ISAF NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JUNE 14, 2013

 

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Derek Turner, right, searches a compound during Operation Nightmare in Nowzad in Afghanistan's Helmand province, June 6, 2013. Turner, a squad leader, is assigned to Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kowshon Ye

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Makes Arrest During Search for Facilitator

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, June 14, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested an enemy operative during a search for an al-Qaida facilitator in the Behsud district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province today, military officials reported.

The facilitator coordinates the delivery of weapons, military equipment and money to al-Qaida and operational cells for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said. He also relays messages for senior al-Qaida leaders.

Also today, a combined force in Wardak province's Sayyidabad district arrested an extremist during a search for a Taliban facilitator who acquires and distributes weapons, ammunition, improvised explosive devices and other equipment for high-profile attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces in three provinces. He also coordinates training for new enemy fighters.

And yesterday, the highest-ranking Taliban leader in Kunduz province's Archi district was killed, along with his top military advisor.

Qari Halim, also known as Zubair, was responsible for command and control, finance and logistical efforts for extremists in the region. He oversaw a group of about 50 fighters who have engaged in ambushes and IED operations against Afghan and coalition forces.

Under his orders, his military advisor directed and executed attacks targeting Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces.

 

ISAF NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JUNE 10, 2013

 

U.S. soldiers conduct a meeting with key village elders in Khowst province, Afghanistan, June 02, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Robert Porter.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMET OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Kills Extremists During Search for Taliban Leader

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, June 10, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed two extremists during a search for a senior Taliban leader in the Warduj district of Afghanistan's Badakhshan province yesterday, military officials reported.

The leader is the province's ranking Taliban official, and he coordinates and facilitates large-scale attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, including a March 13 ambush on Combat Outpost Bara Bara, which resulted in the death of 16 Afghan soldiers, officials said.

He also supports kidnapping operations and illegally taxes the civilians of Badakhshan to fund extremist activities.


In other Afghanistan operations yesterday:
-- Afghan special operations soldiers in Baghlan province's Pul-e Khumri district captured a Taliban leader who builds, stores and distributes improvised explosive devices.

-- A combined force in Kandahar province's capital of Kandahar arrested a Taliban leader who builds IEDs and oversees a group that uses them for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the provincial capital. The security force also arrested two other extremists.

-- In Paktia province's Zurmat district, a combined force arrested five extremists during a search for a Taliban leader who coordinates attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces. He also oversees kidnapping operations and directs the execution of kidnapping victims, raids local villages to extend Taliban power, and relays operational guidance from senior Taliban leadership to his fighters. The security force also seized a rifle in the operation.


In June 8 news and operations:
-- Two U.S. International Security Assistance Force service members and one U.S. civilian were shot and killed by an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform in eastern Afghanistan. ISAF and Afghan officials are continuing to assess the incident and more information will be released as appropriate.

-- A combined force in Sar-e Pul province's Sar-e Pul district killed two enemy fighters who opened fire during a search for a senior extremist leader with ties to the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The senior leader is responsible for attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces. He facilitates the movement of IED materials, controls several Taliban groups, plans assassinations and kidnappings, and illegally taxes civilians in the area.

-- Afghan commandos killed six enemy fighters in Daykundi province's Gizab district after responding to reports from the district police chief that extremists were attacking local police checkpoints. The commandos recovered two assault rifles.

-- In Paktia province's Sayyid Karam district, a combined force arrested two extremists during a search for a senior Haqqani network leader who coordinates and executes attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and oversees distribution of weapons and equipment. He also interfaces with top Haqqani officials to communicate strategic guidance to front-line fighters. During the operation, the security force found and destroyed a stockpile of weapons and explosives.

-- A combined force in Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district arrested a Taliban leader who oversees a group responsible for attacks and assassinations targeting Afghan and coalition forces. He also facilitates the movement of weapons and supplies, and he builds and plants IEDs. The security force also arrested 11 other extremists.


In June 7 operations:
-- In Balkh province's Sholgarah district, a combined force killed a Taliban facilitator who distributed weapons, equipment and ammunition to several extremist networks, and planned attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and illegally taxed and extorted money from local residents. The security force also arrested another extremist.

-- A combined force in Kunar province's Darah-ye Pech district killed an extremist and wounded another while searching for the Taliban's top military official for the province's Waygal district. He facilitates the movement of al-Qaida members in Waygal district, erecting and enforcing illegal checkpoints, kidnapping Afghan officials and leading attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- In Kunar province's Watahpur district, a combined force killed three extremists while searching for a senior extremist leader who is responsible for al-Qaida training in the district. Senior al-Qaida leadership sends money, weapons, supplies and new recruits to him for instruction in terrorism operations, and he then leads them in attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAKS ON COUNTERTERRORISM POLICY

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Obama Delineates Counterterrorism Policy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2013 - President Barack Obama spoke today on U.S. counterterrorism policy and looked at how the United States can defend itself from terrorism, yet remain true to core beliefs.

The president's speech at the National Defense University on Fort Lesley J. McNair here took a broad view of counterterrorism efforts. Obama reviewed what has taken place since September 11, 2001, and how the counterterrorism effort has changed.

In 2001, Al-Qaida was the threat. It was that organization, led by Osama bin Laden, that planned and executed the attacks that killed 3,000 people on 9/11. "Now the core of al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan is on a path to defeat," the president said.

The United States has relentlessly pursued al-Qaida's senior leadership and the threat of a 9/11-scale attack is greatly reduced, he said.

At the same time the threat has morphed. Al-Qaida affiliates – notably those in North Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula – remain threats to the American homeland. Threats have grown following the unrest in the Arab world, although those are mostly local or regionally based.

Finally, there is a threat from homegrown extremists like those who are alleged to be responsible for the bombing in Boston.

Attacks like those from al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, like those against our embassy in Benghazi and like those in Boston represent the future of the threats we face from terrorism, the president said.

"We must recognize, however, that the threat has shifted and evolved from the one that came to our shores on 9/11," he said. "With a decade of experience to draw from, now is the time to ask ourselves hard questions – about the nature of today's threats, and how we should confront them."

Since 9/11, the United States has spent well over a trillion dollars on war. "Our service members and their families have sacrificed far more on our behalf," he said. "Nearly 7,000 Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice. Many more have left a part of themselves on the battlefield, or brought the shadows of battle back home. From our use of drones to the detention of terrorist suspects, the decisions we are making will define the type of nation – and world – that we leave to our children."

No one can promise the total defeat of terror. There will always be people misguided enough to resort to attacks on society, the president said. "What we can do – what we must do – is dismantle networks that pose a direct danger, and make it less likely for new groups to gain a foothold, all while maintaining the freedoms and ideals that we defend," Obama said. "To define that strategy, we must make decisions based not on fear, but hard-earned wisdom."

The threats do not arise in a vacuum, the president said. There is the belief in many parts of the world that Islam is in conflict with the United States and the West, and that violence against Western targets is justified in pursuit of a larger cause. "Of course, this ideology is based on a lie, for the United States is not at war with Islam; and this ideology is rejected by the vast majority of Muslims, who are the most frequent victims of terrorist acts," Obama said.

The ideology persists, however, and all parts of the U.S. government must work to counter it, he said.

The United States must continue to defeat al-Qaida and its associated forces, the president said. In Afghanistan, U.S. forces will follow the NATO plan and continue training Afghan security forces up to the end of NATO combat operations there at the end of next year, Obama said.

"Beyond Afghanistan, we must define our effort not as a boundless 'global war on terror' – but rather as a series of persistent, targeted efforts to dismantle specific networks of violent extremists that threaten America," he said. Most of these will be done in partnership with other nations, he said, specifically mentioning Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.

The United States will continue to cooperate with other nations and share counterterrorism intelligence with these nations, he emphasized, butwill not be afraid to work alone when the situation calls for it.

Al-Qaida looks for ungoverned areas to set up and plan, he noted. "In some of these places ... the state has only the most tenuous reach into the territory," Obama said. "In other cases, the state lacks the capacity or will to take action."

