There are few things as much fun as a press conference. Here are a few things I personally would rather do than either a) hold one, or b) attend one:
- Give myself a lobotomy
- Shave a cat
- Pluck out every hair on my body, one follicle at a time
So I’m not exactly what one would call a fan of press conferences. To be honest, no one is, but @ISAFMedia is kind enough to live tweet (at some level) the weekly ISAF press conference. Not that they’re terribly informative events, but they are interesting to get some kind of a feel for the public face of ISAF.
So from their latest talk-a-palooza:
Spox:In 2014, the ANSF will be more advanced.ISAF will continue to train, advise, and assist the ANSF post 2014 ow.ly/hb4Ry
— ISAF (@ISAFmedia) January 28, 2013
Today in the Globe and Mail they were kind enough to ask me for my overwhelmingly perceptive insights into how “insider attacks” would affect the transition in 2014. I made it very clear that “overwhelmingly perceptive” usually ran to about 3,000 words. Fortunately, for you as readers, they were just hoping for lucid, without so much perception.
I outline what I see as the three challenges to a successful transition, and by “challenges” I mean things that are going to run the wheels right off the transition process. I know that there are some who would argue that I’m just another idea-prone blog-happy ex-pat, and that’s just my opinion.
I wish that were true, but when you don’t have the equipment you need, you can’t keep track of that equipment, and you’re dying in what in modern military terms can only be described as record numbers, well, that’s a win, right?
ISAF seems to think so.
Spox:ANSF casualties are rising; this is due to Afghans taking the lead in most operations.ISAF continues to support the ANSF.
— ISAF (@ISAFmedia) January 28, 2013
They’re not just rising…they’re skyrocketing. I’d provide some references here, but that’s information that’s just not out there, unfortunately. There are news reports on occasion, and the MoD did say that over 1,000 ANA died last year. Which ISAF seems to be fine with, since it means that the Afghans are in charge.
Putting aside any kind of “whites in shining armor” pity for the Afghans, from an objective standpoint, if the military you’re training and supposedly equipping properly is doing just fine, how come they’re dying in ever increasing numbers? If they’re fighting the same enemy, still with considerable fire support from coalition forces, isn’t a bit of a problem?
Or are we so bent on getting out of here, and keeping “Operation Ready or Not” going that a few more dead Afghans just means we’re on the right track? Couple that with a 10% increase in 2012 of civilian casualties due to IEDs, and 2013 looks pretty grim. Unless, of course, you’re ISAF and you’re getting on that freedom bird real soon, yeah?
It’s a thankless task, this war business: kill the bad guys, people hate you. Kill civilians, people hate you. Leave a poorly equipped and poorly trained force behind? For that, you’ll probably get a medal.
Maj. Gen. Glenn M. Walters, commanding general of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, presents retired Master Gunnery Sgt. Robert W. Crumpton with a Bronze Star at MCAS Cherry Point, N.C., Nov. 15. Crumpton was the senior enlisted advisor for a brigade of Afghan troops and directed five embedded training teams teaching the Afghan National Army to conduct professional military operations. “I think my role was to try to win the hearts and minds,” said Crumpton, “to teach the ANA soldier about the roles of their duty: to protect the people, to listen to the people, not to be corrupt, to try to rebuild and build a country that can be fundamentally sound and stand on its own two feet.” (DVIDS)
Until next time, you stay on that sunny side!
Related articles
