Postcolonialism, Military Social Science, and Afghanistan 2006-2012

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Postcolonialism, Military Social Science, and Afghanistan 2006-2012 The afterlives of counterinsurgency: postcolonialism, military social science, and Afghanistan 2006-2012 by Oliver Christian Belcher M.A., The University of Kentucky, 2007 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (Geography) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) November 2013 © Oliver Christian Belcher, 2013 Abstract This dissertation examines the United States military’s counterinsurgency campaign in Afghanistan from 2006-2012. In recent years, the U.S. military has relied upon the methods and research of social scientists to model the Taliban-led insurgency in southern Afghanistan in hopes of predicting and mitigating the movement of the insurgency. The U.S. military has also used social scientists to gather “cultural intelligence” for surveying and interpreting the general population in Afghanistan in order to develop methods for “winning the hearts and minds” of civilians. This dissertation makes three central arguments. First, contrary to the “winning hearts and minds” narrative, counterinsurgency in practice has consistently produced two outcomes: the arming local defense forces, and massive population displacement. Second, “cultural intelligence” has been utilized to produce a narrative that Pashtuns in southern Afghanistan are “naturally” inclined towards local tribal structures as the desired mode of political order and legitimacy. Whether or not this is true, the U.S. military has used this Orientalist “local” narrative to set up place-bound tribal strongmen and warlords to counter what is perceived as a transnational, networked, and therefore locally “inauthentic” insurgency. The dissertation identifies this move by the U.S. military as the “weaponization of scale” at both a global and local level. Third, the dissertation examines the worldview that governs the U.S military’s approach to Afghanistan, and argues that it is one where populations are “de-coded” as “networks.” To see like the twenty-first century U.S. military is to see a world of networks. This world of networks is a secular cosmological vision derivative from the human-machine assemblages where U.S. military personnel and institutions are imbricated. These human-machine assemblages have been violently extended within the general Afghan population through new technologies like iris-scan biometrics devices and data-base management. The dissertation draws the important point that many new twenty-first century technologies, like “big data” mining and computational social network analysis, are rooted in colonial practices. ii Preface This thesis is original, unpublished, independent work conducted by the author, O. Belcher. The author did not collaborate with any other authors or teams in preparing this thesis, although the author has benefited greatly from the intellectual support, conversations, and solidarity with collective intellectuals all over the world, particularly in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Russia. iii Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................... ii Preface ...................................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ........................................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... vii Dedication ................................................................................................................................................ ix Prefatory Quotes ....................................................................................................................................... x 1 Staging the Orient: A Prologue .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Dead Air ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Trash Aesthetics ....................................................................................................................... 17 1.3 The Chic of Araby .................................................................................................................... 23 2 The Afterlives of Counterinsurgency ............................................................................................... 32 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 32 2.2 What is Counterinsurgency? ..................................................................................................... 36 2.3 Methods of Counterinsurgency: Population Displacement and Territorial Militias ................. 43 2.4 Why Counterinsurgency? .......................................................................................................... 48 2.5 Conceptualizing Late-Modern Counterinsurgency ................................................................... 55 2.6 Chapters Outline ........................................................................................................................ 58 3 “Community watch with AK-47s” ................................................................................................... 66 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 66 3.2 Going “Tribal” ........................................................................................................................... 76 3.2.1 The Security Apparatus in Afghanistan .............................................................................. 76 3.2.2 Turning to the “Tribes” ...................................................................................................... 80 3.3 What is a Tribe? ........................................................................................................................ 86 3.3.1 Tribes as Administrative Unit ............................................................................................. 