In cases when using American troops in these places isn't possible and lethal action is needed, he said, "The United States has taken lethal, targeted action against al-Qaida and its associated forces, including with remotely piloted aircraft commonly referred to as drones."

The technology raises profound questions about targeting, civilian casualties and the risks of creating new enemies, he said, but Obama maintained the strikes strikes have been effective and are legal nationally and internationally. "Simply put, these strikes have saved lives," he said.

Beyond Afghanistan, the United States only targets al-Qaida and its associated forces, the president said.

"America does not make strikes when we have the ability to capture individual terrorists - our preference is always to detain, interrogate, and prosecute them," Obama said. "America cannot take strikes wherever we choose – our actions are bound by consultations with partners, and respect for state sovereignty. America does not take strikes to punish individuals – we act against terrorists who pose a continuing and imminent threat to the American people, and when there are no other governments capable of effectively addressing the threat. And before any strike is taken, there must be near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured – the highest standard we can set."

The president insists on strong oversight of all lethal action. "After I took office, my administration began briefing all strikes outside of Iraq and Afghanistan to the appropriate committees of Congress," he said. "Let me repeat that – not only did Congress authorize the use of force, it is briefed on every strike that America takes."

The use of force must be part of a larger discussion about a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy, he said, adding that. force alone cannot make America safe.

"We cannot use force everywhere that a radical ideology takes root; and in the absence of a strategy that reduces the well-spring of extremism, a perpetual war – through drones or Special Forces or troop deployments – will prove self-defeating, and alter our country in troubling ways," the president said.

THE COUNTERTERRORISM FOREFRONT

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Partner Capacity Moves to Counterterrorism Forefront
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2013 - As al-Qaida affiliates seek sanctuary in North Africa and the Middle East, the United States must continue to take decisive action and help partners improve their capacity to thwart terrorist organizations, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday on Capitol Hill.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee's emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee, Michael A. Sheehan, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, praised the special operations community for continually targeting key al-Qaida leadership and networks within countries of varying capabilities.

The United States "cannot allow al-Qaida to have sanctuary with impunity," Sheehan said. "A year ago, if I testified from here, I would've been talking about al-Qaida controlling massive swaths of territory in Yemen ... and Somalia. In both cases, they've been rolled back," he added.

Components of the U.S. strategy involve developing innovative, low-cost and "small-footprint" approaches to achieve security objectives, Sheehan explained.

"The task of training, advising and partnering with foreign military security forces has moved from the periphery to become a critical skill set across our armed services," Sheehan said.

In Yemen, Sheehan said, multinational forces worked with Yemenis to roll back al-Qaida. And in Somalia, which has no functioning government, the United States worked with the African Union in a United Nations peacekeeping operation to eject terrorists.

"The French have pushed [al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb] out of the major cities in north Mali, and we're working to create a U.N. operation to follow that," he said.

Sheehan told the senators that legislation authorizing training and equipping of host-nation forces, particularly in Yemen and East Africa, has been "fundamental" for the United States in successfully building antiterrorism capacity during efforts targeting al-Qaida over the past year.

In Syria, Sheehan said, al-Qaida in Iraq's network, operating under the name al-Nusrah Front, has sought to portray itself as part of the legitimate Syrian opposition to President Bashar Assad's regime.

"Al-Nusrah Front is, in fact, an attempt by [al-Qaida in Iraq] to hijack the struggles of the Syrian people for its own malign purposes, attempting to establish an al-Qaida-governed state in the region," he said.

U.S. DOD LEADERS SAY TERRORISTS WILL NOT HAVE BASES IN MIDDLE EAST

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOD Leaders Vow to Deny Terrorists Middle East, Africa Bases
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2013 - The need for U.S. vigilance in thwarting terrorism throughout the Middle East and North Africa led the conversation during dual interviews Pentagon senior leaders took part in today.

In television segments that aired today on CNN's "State of the Union" and NBC's "Meet the Press," Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey addressed lessons learned following the Benghazi, Libya, embassy attacks on Sept. 11, 2012, and the embassy attack in Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 1, 2013. They also discussed their continued focus on eradicating al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM.

Panetta said that before his retirement, expected later this month, he expects to testify on Capitol Hill about the Benghazi attacks on Sept. 11, 2013. He noted defense officials are working with the State Department to review embassy security around the – "especially around that part of the world." He added, "We are taking steps."

But better security is one of three essential considerations in protecting U.S. embassies, he noted. "You still need to build up the host-country capacity," Panetta said. "[And] you've got to harden these embassies as much as possible."

Panetta and Dempsey described the complexities of orchestrating personnel and aircraft distance, intelligence and other factors to respond to an attack such as Benghazi.

"This is not 911," Panetta said. "You cannot just simply call and expect within two minutes to have a team in place; that's the nature of it."

Dempsey said the nearest armed aircraft were in Djibouti, Africa, at the time of the Benghazi attacks.

"The distance from Djibouti to Benghazi is the difference from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles," Dempsey said. "There are some significant physics involved."

The chairman also maintained that with the alert time and intelligence information available at the time, the U.S. was "appropriately responsive."


"We've learned a lot from the Benghazi incident," Dempsey said. "We work with the State Department in surveying those parts of the world where there's a new norm ... of instability."

Dempsey and Panetta agree that many stymied attacks by the U.S. often go virtually unnoticed. Panetta noted the Feb. 1 suicide attack on the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, which left the bomber two gatehouse security guards dead, occurred at the perimeter "nowhere close to the embassy."

"I think that was good security and ... [was] an example of good intelligence ... [guiding] us so that we could prevent something more serious from happening," he said.

Both leaders acknowledged that while AQIM remains a menace to Middle Eastern and North African regions, the U.S. will work with partner nations to contain terrorist organizations and prevent their acquiring chemical or other weapons in the region.

"We're better when we operate with partners," particularly in the Middle East, Dempsey said. "We've got options for any number of military contingencies, and we're maintaining both a deterrent and preparedness posture."

Dempsey said current U.S. planing involves working with partners in Turkey, Jordan and Israel, all of whom "share common interests in making sure these spill-over effects don't affect them."

Panetta said as al-Qaida affiliate leaders become more brazen in their movements, as recently happened in Mali, he is pleased with the French initiative to push back extremist encroachment and prevent burgeoning safe havens.

The secretary added that the U.S. and its partners have successfully targeted senior al-Qaida leaders in the federally administered tribal areas in Pakistan along the Afghanistan border, as well as in Yemen and Somalia. Planners have long foreseen the eventual need to contain extremists in North Africa has long been foreseen, he added.

"We were always aware that there was AQIM [there]," Panetta said. "Now we're focused on AQIM as a result ... of the French action, but we were also anticipating that we would have to move into North Africa."

Panetta said he hopes the massive changes happening in the Middle East and North Africa in the wakrt of the "Arab spring" will move toward greater democracy and stability in those regions, but operations against terrorist cells must not ebb.

"Wherever they are, we have to make sure they have no place to hide," Panetta said. "Bottom line is, al-Qaida is our enemy and we have to make sure we go after them."

NBC'S TED KOPPEL INTERVIEWS CHAIRMAN OF JOINT CHIEFS GEN. DEMPSEY

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meets with Ted Koppel, special correspondent for NBC's "Rock Center," for an interview at the Pentagon, Jan. 14, 2013. The interview aired Jan. 24. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bradley C. Church.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Dempsey Discusses Cyberattacks, Other Issues in NBC InterviewBy Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2013 - The worrisome nature of cyberattacks, the threat of global terrorism and the military's need to emphasize character as well as competence were among topics the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff discussed in an interview with correspondent Ted Koppel broadcast last night on NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams."

Governments, individuals and organizations are engaged in trying to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the cyber domain, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said, citing disruptive "denial-of-service" attacks as an example. Such attacks overwhelm websites, rendering them inaccessible to users.

"What I worry about is that [a cyberattack] could be used to implant a destructive device that could cause significant harm to the industrial base, whether it's critical infrastructure or the financial network," Dempsey said.

There are reports that destructive cyber tools have been used against Iran, the chairman said. "I'm neither confirming nor denying any part in that, but what it should tell you is that capability exists," he added. "And if it exists, whoever's using those [capabilities] can't assume that they're the only smart people in the world."

