News:

Taliban militants who have seized swathes of North West Frontier Province in Pakistan have inflicted a reign of terror on villagers, landowners and the police, using kidnapping, looting, pillaging and murder to impose their will.

Yesterday, as Pakistani forces stepped up their campaign to retake territory in the districts of Buner, Dir and Swat, it emerged that in one Taliban-controlled village, Pir Baba in Buner, the militants were holding 2,000 people as human shields in case the army attacked.

Elsewhere the Taliban appeared to be relying on kidnapping to extort funds and intimidate the population. Many of their victims have been members of rich families.

“Kidnapping has become routine in our village. Armed Taliban were picking up people and then demanding a huge ransom for their release,” said an elderly refugee now living with his family in a tent in Timergara, a town in Dir.

Police officers were also being abducted or killed. Last Thursday militants kidnapped a local officer and 11 guards in Upper Dir, an area that had been peaceful. In Mingora, the largest city in Swat, three policemen were abducted by militants.

On a two-day journey through the remote valleys in Buner, Dir and Swat, I discovered that many of the 90,000 refugees fleeing the conflict welcomed the military action despite their anger at being forced to leave their homes and farms.

From Fox News:

Pakistan's army and the Taliban blamed each other Sunday for a rise in tensions that threatened to destroy a much-criticized peace deal, just days before the Pakistani president heads to Washington for talks with President Obama.

The army accused militants in the Swat Valley of looting, attacking infrastructure and killing one soldier. A Taliban spokesman said militants will start patrolling Swat's main town, and acknowledged that they cut the throats of two soldiers as revenge for the army killing two insurgents.

What happens to the peace pact is likely to figure prominently in talks between Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Obama later this week. Zardari is expected to ask for more money to help Pakistan's battered economy and under-equipped security forces.

Under February's peace deal, the government agreed to impose Islamic law in the districts that make up the Malakand Division in hopes that the militants would lay down their arms.

But the Taliban in Swat were emboldened, and soon entered the adjacent Buner district to impose their harsh brand of Islam.

Pakistan has insisted on using negotiations and force in tackling violent extremism within its borders. It's an approach that worries U.S. officials, who warn that peace deals allow the insurgents time and room to strengthen.

From NY Times:

The Pakistani government announced the creation of a new Islamic appeals court over the weekend, saying that it was meeting the terms of a February peace agreement with the Taliban and that the militants should now cease their armed struggle.

But the Taliban said Sunday that they had not agreed to the two judges appointed to the provincial court.

“The government has fulfilled its part of the agreement,” Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the information minister for North-West Frontier Province, told reporters on Saturday evening. “Now anyone carrying arms would be treated as a rebel and would be prosecuted in the Qazi courts,” he said. A Qazi is a judge trained in Islamic law.

The peace deal has been strongly criticized in Pakistan and abroad, in particular since militants, rather than disarming, have expanded their presence into neighboring areas in recent weeks. The Pakistani Army mounted an operation against them in the districts of Dir and Buner last week.

Under the February accord, the provincial government of the North-West Frontier Province agreed to impose Shariah law in the Malakand division, a region that covers the valley of Swat where the Taliban have de facto rule, and surrounding districts. In return, the militants agreed to disperse and disarm and hand over their heavy weapons.

God Bless America

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Great Article About ETT's In Afghanistan

From The NY Times:

Three stone houses and a cluster of sandbagged bunkers cling to a slope above the Korangal Valley, forming an oval perimeter roughly 75 yards long. The oval is reinforced with timber and ringed with concertina wire.

An Afghan flag flutters atop a tower where Afghan soldiers look out, ducking when rifle shots snap by.

This is Firebase Vimoto, named for Pfc. Timothy R. Vimoto, an American soldier killed in the valley two years ago. If all goes according to the Pentagon’s plan, this tiny perimeter — home to an Afghan platoon and two Marine Corps infantrymen — contains the future of Afghanistan. The Obama administration hopes that eventually the Afghan soldiers within will become self-sufficient, allowing the fight against the Taliban to be shifted to local hands.

For now this vulnerable little land claim — in the hostile village of Babeyal and supported by a network of American infantry positions nearby — offers something else: a fine-grained glimpse inside the Afghan war, and the remarkably young men often at the front of it.

There are nearly 30 Afghan soldiers here. Their senior mentor, Cpl. Sean P. Conroy, of Carmel, N.Y., is 25 years old. His assistant, Lance Cpl. Brandon J. Murray, of Fort Myers, Fla., is 21.

God Bless America

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