86 3.3.2 Tribes as Instruments of War .............................................................................................. 92 3.4 Tribal versus Networked Insurgency ........................................................................................ 95 4 Policing the “Local” ......................................................................................................................... 99 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 99 4.2 Complex Terrain/Disaggregated Battlespaces ........................................................................ 107 iv 4.2.1 The Conflict Environment ................................................................................................. 110 4.2.2 Regional Theaters of Operation ....................................................................................... 111 4.2.3 Complex Terrain ............................................................................................................... 114 4.2.4 Disaggregated Battlespace .............................................................................................. 117 4.3 Complex Adaptive Systems .................................................................................................... 118 4.4 The Weaponization of Scale.................................................................................................... 121 4.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 123 5 “It Takes the Villages” ................................................................................................................... 125 5.1 Refugee Machines ................................................................................................................... 125 5.2 Interlude................................................................................................................................... 132 5.3 Operation Dragon Strike: Background ..................................................................................... 136 5.4 Haussmannization in the Countryside ..................................................................................... 143 5.5 Rebuilding Orders ................................................................................................................... 152 5.5.1 Drawing Lines .................................................................................................................. 153 5.5.2 Sight-Lines ........................................................................................................................ 156 5.6 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 161 6 Computational Counterinsurgency
Recommended publications
  • Progress in Afghanistan Bucharest Summit2-4 April 2008 Progress in Afghanistan
    © MOD NL © MOD Canada © MOD Canada Progress in Afghanistan Progress in Bucharest Summit 2-4 April 2008 Bucharest Summit2-4 Progress in Afghanistan Contents page 1. Foreword by Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, ..........................1 Jean-François Bureau, and NATO Spokesman, James Appathurai 2. Executive summary .........................................................................................................................................2 3. Security ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 • IED attacks and Counter-IED efforts 4 • Musa Qala 5 • Operations Medusa successes - Highlights Panjwayi and Zhari 6 • Afghan National Army 8 • Afghan National Police 10 • ISAF growth 10 4. Reconstruction and Development ............................................................................................... 12 • Snapshots of PRT activities 14 • Afghanistan’s aviation sector: taking off 16 • NATO-Japan Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects 17 • ISAF Post-Operations Humanitarian Relief Fund 18 • Humanitarian Assistance - Winterisation 18 5. Governance ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 • Counter-Narcotics 20 © MOD Canada Foreword The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission is approaching five years of operations in Afghanistan. This report is a
    [Show full text]
  • From Kinshasa to Kandahar: Canada and Fragile States in Historical Perspective
    University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository University of Calgary Press University of Calgary Press Open Access Books 2016-05 From Kinshasa to Kandahar: Canada and Fragile States in Historical Perspective Carroll, Michael K; Donaghy, Greg University of Calgary Press Carroll, M.K. & Donaghy, G. (2016). "From Kinshasa to Kandahar: Canada and Fragile States in Historical Perspective." Beyond Boundaries: Canadian Defence and Strategic Studies Series; no. 6. University of Calgary Press, Calgary, Alberta. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/51199 book http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca FROM KINSHASA TO KANDAHAR: Canada and Fragile States in Historical Perspective Edited by Michael K. Carroll and Greg Donaghy ISBN 978-1-55238-845-7 THIS BOOK IS AN OPEN ACCESS E-BOOK. It is an electronic version of a book that can be purchased in physical form through any bookseller or on-line retailer, or from our distributors. Please support this open access publication by requesting that your university purchase a print copy of this book, or by purchasing a copy yourself. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] Cover Art: The artwork on the cover of this book is not open access and falls under traditional copyright provisions; it cannot be reproduced in any way without written permission of the artists and their agents. The cover can be displayed as a complete cover image for the purposes of publicizing this work, but the artwork cannot be extracted from the context of the cover of this specific work without breaching the artist’s copyright.