When Koppel asked Dempsey which part of the world he worries about most, the general noted that the threat of global terrorism complicates matters.

"There's kind of a near-term, long-term aspect to that," he explained. "I think near-term continues to be the threat of global terrorism. We track a global terrorist network that is not uniquely al-Qaida, but is affiliated at some level with al-Qaida."

This requires a network to defeat a network, Dempsey said.

"What it means is you're not going to see these broad, sweeping movements across the desert of eastern Iraq -- 'Hail Mary,' 'right-hand cross,' [or] whatever it was called in 1991," he explained. "You're going to see smaller groups of military formations confronting these distributed enemies across a much wider scope."

Although U.S. combat forces will be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014, Dempsey said, it would be a mistake to give the American people the sense that al-Qaida is defeated.

"I think that it's fair to say there will be a part of the al-Qaida threat emanating from northwestern Pakistan, and potentially, Afghanistan, for the foreseeable future," he added.

In the final portion of the segment, Koppel asked Dempsey about recent missteps by senior military leaders. The chairman said the value placed on competence over more than 10 years of war might have been a factor.

"Not that we've neglected the character side of this equation," he added, "but we probably are at a point where we ought to re-emphasize it."

And perhaps senior leaders need the view from "those that are at the bottom looking up," Dempsey said.

"I'm actually more interested in, 'What are the lieutenant colonels saying about the colonels? What are the colonels saying about the [brigadier generals]?'" Dempsey said.

But although character is important, he added, the bottom line for the military is to protect the nation.

"Competence will always be the most important thing, and you can't have a man or woman of incredible character who can't deliver on the battlefield," the chairman said. "At the end of the day, that's what we're accountable for. But character counts, and it counts mightily."

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 24, 2013

Afghan soldiers return to base after conducting a security operation in Farah province, Afghanistan, Jan. 19, 2013. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Chadwick de Bree  

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Network Facilitator
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network facilitator in the Sabari district of Afghanistan's Khost province today, military officials reported.

The facilitator was responsible for purchasing and selling weapons to support the insurgency, and he coordinated the movement of bomb-making materials and ammunition.

The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized firearms in the operation.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A combined force in Kandahar province's Panjwai district arrested a Taliban facilitator who coordinated the movement of weapons and ammunition for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also provided financial and logistic support for improvised explosive devices and offered a safe haven for insurgents. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent and seized 100 pounds of illegal narcotics.

-- In Logar province's Pul-e Alam district, coalition forces found more than 33 tons of ammonium nitrate, a banned fertilizer insurgents use to make explosives, and nearly 20,000 feet of electrical wire.

-- A combined force in Kunar province's Ghaziabad district killed two insurgents during a search for an al-Qaida-associated Taliban leader who organizes attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and enables insurgent movements.

-- In Nangarhar province's Khugyani district, a precision airstrike killed three heavily armed insurgents.

PENTAGON COMMENDS FRANCE'S OPERATIONS IN MALI

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Pentagon Spokesman Commends France's Efforts in Mali
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2013 - Pentagon Press Secretary George Little today praised French allies and said the United States will continue providing intelligence and airlift support against an al-Qaida-affiliated group in Mali.

"We commend the French for their actions in Mali to confront an extremist threat in that country," Little told reporters. "We stand by our French allies and will ... continue to work with [them] to determine what their future needs might be."

As of today, Little said, the U.S. Air Force has flown five C-17 sorties moving about 80 French troops and more than 124 tons of supplies and equipment into Mali.

"We've provided information in support of the French since their operations began in Mali, ... and we continue to consult with the French on further steps that we may take as U.S. government to support their efforts in Mali," he said.

Little also noted that Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has for years been "very clear" in his stance on al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a Mali-based militant organization, and other branches of al-Qaida.

"We need to go after al-Qaida wherever they are around the world," he said, echoing Panetta's remarks.

Since operations began in the region, the United States has "moved quickly to provide intelligence and airlift as part of a deliberate effort" to consult with France and assess how the U.S. can best support among other countries, Little said.

"This is truly an international effort, French-led, but a number of countries are providing support in the effort, including the United States," he added.

U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA COMMENTS ON TERRORIST ATTACKS

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, right, holds a joint news conference with British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond at Lancaster House in London, Jan. 19, 2013. Panetta is on a six-day trip to Europe to visit with defense counterparts and troops. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Calls for 'Innovative' Allied Action
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

LONDON, Jan. 19, 2013 - The hostage crisis in Algeria has ended, but information on what exactly happened and how many people were killed remain unclear, the U.S. and British defense chiefs told reporters here today.

During a news conference at Lancaster House, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said both their governments remain in close contact with Algerian officials, and are working to establish firm details of the assault, kidnappings and murders that took place at a remote natural gas facility in Algeria.

Panetta confirmed Americans were among those held hostage, but he said the possible number of U.S. deaths remains unclear. He pledged continued close consultation with Algerian authorities, and emphasized the attackers bear full and sole responsibility for all loss of life.

"Just as we cannot accept terrorist attacks against our cities, we cannot accept attacks against our citizens and our interests abroad," he said. "Neither can we accept an al-Qaida safe haven anywhere in the world."

Since 9/11, Panetta said, "we've made very clear that nobody is going to attack the United States of America and get away with it." The nation and its allies and partners have fought terrorists in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, and will take the fight to North Africa as well, he said.

Both Panetta and Hammond stated they have no plan to put their nations' troops on the ground in Mali, where French forces are fighting the advance of terrorist factions. Both nations are assisting French operations, the defense chiefs said, but they agree that the ultimate solution to countering terrorism in Africa is to train and assist forces on that continent to provide their own security.

Terrorists, particularly regional factions of al-Qaida, remain a determined enemy, Panetta said. It's important that the United States and its allies continue to work with developing militaries in the places where terrorists seek to establish operations, he added.

"What I care about is that [regional forces] do everything they can to ensure al-Qaida does not establish a safe haven. ... If we continue to pressure al-Qaida, we can keep them on the run. ... [But we] cannot be complacent," he said.

The secretary arrived here the evening of Jan. 17, and has attended meetings with Prime Minister David Cameron, other senior government officials and members of Parliament.

Panetta told reporters he also met with some British troops who recently returned from Afghanistan. "I expressed my deepest appreciation to them and to their families," he said.

The secretary expressed his sorrow for the families of Great Britain's troops killed in Afghanistan. "The American people will forever mourn the more than 400 fallen British heroes of this war," he said.

Sustaining Afghan forces beyond 2014 is crucial to ensuring those and all deaths in Afghanistan since 9/11 are not in vain, he said, and to ensuring Afghanistan can secure and govern itself into the future.

Panetta praised Britain's commitment to the coalition mission in Afghanistan, and his meetings with British leaders and defense officials, he said, "reaffirmed the continued strength of the historic relationship between our two nations."

Those discussions also underscored the numerous security challenges the United States, Great Britain and their partner nations face, the secretary noted.

He listed some of those threats: ongoing operations in Afghanistan, turmoil in the Middle East, a growing terrorist threat in Africa, Iran's focus on nuclear proliferation, the murder of Syrian citizens by Bashar al Assad's regime, ceaseless cyberattacks and the shadow of record deficits and growing budget pressures.

His discussions with Hammond addressed those issues and others, the secretary said. He praised Britain's leaders for their focus on sustaining and improving the NATO alliance, and in planning effective, allied approaches to common threats.

As he has throughout this trip, the secretary also spoke of budget crises facing American and many of its allies, and the resulting increased need for partner nations to cooperate in defense investments and operations. The United States and the United Kingdom, he noted, are pursuing a mutual aircraft carrier initiative that "will bring our navies closer together than ever."

Panetta repeated a message he has delivered consistently throughout his travels this week: "It is when resources are constrained and security challenges are growing that we need to be creative and innovative in ... [developing] alliances."

The secretary quoted the World War II British Prime Minister Winston Churchill: "This is no time for ease and comfort; this is a time to dare, and to endure."

