Die Lage in Afghanistan

[Seppi84]

Es regnet immernoch....

[schlammtreiber]

Blitzbesuch in Afghanistan
Obama sieht Sieg "in Reichweite"
http://www.n-tv.de/politik/Obama-sieht-Sieg-in-Reichweite-article6156846.html

Vor genau einem Jahr tötet ein US-Sonderkommando den Terrorchef Bin Laden. Nun feiert US-Präsident Obama bei einem Blitzbesuch noch einmal diesen Erfolg. "Wir haben die Führung von Al-Kaida niedergeschmettert", so Obama. Mit Präsident Karsai unterzeichnet er ein Partnerschaftsabkommen und plädiert für Gespräche mit den Taliban. Diese töten indessen in Kabul mehrere Menschen.

[schlammtreiber]

Die Taliban kündigen den Beginn ihrer diesjährigen Frühjahrsoffensive an. Same procedure as every year *hicks*
(Apropos: sollte die nicht schon vor Wochen begonnen haben?)


Taliban announce start of Al Farooq spring offensive
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/05/taliban_announce_beg_1.php#ixzz1toDQNKmW

The Taliban claimed they will employ "new and tested war tactics," and that "top priority will be given to safeguarding the lives and wealth of civilians."
(...) Despite the Taliban's claim that they seek to protect civilians, the Taliban continue to cause the vast majority of civilian casualties. According to statistics compiled by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and released in February, the Taliban were responsible for nearly 77 percent of the civilian deaths in the country in 2011, while Coalition and Afghan forces were responsible for just 14 percent.

Each spring, the Taliban have issued similar statements about their planned offensives, and the targets of the operations have also been similar.

Währenddessen in Talibania: irgendjemand in der Quetta Shura muss zuviel über Onkel Stalin und seine tollen Säuberungen gelesen (und für cool befunden) haben, oder die Jungs haben Game of Thrones gesehen (und für cool befunden) und überbücken die Wartezeit bis zur zweiten Staffel damit, selbst ein wenig zu intrigieren, zu meucheln und zu betrügen... wie auch immer, jedenfalls bringen sie sich jetzt wieder gegenseitig um:


Afghan intel confirms death of senior Afghan Taliban leader, possibly 25 others
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/05/afghan_intelligence_2.php#ixzz1toEooXF7

Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) Chief testified to the Afghan Senate today that Maluvi Mohammad Ismail, who until last year served as the Military Council Chairman for the Taliban's Quetta Shura, had recently been executed by rival Taliban members along with 25 other "key rebel figures." NDS chief Lieutenant General Rahmatullah Nabil additionally noted that the former head of the Taliban's Recruitment Council, Ustad Yasir, a key ideologue for the Taliban movement, had been among those killed. And regional reports identified two other Afghan Taliban officials who had also been killed: Maulvi Shaheedkhel (Shahid Khel), allegedly the shadow governor of Laghman province, and a Taliban intelligence figure named Maulvi Ahmadullah Wror.

[schlammtreiber]

Gute Nachrichten in Sachen IEDs: die Effizienz dieser Sprengsätze lässt nach, vermehrt treten Blindgänger auf.
Offensichtlich lässt die Qualität der Bombenbauer in den Reihen der Insurgenten mittlerweile zu wünschen übrig - möglicherweise eine Folge der "capture or kill" Einsätze, welche sich nicht nur gegen Führer der Taliban, sondern auch gegen deren Spezialistenpersonal richten.

Insurgents' Homemade Bombs Are Increasingly Duds
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/05/insurgent-bomb-duds/

Improvised explosive devices, the Afghanistan war's signature insurgent weapon, are now a quarter less effective than they were last year, according to Pentagon statistics provided to Danger Room.

[StOPfr]

Die Schweizer Nachrichtenagentur sda berichtet heute (07.05.2012) aus Afghanistan:

Karsai droht USA mit Aufkündigung von strategischer Partnerschaft

Zitat: "Der afghanische Präsident Hamid Karsai hat Washington am Montag damit gedroht, das zwischen beiden Staaten geschlossene Abkommen über eine langfristige strategische Partnerschaft aufzukündigen. Karsai forderte den Stopp von Tötungen von Zivilisten."

Quelle

[Tommie]

Wenn er weiterhin so auf "dicke Hose" macht, der Bürgermeister von Kabul, dann wird alsbald ein amerikanischer Gesandter kommen und ihm erklären, dass die Amis dann alle Zahlungen einstellen! Und schon isser wieder ruhig, der "Bald-Ex"-Präsident !

[schlammtreiber]

Panetta Notes Afghanistan Progress in Wide-ranging Interview
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/35160/?SID=87636acaf6da0618e4b60c6e2f897571

"In 2011, the Taliban was weakened significantly. They couldn't organize the kind of attacks to regain territory that they had lost, which is something they have done in the past," he said.
(...)
"We're on the right course," Panetta said. "We're in the right direction towards the end of 2014, being able to make that transition. But let's not kid ourselves. There are going to be challenges."

Taliban on Their Heels, Pentagon Spokesman Says
http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=116233

Coalition and Afghan forces have reversed the Taliban's momentum and will continue to build on that success, a senior Pentagon spokesman said today.

"The Taliban's momentum has not only been thwarted, it's been thrust back," Navy Capt. John Kirby told reporters. "We believe they are in a much weaker position."
(...)
Even high-profile Taliban attacks are not reversing the tide against the organization, Kirby said. "Just take a look at the high-profile attacks, or the attempted attacks, that they've tried in the last month," he said, noting "a lot of ballyhoo" over a coordinated attack in and around the Afghan capital of Kabul on April 15.
(...)
U.S. officials believe the Taliban are on their heels. "It is much more difficult for them to move around, to resource, to plan and execute," Kirby said, though he added it's too early to count the Taliban out.