    [Show full text]
  • Invisible Humans, Visible Terrorists: U.S. Neo-Orientalism Post 9/11 and Representations of the Muslim World" (2015)
    Purdue University Purdue e-Pubs Open Access Dissertations Theses and Dissertations January 2015 Invisible Humans, Visible Terrorists: U.S. Neo- Orientalism Post 9/11 and Representations of the Muslim World Khalid Mosleh Alrasheed Purdue University Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations Recommended Citation Alrasheed, Khalid Mosleh, "Invisible Humans, Visible Terrorists: U.S. Neo-Orientalism Post 9/11 and Representations of the Muslim World" (2015). Open Access Dissertations. 1082. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/1082 This document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact [email protected] for additional information. Graduate School Form 30 Updated 1/15/2015 PURDUE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL Thesis/Dissertation Acceptance This is to certify that the thesis/dissertation prepared By Khalid Mosleh Alrasheed Entitled INVISIBLE HUMANS, VISIBLE TERRORISTS: U.S. NEO-OREINTALISM POST 9/11 AND REPRESENTATIONS OF THE MUSLIM WORLD For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Is approved by the final examining committee: Prof. Aparajita Sagar Chair Prof. Shaun Hughes Prof. Alfred Lopez Prof. Ahmed Idrissi Alami To the best of my knowledge and as understood by the student in the Thesis/Dissertation Agreement, Publication Delay, and Certification Disclaimer (Graduate School Form 32), this thesis/dissertation adheres to the provisions of Purdue University’s “Policy of Integrity in Research” and the use of copyright material. Approved by Major Professor(s): Aparajita Sagar Approved by: Krista Ratcliffe 11/16/2015 Head of the Departmental Graduate Program Date i INVISIBLE HUMANS, VISIBLE TERRORISTS: U.S. NEO-ORIENTALISM POST 9/11 AND REPRESENTATIONS OF THE MUSLIM WORLD A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Purdue University by Khalid M.
    [Show full text]
  • Nay Pyi Taw's Maha Thingyan Lively with Thingyan Activities
    Tapo ça, ascetic practices; this is the way to auspiciousness Established 1914 Volume XVIII, Number 359 12th Waxing of Tagu 1372 ME Friday, 15 April, 2011 Four political Four economic Four social True patriotism objectives objectives objectives * Stability of the State, * Building of modern industrialized * Uplift of the morale and * It is very important for every- community peace and nation through the agricultural de- morality of the entire nation one of the nation regardless of tranquillity, prevalence of velopment, and all-round develop- * Uplift of national prestige law and order ment of other sectors of the economy and integrity and preserva- the place he lives to have strong * Strengthening of national * Proper evolution of the market- tion and safeguarding of solidarity oriented economic system * Development of the economy invit- cultural heritage and Union Spirit. * Building and strengthen- ing participation in terms of techni- national character * Only Union Spirit is the true ing of discipline-flourish- cal know-how and investment from * Flourishing of Union Spirit, ing democracy system sources inside the country and abroad the true patriotism patriotism all the nationalities * Building of a new modern * The initiative to shape the national * Uplift of health, fitness and will have to safeguard. developed nation in ac- economy must be kept in the hands education standards of the cord with the Constitution of the State and the national peoples entire nation Nay Pyi Taw’s Maha Thingyan Water throwing pandals in Nay Pyi Taw lively with Thingyan activities Hotel Zone being packed with revellers on Maha Thingyan Akya Day.—MNA NAY PYI TAW, 14 April— Today is Maha daytime and with dances and songs presented by Myat Taw Win Hotel, Hotel Shwe Pyi Taw, Thingyan Akya Day for 1372 Myanmar Era.