U.S. ASKED BY FRANCE TO PROVIDE 'ENABLERS' FOR MALI CONFLICT

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Dempsey: France Requests U.S. Enablers for Forces in Mali
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Jan. 17, 2013 - The French government has asked for U.S. military assistance for their actions against an al-Qaida-affiliated group in Mali, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.

In an interview, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said the United States has not been asked to help with lethal operations, but rather, with enablers.

The requests are being addressed through the U.S. interagency process, the chairman said. The Defense and State departments and the National Security Council staff will assess the requests, "and we will probably provide what we can," he said.

Dempsey called the French mission in Mali important. "Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb is a threat not only to the country of Mali, but the region, and if ... left unaddressed, could in fact become a global threat," the general said.

The first thing the French asked for was planning assistance, a request that shows the close relationship the United States maintains with its French allies, Dempsey said.

"They know we've done work against that kind of threat for 10 years," he explained, "and they've asked our help." The planners already have begun working with their French allies, he added.

The French also have asked for logistics assistance, Dempsey said. Mali is a huge country with a small population. Distances in the country are great, and infrastructure is lacking.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA ON U.S. SUPPORT OF FRENCH IN MALI

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta: U.S. Support to French in Mali Aimed at al-Qaida
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

LISBON, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013 - U.S. and French defense leaders are hammering out details of intelligence, logistics and airlift assistance the United States will provide to French forces in Mali, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Speaking to reporters on the flight to the Portuguese capital, the secretary said such planned assistance demonstrates U.S. leaders' resolve that "we have a responsibility to go after al-Qaida wherever they are."

"We've gone after them in the FATA," Panetta said, referring to the federally administered tribal areas in Pakistan's northwest. "We're going after them in Yemen and Somalia. And we have a responsibility to make sure that al-Qaida does not establish a base for operations in North Africa and Mali."

French forces began airstrikes in Mali, a former French colony, four days ago. It has been widely reported France began its air campaign to halt the movement south of al-Qaida affiliated extremists, who have held Mali's northern area since April.

Panetta said the United States and its allies have been "very concerned" about AQIM, or al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, "and their efforts to establish a very strong base in that area."

The secretary said DOD officials have been working with regional partners to try to develop plans to confront that threat. "I commend France for taking the steps that it has," he added. "And what we have promised them is that we will work with them to ... provide whatever assistance we can to try to help them in that effort."

Officials from the Stuttgart, Germany-based U.S. Africa Command also are discussing military support with France, the secretary said. A senior official traveling with the secretary told reporters that specific U.S. support to French forces in Mali has not yet been defined, but that Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, Africom commander, spoke by phone earlier today from the African continent with the secretary, who was flying to Portugal at the time.

"We'll continue to work with [the French] to ensure that ultimately we do stop AQIM and that the responsibility for assuring security in that region will be passed to the African nations to provide a more permanent security for the sake of the world," Panetta said.

While that longer-term solution develops, the secretary said, he will consult with allies on shorter-term support in France's fight.

"One of the discussions I'll have in Spain regards their concern about what's happening with AQIM in Mali, as well," he said. "And I'll get a better idea of what these other countries may be doing to assist."

The secretary said while al-Qaida members in Mali do not appear to pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, "we're concerned any time al-Qaida establishes a base of operations that, while they might not have any immediate plans for attacks in the United States and in Europe, that ultimately ... still remains their objective. And it's for that reason that we have to take steps now to ensure that AQIM does not get that kind of traction."

President Barack Obama yesterday notified Congress, as required by the War Powers Act, that United States troops "provided limited technical support to the French forces" engaged in the attempted rescue of a French hostage in Somalia. French forces reported Denis Allex, who had been a hostage of al-Qaida-affiliated al Shabaab since 2009, was killed in the raid.

U.S. forces took no direct part in the assault on the compound where planners had concluded the French citizen was held hostage, the president wrote. U.S. combat aircraft briefly entered Somali airspace to support the rescue operation if needed, but did not employ weapons, he added.

All U.S. forces who supported the operation had left Somalia by about 8 p.m. EST Jan. 11, the president wrote.

"I directed U.S. forces to support this rescue operation in furtherance of U.S. national security interests," the president wrote, "and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as commander in chief and chief executive."

Panetta landed here today for the first leg of a weeklong trip that will also take him to Madrid, Rome and London.

SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA VISITS 'MOST CAPABLE PARTNERS'

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta briefs the press on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013. Panetta is on a six-day trip to Europe to visit with defense counterparts and troops. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Begins Trip to Visit 'Most Capable Partners'
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Jan. 14, 2013 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta boarded this Air Force jet at Joint Base Andrews, Md., today, bound for Portugal, Spain, Italy and Great Britain on what he termed "likely my last international trip as secretary of defense."

Panetta told reporters traveling with him that as "a son of Europe" –- he often speaks of his parents, who immigrated to the United States from Italy -- it is appropriate that his final international trip, the 18th he has made as secretary, will include visits to some of America's "most capable and closest military partners."

"I have visited more than 30 countries, including ... [traveling to] the war zone a number of times," he said. "But I've made it a priority, as part of our defense strategy, ... to emphasize the importance of strengthening our alliances and partnerships throughout the world."

The goal for his final trip is in line with that strategy, the secretary said, as he will:

-- Emphasize the importance of NATO and bilateral alliances;

-- Reflect on the accomplishments Portugal, Spain, Italy and Great Britain have helped to achieve as members of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan; and

-- Lay the groundwork for the future as nations around the world face both national security and budget challenges.

Panetta noted the countries he will visit have all maintained a strong commitment to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. "Because of that commitment, we've been able to make significant progress in the effort to ... build an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself," he added.

As President Barack Obama announced last week, the secretary said, Afghan forces will assume the lead for security responsibility across their country this spring, with ISAF forces moving into a supporting role.

"That's a significant milestone that is the result of the efforts by the United States, by ISAF and by the Afghans themselves," he said. The secretary added that U.S. leaders had "a successful series of consultations" with Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the future U.S. commitment to Afghanistan's security during that leader's visit to Washington last week. Panetta said he looks forward to updating counterparts on those discussions.

The secretary said he also will discuss with allies innovative approaches to common budget challenges, and that he'll speak with counterparts about key bilateral security issues.

"As always, I will also use this opportunity to visit the troops, and have a chance to thank U.S. men and women in uniform for the sacrifices they're making," he said.

The secretary said that after more than 10 years of war and with the budget constraints the United States and its allies and partner nations face, the United States nevertheless continues to complete its mission in the war in Afghanistan and continues to confront the terrorism threat.

Terrorist activity -- particularly from al-Qaida factions -- in Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and Mali is a threat common to all the nations he will visit, Panetta noted. North Korea and Iran, turmoil in the Middle East and the cyber threat also are issues of common interest, he added.

No one nation can confront these threats alone, the secretary said.

"The only way we're going to be able to do it is by strengthening and reaffirming and building new partnerships and new alliances in the world," he said. "The model for that is NATO, ... really the oldest alliance we have." That alliance's responses to Afghanistan and Libya, he added, demonstrate its continued importance to global stability.

The 74-year-old secretary said he also hopes to communicate some of his feelings about the alliance to the younger citizens of the countries he will visit this week.

"NATO goes back to 1949," he said. "I think the reality is ... that there are generations that have been born since the fall of the Berlin Wall that may not fully appreciate how important NATO is as an alliance [for] the future."

Panetta said he will focus in his discussions, and in a speech he will deliver in London later this week, in part on "how important it is to be able to pass the baton to [younger generations] when it comes to the strength of these transatlantic alliances and partnerships that we have."

He added, "The purpose of my trip is to make clear that we are going to need this alliance -- today, tomorrow, and in the 21st century."

U.S.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS

Map:  Pakistan. Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The United States has had diplomatic relations with Pakistan since the latter's 1947 independence from the United Kingdom. The two countries' common interest in peace and stability in South Asia has informed their relationship over the decades. In the context of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. However, the discovery of Pakistan’s program to develop nuclear weapons caused the United States to suspend military assistance in 1990.

