Afghanistan's hidden war

[GAP]

Afghanistan's hidden war 
Thursday, 27 July 2006, 14:31 GMT 15:31 UK  BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5220514.stm


The scale of the fighting in southern Afghanistan has dramatically increased over the past few months.
But there is another war going on at a much more local level, targeting government infrastructure across the country. Local politicians, police chiefs and judges are being assassinated, and schools are being closed due to intimidation or being burned to the ground, as Alastair Leithead reports.

The notes were left at night, pinned to trees outside the school - they were addressed to the head teacher.

"We know who you are," they said.

"We know you are involved in girls' education. Unless you stop we will kill your daughters and we will kill your family."

The principal had received many of these warnings, but it didn't stop him keeping the school open.

He pinned up his reply on the same trees: "Do whatever you have to do and we will do what we have to do," it read.

A few days later the school was hit by three rockets, and explosives were planted around the outside of the building.

This happened a few weeks ago - in Wardak, a province neighbouring Kabul.

More on link

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Sounds like a good job for the private security firms.

 

[GAP]

Sounds like a good job for the private security firms.

I don't think they could even afford them, nor do I think it would work.

Time, I think, is the one thing that will work. 

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

If the people don't feel secure then are efforts will go for not I think.  I wouldn't expect the Afghanis to pay for them but the coalition.

 

[GAP]

I wouldn't expect the Afghanis to pay for them but the coalition.

But is that even realistic? I could see an Afghan owned/operated/manned security company, but not foreigners (too expensive)

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

It might be hard to find locals who would in the short term.  Perhaps later on.  I think we can agree though that without the populace feeling secure we will be spinning our wheels for some time.

 

[GAP]

It might be hard to find locals who would in the short term.  Perhaps later on.  I think we can agree though that without the populace feeling secure we will be spinning our wheels for some time.

This happened a few weeks ago - in Wardak, a province neighbouring Kabul.

there is no province call Wardak, but there is one called Vardak - see map

Oh, I don't have a problem agreeing with you, but in looking at the map, I don't know if the security of the area is covered from Kabul, or from a  coalition partner.

 

[KevinB]

GAP -- re the Wardak/Vardak -- same as Kandahar/Qandahar issue.


On the PSD issue;  Quite simply the only way to do it - is to have Western trained ANA security.

1) No local is going to afford my salary unless they are a Opium runner, and I doubt the coalition will fork out a few hundred k for me and a team to guard someone for a month.

2) Locals currently have a terrible skill set. 

3) KPD as trained by DnyCorp are dangerous - they view their priciple (Big K) very highly -- and everyone else as expendable, to the point of uncaring...



IF they want to provide security (combination Afghan gov't and Coalition) they have to start sending SF dets into the area to form CIDG's.

Or someone could pay me and a few buddies to teach a bunch of locals -- 

 

[GAP]

oh...  :-[

 

[GAP]

Or someone could pay me and a few buddies to teach a bunch of locals -- 

I'll take care of the bank accounts here, just so "nothing" happens while you are doing your thing.  ;D

how does one take care of bullies?  By sticking together and kicking the living bejezzes out of them until they quit!

Isn't that what the CIDG's teach? I don't think the coalition has the will to expose guys that much. Great idea, worked great in my time, but they make a lovely target.

 

[KevinB]

GAP -- to win we must accept that we are all assets and subject to adverse risk.

The CIDG system is the model to suppress an insurgency - there is IMHO an need to adopt this system and accept that we will suffer short term increases in personnel -- however it will mitigate our long term losses and create an atmosphere for victory.

For $700 USD a Day (EACH) I and several guys here (ex-CF, and a few ex US SF guys, setup like a SODA) could set up a training system and a trial village in Kandahar or Helmand.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

CIDG??

 

[GAP]

GAP -- to win we must accept that we are all assets and subject to adverse risk.

The CIDG system is the model to suppress an insurgency - there is IMHO an need to adopt this system and accept that we will suffer short term increases in personnel -- however it will mitigate our long term losses and create an atmosphere for victory.

For $700 USD a Day (EACH) I and several guys here (ex-CF, and a few ex US SF guys, setup like a SODA) could set up a training system and a trial village in Kandahar or Helmand.

I am not disputing your logic, I just have difficulty believing the government would expose themselves enough to accept it. It's the politics of the idea, not the implementation.

 

[GAP]

CIDG??

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

 

[KevinB]

The beauty of my idea is we are contractors -- no one cares when we get killed (except us -- so we go out of our way to be as careful as we can within the constraints of the mission)

DFAIT/DND - should hire a bunch of us -- no pension if we get hurt or killed and no press that care.

I am serious on all accounts.


SSSI lost 12 people in a Helicopter crash yesterday and no-one cared...

 

[GAP]

They care...but they deal with it.

I'd drop what I'm doing in a minute to do the same thing, but too outdated. That aside, has it been pitched?

 

[KevinB]

I am sure its been pitched - heck the CIA/OGA tried to do it with someguys for $1300 a day (on the Paki border...) - project did not last long as I hear the recruitment dried up after a few teams went bye bye.

The problem is who to pitch it too.

DND/DFAIT is death on contractors -- heck the Cdn Emb here is not even guarded by a real contract.

I'm tempted to sit down this Aug at the cottage with some buddies build a detailed plan and find a credible officer to be our talking head and pitch it to DFAIT.  Even a few month trial program - run it with Ex-CF guys who experience in Afghan...

 

[GAP]

The British would probably be more amenable than CF.  Didn't they use this in Indonesia? The CIA idea originally came from the British success. You might have more success with something like state, or some of the less visible parties. Remember whoever hires you wears the label if something happens, and to the Taliban, et al, you all have bullseyes painted on you. They have more to prove than you.

Then there is the co-ordination for backup in case something happens.

 

[Jay4th]

Infidel-6,  I will be at the cottage.  We must have a summit over beer and shooting.  I think contract may be the only way I will ever go back there. :threat:

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

If only you could elaborate Jay.