    [Show full text]
  • War Crimes Prosecution Watch, Vol. 13, Issue 24
    PILPG Logo Case School of Law Logo War Crimes Prosecution Watch Editor-in-Chief Taylor Frank FREDERICK K. COX Volume 13 - Issue 24 INTERNATIONAL LAW CENTER January 7, 2019 Technical Editor-in-Chief Ashley Mulryan Founder/Advisor Michael P. Scharf Managing Editors Sarah Lucey Lynsey Rosales War Crimes Prosecution Watch is a bi-weekly e-newsletter that compiles official documents and articles from major news sources detailing and analyzing salient issues pertaining to the investigation and prosecution of war crimes throughout the world. To subscribe, please email [email protected] and type "subscribe" in the subject line. Opinions expressed in the articles herein represent the views of their authors and are not necessarily those of the War Crimes Prosecution Watch staff, the Case Western Reserve University School of Law or Public International Law & Policy Group. Contents AFRICA CENTRAL AFRICA Central African Republic PSG footballer linked to war crimes and global fraudster (EU Anti-Corruption) French court orders sending Central African Republic war crimes suspect to ICC (Reuters) Sudan & South Sudan Janjaweed, ghost squads and a divided nation: How Sudan's Bashir stays in power (CNN) UN calls on Sudan to probe killing of protesters (Sudan Tribune) Sudanese opposition groups issue declaration for regime change (Sudan Tribune) Democratic Republic of the Congo Risk of 'grave crimes' in DRC ahead of vote (News24) EU condemns expulsion of envoy Bart Ouvry (BBC) DRC electoral fraud fears rise as internet shutdown continues (The Guardian)
    [Show full text]
  • The Horror, the Horror T He Massacre in Kandahar Won't Mark the End of All Elaborate Plans for Afghanistan
    – AA-AA !" # $ $ $ !" $ % $ % $#" www.afgazad.com [email protected] European Languages &'( )" Al Jazeera The horror, the horror T he massacre in Kandahar won't mark the end of all elaborate plans for Afghanistan. Pepe Escobar 3/15/2012 Hong Kong - It started way before a lone killer, a US Army sergeant, married with two children, walked into villages in Panjwayi, southwest of Kandahar city, and "allegedly" went on a shooting spree, leaving at least 16 civilians dead. This was Afghanistan's Haditha moment - as in Iraq; or My Lai - as in Vietnam. It had been building up via the serial drone-with-Hellfire bombings of tribal wedding parties; the serial secret US Special Forces' "night raids"; the serial "kill team" murders in 2010; the ritual urination onto dead Afghans by "our men in uniform"; and last but not least, the Quran burnings in Bagram. Mission … accomplished? According to the latest Post-ABC News poll - conducted even before the Kandahar massacre - 55 per cent of Americans want the end of the Afghan war. US President Barack Obama once again stressed that 10 years into a war that has cost at least $400bn, the "combat role" of NATO troops will end in 2014. According to Obama, Washington only wants to make sure "that al-Qaeda is not operating there, and that there is sufficient stability that it does not end up being a free-for-all". www.afgazad.com 1 [email protected] Al-Qaeda "is not operating there" for a long time; there are only a bunch of instructors "not there" but in the Waziristans, in the Pakistani tribal areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Operation Dragon STRIKE! What Is...Howz-E-Madad? 2-BSTB's Combat Engineers
    Operation Dragon STRIKE! STRIKE Attacks Taliban with offensive page7 What is...Howz-E-Madad? STRIKE Force in the Zharay District page 9 2-BSTB’s Combat Engineers Company A, BSTB Teach Explosives page 5 Table of Contents... 2 COLUMNS 2 Words From the Top A message to the reader from STRIKE’s Leaders, 5 Col. Arthur Kandarian and Sgt. Maj. John White. 3 The Brigade’s Surgeon & Chaplain Direction provided by the Lt. Col. Michael Wirt and Maj. David Beavers. 4 Combat Stress, The Mayor & Safety 6 Guidance, direction and standards. FEATURES 5 Engineers, Infantry & Demolition 7 2-BSTB’s Alpha Company teaches the line units explosives 6 ANA gets behind the wheel Soldiers send the ANA through driver’s training Coverpage!! 7 Operation Dragon STRIKE Combined Task Force STRIKE attacksTaliban. 9 9 What is… Howz-E-Madad? A look at STRIKE Force and its Foward Operating Base. Staff Sgt. James Leach, a platoon 11 Company D, 2nd Five-Oh-Deuce sergeant with 1/75’s HHT, points Dog Company stays together during deploying. at enemy positions while in a fire fight during an objective for Opera- STRIKE SPECIALS tion Dragon STRIKE 13 Faces of STRIKE Snap-shots of today’s STRIKE Soldiers 11 14 We Will Never Forget STRIKE honors its fallen. 13 CONTRIBUTORS OIC Maj. Larry Porter Senior Editor Sfc. William Patterson Editor Spc. Joe Padula 14 Staff Spc. Mike Monroe Staff Pfc. Shawn Denham The Heartbeat is published monthly by the STRIKE BCT Public Affairs Office, FOB Wilson, Afghanistan, APO AE 09370. In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4 the HB is an authorized publication of the Department of Defense.