The September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States by a terrorist organization based in Afghanistan known as al-Qaida led to closer coordination between Pakistan and the United States on security and stability in South Asia. Pakistan pledged cooperation with the United States in counterterrorism efforts, which included locating and shutting down terrorist training camps within Pakistan's borders, cracking down on extremist groups, and withdrawing support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The United States resumed a close security partnership with the Pakistani military and law enforcement. In 2004, the United States recognized its closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by naming Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally.

Since 2001, Pakistan has provided assistance in counterterrorism efforts by capturing more than 600 al-Qaida members and their allies. In May 2011, the leader of al-Qaida, Osama bin Ladin, was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan. A November 2011 cross-border incident involving the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) resulted in the accidental tragic death of 24 Pakistani soldiers. In response, Pakistan's parliament conducted a review of U.S.-Pakistan relations and in April 2012 approved policy recommendations for revised terms of engagement with the U.S. and ISAF. The United States continues to engage with Pakistan on shared interests and seeks a bilateral relationship that is enduring, strategic, and clearly defined.

U.S. Assistance to Pakistan

The U.S. Congress passed the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act (often referred to as "Kerry-Lugar-Berman," or "KLB," after its co-sponsors) in October 2009 in order to demonstrate the U.S.’ long-term commitment to cooperation with the Pakistani people and their civilian institutions. Between 2009 and August 2012, the U.S. disbursed approximately $2.9 billion in civilian assistance to Pakistan, including almost $1 billion of emergency humanitarian assistance following the 2010 and 2011 floods.

U.S. civilian assistance to Pakistan is focused on five priority areas: energy; economic growth, including agriculture; stabilization, mainly of the border areas; education, and health. These areas were determined in consultation with the Government of Pakistan. The U.S. implements programs with Pakistani partners, including the Government of Pakistan and private sector actors, when practical, to increase local capacity and sustainability of efforts.

Bilateral Economic Relations

In 2009, Pakistan's exports to all countries were estimated at $17.87 billion and its imports at $28.31 billion. In 2008, the U.S. accounted for 16% of the country's exports and almost 5% of its imports, making it Pakistan’s second largest trading partner. Pakistan has taken steps over the years to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. In FY 2010, major U.S. investments were concentrated in oil and gas exploration, power, trade, construction, food, food packaging, and chemicals and petroleum refining.

Pakistan's Membership in International Organizations

Pakistan and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, WTO, IMF, and World Bank. Pakistan is not a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

 

Locator Map:  Pakistan.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

the Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. India-Pakistan relations have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, but both countries are taking small steps to put relations back on track. In February 2008, Pakistan held parliamentary elections and in September 2008, after the resignation of former President MUSHARRAF, elected Asif Ali ZARDARI to the presidency. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control domestic insurgents, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. In January 2012, Pakistan assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term.

U.S. SAYS PAKISTAN AND CORRUPTION ARE HINDERING STABILITY IN AFGHANISTAN

Map:  Pakistan.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Pakistan, Corruption Remain Stumbling Blocks in Afghanistan
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 - Safe havens in Pakistan, corruption and limited Afghan government capabilities are the greatest obstacles to stability in Afghanistan, according to a Pentagon report delivered to Congress and made public today.

The Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan also states that the coalition surge accomplished its mission.

The enemy has lost capability, the report says. The number of attacks is down and, while the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies can launch a few flashy attacks, the terror group's capabilities have waned.

Pakistan remains a problem, but there is some progress on that front, according to the report.

"The insurgency and al-Qaida continue to face U.S. counterterrorism pressure within the safe havens," the report says. "U.S. relations with Pakistan have begun to improve following the re-opening of Pakistani ground lines of communication, and there has been nascent improvement with respect to cross-border cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan."

In fact, the report continues, there has been some cooperation on both sides of the border in coordinating counterterror offensives.

Most security metrics have improved, the report says. It compares the first year of the surge – 2010 – with April through September of this year, noting that enemy-initiated attacks have declined by 12 percent. Detonations of improvised explosive devices declined 9 percent. The percentage of civilian casualties caused by NATO forces declined 28 percent. Direct- fire attacks have dropped by 9 percent, and indirect-fire attacks are down by 24 percent.

However, civilian casualties caused by enemy attacks are up 11 percent, according to the Pentagon report.

The report's findings point to progress with the Afghan national security forces, which will take over security operations when U.S. and coalition forces leave at the end of 2014.

"The ANSF has grown by 88,464 personnel, and has dramatically increased its capabilities," the report states. "The areas of the country influenced by the insurgents and the ability of the insurgency to attack the population have been significantly diminished."

The report to Congress highlights the improvement in security of populated areas. "Security dramatically improved in most of Afghanistan's five most populous districts, with [enemy-initiated attacks] in the first nine months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 dropping 22 percent in Kabul, 62 percent in Kandahar, 13 percent in Herat, 88 percent in Mazar-e-Sharif, and rising 2 percent in Kunduz," the report says.

Insurgent attacks are taking place away from these populated centers, the report says, noting that the majority of Afghanistan's 405 districts now experience very low levels of enemy attacks. Eighty percent of attacks occur in districts encompassing only 20 percent of the population, and nearly half of all attacks in Afghanistan occur in just 17 districts that contain only 5 percent of the population, the report states.

The Taliban's ability to attack Afghans is diminished particularly in Kandahar, the group's operational and ideological base.

But overall, the report paints a picture of mixed progress toward security and stability, with the area along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border remaining a hot zone. "Pakistani-based sanctuary for insurgents, such as the Haqqani Taliban Network in North Waziristan, as well as the financial and operational support that insurgents receive from various sources, keeps the security situation along the border with Pakistan in Regional Command – East volatile," the report says.

While enemy attacks in the region declined slightly, eastern Afghanistan accounted for almost a third of all insurgent attacks throughout the country.

"The Taliban-led insurgency remains adaptive and determined, and retains the capability to emplace substantial numbers of IEDs and to conduct isolated high-profile attacks," the report says. "The insurgency also retains a significant regenerative capacity."

As ISAF and Afghan forces erode Taliban efforts, insurgents have increasingly resorted to asymmetric tactics in an attempt to regain territory and influence, including assassinations, kidnappings, intimidation tactics, encouraging insider attacks and strategic messaging campaigns, the report states.

U.S. SECRETARY PANETTA'S REMARKS ON U.S. TROOPS IN POST-2014 AFGHANISTAN

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak speak to reporters at the Pentagon, Nov. 29, 2012.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Outlines Objectives For Troops in Post-2014 Afghanistan

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today laid out three missions for the post-2014 troop presence in Afghanistan, and made it clear the U.S. is not arming rebels fighting to topple the Assad regime in Syria.

During a joint press conference here with visiting Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Panetta was asked what the focus in Afghanistan should be following the transition to Afghan-led security.

"The fundamental mission in Afghanistan is to establish [a nation] that can secure and govern itself and ensure that al-Qaida, never again, finds a safe haven within Afghanistan from which to conduct attacks on the United States or any other country," he said.

The goal for remaining troops, Panetta said, is an enduring presence that will direct itself towards three important missions.

"One is obviously [counterterrorism] to ensure that we continue to go after whatever al-Qaida targets remain in Afghanistan," he said.

"Although we clearly have had an impact on their presence in Afghanistan, the fact is that they continue to show up, and intelligence continues to indicate that they are looking for some kind of capability to be able to go into Afghanistan as well," Panetta said. He noted that forces have to be continually vigilant to protect against the terrorist group's resurgence.

"So that's going to be the fundamental thrust of the CT effort in the enduring presence," Panetta said. "We also are going to continue to have a train-and-assist mission to help develop the capability of the Afghan Army."

"The third mission will be to continue to provide some enabling capability so that we can provide the support needed for our forces as well," he said.

Panetta noted the necessary troop levels to accomplish these missions is "exactly what's being discussed" now.

In addition to discussing Afghanistan, the defense secretary also re-emphasized that the United States has had no involvement in equipping rebel forces in Syria with weapons or surface-to-air missiles.

"With regards to Syria, let me say, unequivocally, that we have not provided any of those kinds of missiles to the opposition forces located in Syria," Panetta said. "We do provide ... non-lethal assistance to the opposition."