[schlammtreiber]

Die vielkritisierte Afghan Local Police (aus örtlichen Kämpfern gebildete Milizen, die von Special Forces ausgebildet und organisiert werden) zeigt bessere Leistungen als von vielen erwartet wurde:

Afghan Police In Spotlight After Foiling Taliban Strike
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/world/asia/afghan-police-forces-deflect-taliban-attack-on-governor.html?_r=1&ref=world

KABUL, Afghanistan — An attack by six Taliban infiltrators in the eastern province of Paktika on Thursday killed three police officers but was put down before it reached the government offices that were its target, Afghan officials said.
The fighting again put the spotlight on the Afghan Local Police force, which is trained by American Special Operations personnel and is seen as a critical hedge against the Taliban as Western forces begin withdrawing. The Afghan Local Police force, which was part of the response to the Paktika attack, has been the focus of intensified Taliban assaults as the annual fighting season has gotten under way.
(...)
On Thursday, Colonel Evans said that he had confidence in the vetting process and that the police were showing that, for the most part, they could hold their own. In an analysis of 1,000 armed episodes across 65 districts where the Afghan Local Police forces faced activity by insurgents, in about 80 percent of the cases they stood and fought, he said.
"The test is how they performed under fire, and they have done remarkably well," Colonel Evans said. "They are paying the price in blood every day."

Die zunehmende Fokussierung der Insurgenten auf diese lokalen Selbstschutzkräfte zeigt, dass die Taliban erkannt haben, welche Gefahr diese Milizen für ihre Überlebensfähigkeit darstellen.

[schlammtreiber]

Währenddessen in Talibania: irgendjemand in der Quetta Shura muss zuviel über Onkel Stalin und seine tollen Säuberungen gelesen (und für cool befunden) haben, oder die Jungs haben Game of Thrones gesehen (und für cool befunden) und überbücken die Wartezeit bis zur zweiten Staffel damit, selbst ein wenig zu intrigieren, zu meucheln und zu betrügen... wie auch immer, jedenfalls bringen sie sich jetzt wieder gegenseitig um:

Um das noch mal aufzugreifen: ein Überlebender des letzten Säuberungsversuches redet mit Associated Press:

AP Exclusive: Moderate Taliban speaks of divisions
http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN_MODERATE_TALIBAN?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-05-14-02-29-19

In an exclusive and rare interview by a member of the so-called Quetta Shura, Motasim told The Associated Press Sunday that a majority of Taliban wants a peace settlement and that there are only "a few" hard-liners in the movement.

"There are two kinds of Taliban. The one type of Taliban who believes that the foreigners want to solve the problem but there is another group and they don't believe, and they are thinking that the foreigners only want to fight," he said by telephone.

[schlammtreiber]

ISAF erwartet heissen Sommer:

Allen Anticipates Much Summer Activity in Afghanistan
http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=116471

The commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan candidly told reporters today his assessment will largely set the course for operations there after the drawdown of U.S. surge forces and before the end of NATO's combat role in 2014.

"I owe the president some real analysis on this. We're going to need combat power; I don't think anyone questions that," Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, International Security Assistance Force commander, told reporters at the Pentagon.

Allen said significant events will occur in Afghanistan this summer, including the withdrawal of some troops, reposturing the battle space, inserting advisors, and moving Afghan forces increasingly into the lead.

[StOPfr]

Die Tagesschau berichtet heute (25.05.2012) in ihrer Hauptausgabe um 20 Uhr:

Hollande zu seinem Antrittsbesuch in Afghanistan

Livestream des Beitrags

[schlammtreiber]

U.S. troops winning war against IEDs of Taliban
Dogs and devices sniff out top killer
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/24/us-troops-winning-war-against-ieds-of-taliban/

The U.S. military is on a path toward significantly fewer battlefield deaths in Afghanistan this year because it has become better at detecting the No. 1 killer of U.S. troops: the improvised explosive device (IED).

Afghan Parliament Approves US Partnership
http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-parliament-approves-us-partnership/1105701.html

Afghanistan's parliament ratified a strategic partnership agreement between Kabul and Washington, Saturday.

The deal was approved in the Walasi Jirga (lower house of parliament) with more than 150 lawmakers turning out for the vote.  Only a handful of lawmakers voted against the measure.

[schlammtreiber]

Nato-Luftangriff in Afghanistan
Vizechef der Al-Kaida getötet
http://www.n-tv.de/politik/Vizechef-der-Al-Kaida-getoetet-article6371056.html

Bei einem Luftangriff der Nato-geführten Truppen in Afghanistan wird der zweitwichtigste Al-Kaida-Anführer des Landes getötet. Es handelt sich um den aus Saudi-Arabien stammenden Sachr al-Taifi, der auch als Musthak oder Nassim bekannt ist. Er sei verantwortlich für Anschläge gegen ausländische und afghanische Einheiten am Hindukusch.

[schlammtreiber]

 

Die Rettung: Naht
Heimweh, Langeweile, Angst - um nicht durchzudrehen entwerfen die deutschen Soldaten in Afghanistan Uniform-Aufnäher, die zeigen sollen: Noch haben wir unseren Humor nicht verloren
http://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/texte/anzeigen/37581

[Coldeye]

Bilder aus dem Krieg

Der Termin des Abzugs steht, 2014 soll es vorbei sein mit der Militärmission in Afghanistan. Aber noch ist Krieg am Hindukusch. Ein Blick auf die vergangenen zwölf Monate für die US-Soldaten, ihren gefährlichen Alltag - und die wenigen Momente der Ruhe.

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/krieg-in-afghanistan-gefaehrlicher-alltag-der-us-soldaten-a-836011.html