    [Show full text]
  • A Case Study of Mahsud Tribe in South Waziristan Agency
    RELIGIOUS MILITANCY AND TRIBAL TRANSFORMATION IN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF MAHSUD TRIBE IN SOUTH WAZIRISTAN AGENCY By MUHAMMAD IRFAN MAHSUD Ph.D. Scholar DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR (SESSION 2011 – 2012) RELIGIOUS MILITANCY AND TRIBAL TRANSFORMATION IN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF MAHSUD TRIBE IN SOUTH WAZIRISTAN AGENCY Thesis submitted to the Department of Political Science, University of Peshawar, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (December, 2018) DDeeddiiccaattiioonn I Dedicated this humble effort to my loving and the most caring Mother ABSTRACT The beginning of the 21st Century witnessed the rise of religious militancy in a more severe form exemplified by the traumatic incident of 9/11. While the phenomenon has troubled a significant part of the world, Pakistan is no exception in this regard. This research explores the role of the Mahsud tribe in the rise of the religious militancy in South Waziristan Agency (SWA). It further investigates the impact of militancy on the socio-cultural and political transformation of the Mahsuds. The study undertakes this research based on theories of religious militancy, borderland dynamics, ungoverned spaces and transformation. The findings suggest that the rise of religious militancy in SWA among the Mahsud tribes can be viewed as transformation of tribal revenge into an ideological conflict, triggered by flawed state policies. These policies included, disregard of local culture and traditions in perpetrating military intervention, banning of different militant groups from SWA and FATA simultaneously, which gave them the raison d‘etre to unite against the state and intensify violence and the issues resulting from poor state governance and control.
    [Show full text]
  • Operation Medusa: the Battle for Panjwai Part 1: the Charge of Charles Company
    Legion Magazine : Legion Magazine : Defence Today http://www.legionmagazine.com/features/militarymatters/07-09.asp#1http://www.legionmagazine.com/features/militarymatters/07-09.asp#1 Operation Medusa: The Battle For Panjwai Part 1: The Charge of Charles Company by Adam Day PHOTOS: DND; CHARLES COMPANY; ADAM DAY A Canadian soldier ducks as a helicopter lifts off during Operation Medusa. Inset top: across the Arghandab River, the area around the white school burns as the Canadians attack. Inset bottom: the town of Bazaar-e-Panjwai with Mar Ghar in the background. Within sight of the infamous white schoolhouse, epicentre of the insurgency in Kandahar province, the hastily assembled Canadian force entered the kill zone. An enemy signal flare shot up across Charles Company's lead elements and there aren't many polite words to describe what happened next. Rick Nolan died. 7 Platoon's warrant officer, its heart and soul, was sitting in the passenger seat of a lightly armoured G-Wagon when a rocket-propelled grenade came crashing through the windshield. Sitting in the back seat were a medic and an Afghan interpreter, both badly wounded. Corporal Sean Teal, dazed but mostly unhurt, jumped into a hail of bullets and went to find help. The G-Wagon never moved again. Shane Stachnik died. The engineer sergeant was standing in his armoured vehicle's air sentry hatch when an 82-mm recoilless rifle round blew them apart. Most inside were wounded or unconscious and the vehicle went radio silent. Call sign Echo 3-2 was out of the fight. The enemy were hidden in their trenches and fortified buildings, firing from 1 of 9 01-11-2007 19:50 Legion Magazine : Legion Magazine : Defence Today http://www.legionmagazine.com/features/militarymatters/07-09.asp#1http://www.legionmagazine.com/features/militarymatters/07-09.asp#1 three sides.