"We obviously are continuing to work on humanitarian relief to the refugees that have been impacted," he added.

Panetta noted the U.S., with assistance from Israel and other countries in the region, also continues to monitor fighting in areas with chemical or biological weapons sites.

Our main focus right now, he said, has been working with other countries to try to provide whatever assistance we can to the opposition so it can ultimately become not only an effective force, but one that will be "needed once Assad comes down."

U.S. DEPARMENT OF DEFENSE ON FORCE STRUCTURE CHANGES

Photo Credit:  U.S. Navy

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Army, DOD Must Adjust to Budget, Force Structure Changes

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2012 - The Army will continue to customize its mission objectives based on budget and force structure changes, a senior defense official said here yesterday during the 2012 Association of the U.S. Army's annual conference.

Todd Harvey, director of force development for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, said a defense strategy drafted in January to meet severe spending cuts over the next decade reflected DOD's analysis of the preceding decade.

"We saw a transformation of a number of operations and activities that we had been engaged in over the past 10 years, [leading] us to believe we could begin shifting our focus to broader vistas," he said.

In addition to drawing down operations in Iraq, DOD steadily fostered the Afghan security lead transition as the fracturing of al-Qaida's central control and leadership of terrorist operations persisted, Harvey said.

Although the potential to examine future challenges emerged, Harvey said, the partial list of what was to come was "daunting."

"The variety, complexity and types of challenges we expected to face were remaining at least constant, and in some cases, even increasing," he said.

Harvey cited upheavals in North Africa and the Middle East and the "volatile" standoff with Iran, in which economic sanctions created an increasingly unpredictable situation, as examples. He also explained that a "shrouded leadership transition" in North Korea created its own dynamic of potential unpredictability, while al-Qaida local franchises mushroomed throughout the world.

Harvey also noted China's increasing devotion to economic and military resources as the nation continued determining how it will interact among its closest neighbors and with the United States.

This changing geopolitical landscape and the rise of asymmetric capabilities such as weapons of mass destruction and cyber issues are not entirely new, but their concurrence has potential to create particularly volatile situations for the United States, he said. Meanwhile, he added, Middle Eastern and North African upheavals continue to provide opportunities for local radicals to establish a foothold.

"As government-controlled stockpiles of sensitive technologies and capabilities began to decline, those systems become available to radicals and other disruptive forces," Harvey said.
With such potentially pendulous swings and a high degree of unpredictability, the Army and the Defense Department must adjust their strategies to best prime for future missions, Harvey added.

But what to cut isn't always cut and dried, officials discovered in determining how to absorb the spending cuts, Harvey said. "There really wasn't anything that we had been doing that we felt secure enough to risk at adequate levels ... to throw something overboard," he explained. Even in the realm of humanitarian assistance, he added, a senior leader might struggle with the decision to cut such a mission, opting instead to preserve the option to react to earthquakes, floods and other disasters.

Harvey noted that Pentagon officials have discovered no "free lunch" in functional missions or regional engagement.

"The force needs to be agile, versatile and ready to perform a range of missions," he said.

These demands pose unique challenges for each of the services, Harvey added, particularly the Army, in light of force structure constraints.

"The challenges are as broad as they've ever been," he said, adding that the Army will continue to seek the right balance among investments in force structure, readiness and modernization.

"We're trying to stretch a shrinking force across as least as much mission as we've had to date," he said.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS 'AL-PAIDA ON ROAD TO DEFEAT'

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Obama Pledges Responsible Drawdown in Afghanistan
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2012 - The United States will remain focused on the mission in Afghanistan while working toward ending the war in a responsible way that protects everything its military members have sacrificed for there, President Barack Obama said today.

Obama traveled to Fort Bliss, Texas, today, to honor service members he credited with making a turnaround in Iraq and also helping Afghanistan chart its own new future.

"You left Iraq with honor, your mission complete, your heads high," the president told the assembly of active, National Guard and reserve troops and their families. "And today Iraq has a chance to forge its own destiny."

Last visiting Fort Bliss two years ago, Obama recalled reminding the troops there that "we had more work to do, including taking the fight to al-Qaida."

Flashing forward to today, the president cited progress. "With allies and partners, we've taken out more top al-Qaida terrorists than at any time since 9/11," he said. "And thanks to the courage of our forces, al-Qaida is on the road to defeat, and bin Laden will never again threaten the United States of America."

Obama recognized Fort Bliss troops who have recently returned from Afghanistan or are currently deployed there, and some scheduled to deploy soon.

"I've got to tell you the truth," he said. "This is still a very tough fight."

The president recognized the sacrifices made, noting that he met earlier today with Gold Star families who lost loved ones in the conflict. "Your loved ones live on in the soul of the nation. We will honor them always," he told the family members.

"Because of their sacrifice, because of your service, we pushed the Taliban back," the president said. "We're training forces. The transition to Afghan lead is under way. And, as promised, more than 30,000 of our troops will have come home by next month."

Obama offered assurance that "just as in Iraq, we are going to end this war responsibility."

The Afghans will take the lead for their own security next year, he noted, and the transition will be complete in 2014.

"And even as this war ends, we will stay vigilant until Afghanistan is never again a source for attacks against America -- never again," Obama said, drawing cheers from the crowd. "So we're not just ending these wars. We're doing it in a way that keeps America safe and makes America stronger."

That, the president said, includes the military. Drawing down forces, he said, will mean fewer deployments, which creates more time to train, improve readiness, prepare for the future and reconnect with families.

"So make no mistake: ending the wars responsibly makes us safer, and it makes our military even stronger," he said.

Obama emphasized, in drawing down the force in Afghanistan, that the United States must remain ready for the challenges ahead. "In a world of serious threats, I will never hesitate to use force to defend the United States of America or our interests," he said.

"At the same time, I will only send you into harm's way when it is absolutely necessary," he pledged. "And when we do, we will give you the equipment and the clear mission and the smart strategy and the support back home that you need to get the job done. We owe you that."

The president recognized that the future, post-conflict military will be leaner. He promised, however, that the United States will continue making the investments needed "to keep you the absolute best military in the world, bar none."

The United States will always maintain its military superiority, he said.

"In you, we've got the best-trained, best-led, best-equipped military in human history. And as commander in chief, I am going to keep it that way," the president said.

Obama reaffirmed his pledge that the United States will continue to support those who have served and sacrificed on behalf of the nation.

"We may be turning a page on a decade of war, but America's responsibilities to you have only just begun," he said.

ISAF NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN AUGUST 21, 2012

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
An A-10 Thunderbolt II is refueled over Afghanistan during overseas contingency operations, August 2, 2012. The 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Sq. (EARS) conducts missions out of Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, and plays an integral role in keeping air assets refueled in support of U.S. and coalition ground forces. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Clay Lancaster)
　
Airstrike Kills Insurgents in Kunar Province
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 21, 2012 - An airstrike in the Watahpur district of Afghanistan's Kunar province yesterday killed several insurgents, including an al-Qaida affiliated Taliban leader, military officials reported.
　
Targeted was Mutaqi, also known as Mullah Amir Muhammad or Malik, who was responsible for passing critical information among senior al-Qaida-associated Taliban leaders in the province, officials said, and was involved in planning suicide bombing attacks in the region.
　
A post-strike assessment by a combined Afghan and coalition security force confirmed no civilians had been injured and no civilian property had been damaged during of the operation.
　
In operations today:
-- A combined force in Ghazni province's Gelan district arrested an al-Qaida-associated Taliban insurgent who assisted in the movement of al-Qaida fighters throughout the region and conducted attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. Prior to his arrest, he was attempting to acquire explosives for future attacks. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent and seized bomb-making materials.
　
-- An Afghan and coalition security force detained two suspected insurgents in Logar province's Baraki Barak district during a search for a Taliban leader who plans and executes attacks against coalition patrols.
　
In other news, a combined force in the Kabul district of Kabul province yesterday arrested the insurgent leader responsible for a July 12 bomb attack that killed Hanifa Safi, the Afghan minister for female affairs. The attack occurred in Lagham province's Mehtar Lam district.
　
In an Aug. 19 operation, an Afghan crisis response unit supported by coalition troops arrested several insurgents in Wardak province's Sayyid Abad district. The insurgents are responsible for recent attempts to abduct Afghan interpreters working for the International Security Assistance Force, and were planning to kidnap Afghan and civilian ISAF employees.

COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 2011

Map:  Iraq Position In The MiddleEast.  Map Credit:  CIA
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Briefing on the Country Reports on Terrorism 2011Special Briefing
Daniel Benjamin
Coordinator, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism
Washington, DC
July 31, 2012
MR. VENTRELL:
Okay. Good afternoon, everyone. We have with us today Ambassador Dan Benjamin, the State Department’s Coordinator for Counterterrorism. He is here today to present our annual report on worldwide terrorism, and without further ado, I’m going to turn it over to him for opening remarks. We’ll then have time for a handful of questions, so Ambassador Benjamin.

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: All right. Thanks very much, and thank you all for coming today. Today, the State Department is issuing Country Reports on Terrorism 2011, which fulfills a congressional mandate and also provides us with an opportunity to review counterterrorism events worldwide. Please bear in mind that the report only covers events and developments that occurred during the 2011 calendar year.

Of course, 2011 was an extremely significant year in counterterrorism. Besides the death of Usama bin Ladin and a number of other key al-Qaida operatives, we saw millions of citizens throughout the Middle East advance peaceful public demands for change without any reference to al-Qaida’s incendiary world view. This upended the group’s longstanding claim that change in this region would only come through violence. These men and women have underscored, in the most powerful fashion, the lack of influence al-Qaida exerts over the central political issues in key Muslim-majority nations.

At the same time, I should underscore we have no illusions that the transition process that we are in the midst of will be painless or happen quickly. Revolutionary transformations have many bumps in the road. So much is clear. And so inspiring as the moment may be, we are not blind to the attendant perils. Terrorists could still cause to significant disruptions for states undergoing very challenging democratic transitions. The report’s narrative notes, among other things, the continued weakening of the al-Qaida core in Pakistan, but it also demonstrates that the al-Qaida affiliates, while also suffering losses, increased their overall operational ability. And this is particularly true of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. So for all the counterterrorism successes that we’ve seen against al-Qaida and its affiliates, the group and violent extremist ideology and rhetoric continue to spread in some parts of the world.

The report also notes that al-Qaida and its affiliates are not the only terrorist threat that the United States faces. We are increasingly concerned about Iran’s support for terrorism and Hezbollah’s activities as they’ve both stepped up their level of terrorist plotting over the past year and engaging in – and are engaging in their most active and aggressive campaigns since the 1990s. Iran’s use of terrorism as an instrument of policy was exemplified, as you’re all aware, by the involvement of elements of the Iranian Government in the 2011 plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador here in Washington.

Let me make a few points about the statistical annex, which is at the end of the report and which was prepared by the National Counterterrorism Center. The total number of worldwide attacks in 2011 was more than 10,000 in 70 countries, resulting in more than 12,500 deaths. But that figure, large as it may be, is a drop of 12 percent from 2010. Again, the largest number of reported attacks occurred in South Asia and the Near East. More than 75 percent of the world’s attacks and deaths occurred in these regions. The victims of terrorist attacks remain overwhelmingly Muslim. The majority of attacks occurred in just three countries – Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan, which together accounted for 85 percent of attacks in these regions and almost 64 percent of attacks worldwide. Although it’s worth noting that both Afghanistan and Iraq saw declines in the number of attacks from the previous year – 14 percent in the case of Afghanistan, 16 percent in the case of Iraq.

Africa experienced 978 attacks in 2011, an 11.5 percent increase over the previous year. And this is attributable in large part to the more aggressive attack tempo of the Nigerian-based terrorist group Boko Haram, which conducted 136 attacks in 2011, up from 31 the previous year.

Well, let me end these brief remarks by noting that as a result of international pressure and events such as the Arab Awakening, both al-Qaida the organization and al-Qaida the idea are evolving. Understanding the group’s strengths and weaknesses and the trajectory of its evolution are continuing critical challenges for us and will remain so in the years ahead.
And now, I’ll be happy to take a few questions.

QUESTION: Two questions if I may. One, I look back at the NCTC data going back to 2005, which I think is the first full year for which they were responsible for the statistics, and the figures for both overall attacks and overall worldwide attacks and worldwide fatalities this year, or 2011, are in fact the lowest since 2005. And to what do you ascribe those declines? I mean, I’m sure you’ll say partly it’s you’re getting better at this, but do you also think that the underlying motivating factors for people who launch such attacks are somehow diminishing?

And then secondly, you talked about the Arab Spring. I wonder if you think there is a plausible danger that violence may actually get worse in some places in the short term. I’m thinking in particular of Sinai, but surely there are potentially other examples – Syria being an obvious one – where the transition may actually lead to an increase in what you define as terrorist attacks.

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Both good questions. Let me take the last one first. It’s folly to make predictions of what is going to happen over the next year and what the aggregate numbers are going to look like, but I certainly would not rule out the possibility that we would see increases in violence in any particular area. Egypt, as we know, has gone through a very eventful transition, and that transition included major changes in the security services and in their remit in terms of their personnel and so on and so forth.

We know that there have been long periods of time when many countries in the region were focused on the basic stability of their capitals and their core population areas. So there are all kinds of different things in play, and I think that it would be a mistake to make a hard-and-fast prediction, but simply to say we have to be prepared for any kind of development along those lines. And we’re engaging with all these different countries for exactly that reason.

Now, as for your question about the aggregate declines since 2005, if you remember where we were in 2005, there was an enormous amount of violence in Iraq, and that certainly has to be one of the main reasons for that. And although we’re very concerned about continuing violence in Iraq, the trend line has overall been down through 2011. I think that beyond that, you’d have to look – go region by region. We’ve seen, I think, a pretty steep decline, if memory serves, for example, in Southeast Asia, where there’s been very effective work done to build capacity. In a number of other areas in the world, we’ve also seen increased capacity. Algeria, for example, has many fewer attacks within its borders than it did five, six, seven years ago.

And I think a lot of that is because countries around the world recognize the importance of developing their skills. We’ve worked with many of them on developing their law enforcement capacities, and I think that that’s made a difference. I think the scholars will have the final word on this on why we’ve seen this overall decline, but I want to emphasize it’s still a pretty dangerous phenomenon. As we mentioned, it accounts for thousands of casualties, and there’s reason for lots of vigilance. We can’t ensure that the trend lines will always continue going in the way we want.

QUESTION: You mentioned the uptick in attacks from Boko Haram, and presumably, among the Afghanistan attacks, there were many from the Haqqani Network. Considering that they both were significant contributors to terrorist attacks in your report, what more evidence do you need to include both of them as Foreign Terrorist Organizations?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Well, we are very concerned about the activities of both groups, and we have been working to address the issue of insecurity in northern Nigeria. And this is a top priority for the Department. We’re concerned about Boko Haram’s activities. We’ve been engaging with the Nigerian Government in particular at the highest levels to move them towards greater engagement with communities that are vulnerable to extremist violence by addressing the underlying political and socioeconomic problems in the north.

As you know, we don’t comment on the designation process. It is a laborious process. It has to be able to stand up in court, takes a long time, and I don’t want to preview any designations or non-designations beyond that. I will point out, though, that we have designated, under Executive Order 13224, three leaders of Boko Haram. We did that back on June 21st. And this allows us to focus on those individuals who are most responsible for violence, for threats against the U.S. and its citizens. And I think that we – that was the right move to take at the time. And if there is more on that designation, you’ll certainly hear about it.


Regarding the Haqqanis, of course, we share with Congress, which has acted on this recently, a strong concern about the activities of the Haqqanis. There is now legislation that has been passed on that. It will be before the President shortly. And again, I’m not going to go into the tick-tock of the review for designation. We take this very seriously. We’ve talked to the Pakistanis on numerous occasions about this, and the work goes on. And again, we have designated many Haqqani leaders under Executive Order 13224, so it’s a mistake to say there have been no designations in this area.

QUESTION: I didn’t say that.

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Okay.

QUESTION: I wonder if I could ask one on al-Qaida, please. Thank you. On al-Qaida, you mentioned that the core al-Qaida group seems to be on a path of decline following the deaths of various leaders, including Usama bin Ladin. But on the same – at the same time, you say that its affiliates are on the rise. And I just wonder, doesn’t that make actually al-Qaida a more dangerous organization; it’s becoming more of a many-headed hydra rather than just one organization that you can fight?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: There’s no question that there is cause for concern. I would not say that we are less safe now than we were several years ago, because the al-Qaida core was the most capable part of the organization by quite a lot, and was capable, obviously, of carrying out catastrophic attacks on a scale that none of the affiliates have been able to match. So it’s a complex calculus, but I – so I wouldn’t say that it is more dangerous out there than it was.

What I would say is that we are very concerned about the growth of the affiliates. We are working closely with partner nations around the world. In the case of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, which is I think everyone agrees is the most dangerous of the affiliates, that’s a group that benefitted from the long political transition, the turmoil that was going on in Yemen. And I’m optimistic because in President Hadi we have a very committed, very reliable partner now. And our work with Yemen is going very, very well. So while the group did exploit that period of uncertainty, we think the trend lines are going in the right direction now in Yemen.

Similarly, we’re working with the various countries of the Maghreb and the Sahel to deal with AQIM. We have strong engagement with East African countries and AMISOM to deal with al-Qaida in East Africa. And I think that it is a serious situation but one that we’re deeply engaged in and making progress in. We just can’t relax, and al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and its various conspiracies, I think, proves that point better than any of them.

QUESTION: Thank you. You said in the report that by the end of 2001 al-Qaida in Iraq was starting to take advantage of the instability in Syria and was trying to gain a foothold there. I was wondering, in the first part of this year, whether you see that trend continuing and growing and what the al-Qaida presence in Syria is, as you understand it to be, right now.

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Right. Well, look, as I’ve said many times, terrorists gravitate to areas of instability and civil strife, and, as everyone has seen in the press, there have been many accounts of al-Qaida-related operatives being in Syria. There’s no doubt that there are some. And the hatred of Sunni extremist groups for the Assad regime is nothing new. We believe that the number of al-Qaida fighters – al-Qaida-related fighters who are in Syria is relatively small. But there is a larger group of foreign fighters, many of whom are not directly affiliated with AQ, who are either in or headed to Syria, and clearly this is a matter of concern for all who fear greater violence in Syria and for regional stability.

So it’s important though that we see this in context. And we should be clear: Though the Assad regime seeks to portray the current situation as a fight against extremists on its part, the overwhelming majority of the opposition in Syria is composed of ordinary Syrians who are tired of their dictatorship and who yearn for a better, freer, more democratic future for their country.

So long as Assad refuses to go and Syria’s transition is blocked, the danger grows of more foreign fighters, including extremists of the al-Qaida type, infiltrating Syria. We are not – we are very much alert to this issue. We’ve spoken with the Syrian opposition groups and warned them against allowing such fighters to infiltrate their organizations. They’ve assured us that they are being vigilant and want nothing to do with AQ or with violent extremists. And I should add that the Free Syrian Army has issued several statements urging foreign fighters to leave Syria.

QUESTION: Well, can I just – a quick follow? I understand what they’ve said. But is it your understanding that these foreign fighters and al-Qaida are operating alone? Or is there – do you have genuine concerns that they’re colluding with some members of the opposition? I’m not saying one particular group or the other.

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: I think our concern is less about collusion than it is about infiltration – groups, individuals who are trying to pass themselves off as something that they aren’t and gaining a foothold in various organizations that way.

MR. VENTRELL: Michel.

QUESTION: Yeah. To what extent are you concerned from Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas behaviors? And what are you doing in this regard?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Well, of course, Iran is and remains the preeminent state sponsor of terrorism in the world. We are deeply concerned about Iran’s activities on its own through the IRGC-Qods Force. And also, together with Hezbollah, as they pursue destabilizing activities around the globe, we are firmly committed to working with partners and allies to counter and disrupt Iranian activities and to prevent Iran from sponsoring new acts of terrors. And we think that the international community is increasingly alert to this threat and will resist it.

I think that it’s important to note that we’ve seen quite a number of different designations in the last year. We have seen a number of al-Qaida activists in Iran who have been designated. We have had them – our (inaudible) case, which, of course, was foiled. We have had other designations of Hezbollah-related individuals who are involved in criminal activities. This has been an area in which we’ve had some really eye-opening revelations in the last year, particularly in the Lebanese-Canadian Bank case. And of course, I speak frequently with interlocutors, with counterparts around the world, on the threats of Hezbollah and, frankly, so do many people above me in the hierarchy, both here and at the White House and at the Department of Defense, and so on and so forth. This is a whole-of-government activity, and it’s concerted and it’s determined.

MR. VENTRELL: We have time for just a couple more questions.

QUESTION: You speak of destabilizing activities around the world of Iran. Can you name some?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Well, as you know, there are investigations going on in quite a number of different countries. I think that the appropriate thing is to allow those countries to speak for the status of those investigations, but quite a number of them bear the hallmarks of either Iranian or Hezbollah activities.

QUESTION: Including the Bulgaria attacks?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: I’m going to leave that the Bulgarians to characterize.

MR. VENTRELL: Go ahead.

QUESTION: What is your assessment of the strength of Lashkar-e Tayyiba in the year 2011? Has it increased or come down because of the al-Qaida’s decline?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: I have no seen any decrease in Lashkar-e Tayyiba strength. It continues to be a matter of great concern to us, and I’ve spoken on many occasions about the threat to stability in South Asia that Lashkar-e Tayyiba poses. We’ve urged Pakistan to take more action against Lashkar-e Tayyiba. We’d certainly like to see more progress on that trial regarding the atrocities in Mumbai. It remains a major concern on the terrorist landscape, without a doubt. So --

MR. VENTRELL: Right here.

QUESTION: Thank you. I was wondering if you can jump to Latin America and make some comments on Colombia, if you can highlight how is the situation or what the report says about Colombia. Thank you.

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Well, the long-term picture in Colombia at the end of 2011 remained quite good. We’ve seen an enormous reduction in terms of the territory and capabilities of the FARC and the ELN. There is, of course – continues to be activity that is of concern, but when we look around the world and see who’s really benefited from political will and capacity-building efforts, Colombia is at the very top of the list. We know that it takes a long time for terrorist groups to be truly wound down and put out of business. So if there are continuing attacks, I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise. But again, we consider Colombia to be a success case and one in which its leadership showed great resolve.

QUESTION: Do you have information – about Colombia, do you have information about relationship between President Chavez and terrorists in Colombia – FARC, ELN?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: I don’t think we have anything that we haven’t put out before. Of course, there have been issues regarding FARC people having a safe haven, using Venezuela for a safe haven. There have been a number of designations of Venezuelans for their relationship with terrorists, and it’s something that we continue to look at very, very carefully.

MR. VENTRELL: Last question. Can you --

QUESTION: Yeah?

MR. VENTRELL: Sure.

QUESTION: Thank you. Can we jump to – maybe to Europe, southeast of Europe, especially – I mean, Western Balkans, especially Bosnia and Kosovo? Do you have from that region – do you have any information about connections between al-Qaida and some terrorist activities in Bosnia and Kosovo and maybe Iran-backed activities in that part?

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: Well, actually, the – I think the report covers that, and I encourage you to read the section on Bosnia. There certainly has been some extremist activity there. As you know, an extremist in Frankfurt who came from that region carried out an attack against the U.S. military personnel. It is a concern, and we do engage with the government in Sarajevo as well as in – others in the region to deal with this. I would not say that this is a theater that causes us concern in the same way that South Asia and the Middle East do, but nonetheless, it’s an area where we’re engaged and vigilant.

QUESTION: Are you following the trial about the gentleman who attacked the American Embassy in Sarajevo that --

AMBASSADOR BENJAMIN: I don’t have any information on that myself, but I’m quite sure that the Bosnia desk in the EUR is covering it, as is our own regional directorate. So –

MR. VENTRELL: Thank you all.