    [Show full text]
  • Civilian Casualty Mitigation
    FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Civilian Casualty Mitigation Summary of Lessons, Observations and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures from Marine Expeditionary Brigade – Afghanistan (MEB-A) January – April 2010 Quick Look Report 29 July 2010 This Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned (MCCLL) report provides an "initial impressions" summary identifying key observations or potential lessons from the collection effort. These observations are not service level opinions. Observations highlight potential shortfalls, risks or issues experienced by units that may suggest a need for institutional change or corrective action. The report is provided to DOTMLPF stakeholders and those who contribute to the Marine Corps fulfilling its statutory requirements. This unclassified document has been reviewed in accordance with guidance contained in United States Central Command Security Classification Regulation 380- 14 dated 13 January 2009. This document contains information EXEMPT FROM MANDATORY DISCLOSURE under the FOIA. DOD Regulation 5400.7R, Exemption 5 applies. - C. H. Sonntag, Director MCCLL. mccll/aal/v7_0 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Executive Summary (U/FOUO) Purpose: To inform Deputy Commandants (DCs) Combat Development and Integration (CD&I), Plans, Programs, and Operations (PP&O), Commanding General (CG), Training and Education Command (TECOM), Director of Intelligence, operating forces and others on results of a January - April 2010 collection relating to mitigation of civilian casualties (CIVCAS). (U//FOUO) Background. Civilian casualties resulted from U.S. close air support in Farah, Afghanistan on 4 May 2009. In order to help prevent future instances of civilian casualties and mitigate their effects, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) requested that U.S. Joint Forces Command’s (USJFCOM) Joint Center for Operational Analysis (JCOA) capture lessons learned, and analyze incidents that led to coalition-caused civilian casualties during counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in Afghanistan.
    [Show full text]
  • Afghanistan Remittance Overview and Trends Annex to Afghanistan Migration Profile
    Afghanistan Remittance Overview and Trends Annex to Afghanistan Migration Profile AFGHANISTAN REMITTANCE OVERVIEW AND TRENDS ANNEX TO AFGHANISTAN MIGRATION PROFILE Prepared for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) by Michaella Vanore Katrin Marchand CONTENTS List of Tables ...................................................................................6 List of Figures .................................................................................6 Acronyms .......................................................................................7 Foreword ........................................................................................9 Executive Summary ......................................................................11 1. Introduction .............................................................................19 2. Current Knowledge and Remittance Trends ..............................21 2.1. Measuring Remittances: Methodological Challenges ......................21 2.2. Remittances in Afghanistan: Current State of Knowledge ................25 2.2.1. Remittance Flows: Balance of Payment Statistics ....................25 2.2.2. Remittance Flows: Household Surveys .................................... 28 2.2.3. Remittance Flows: Case Studies ...............................................33 3. Remittance Infrastructure and Management Frameworks ........39 3.1. Remittance Channels ....................................................................... 39 3.1.1. Banks and Microfinance Institutions .......................................
    [Show full text]
  • Moshtarak Pageplus Layout V2
    AVIATION ASSAULT Afghanistan At 4:00 am in the morning on 13 February 2010 the dark skies of central Helmand were filled with the noise of thudding rotor blades as 45 helicopters carrying Combined Force 31, spearheaded by the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh partnered with troops from the Afghan National Army landed in the heart of an area the Taliban regarded as their own. OPERATION MOSHTARAK had begun to take back control of this territory. Given unprecedented access to those in command and those who took part on the ground, Mark Khan takes a look at how this Operation, was planned and executed and provides a fascinating insight into how operations are conducted in Afghanistan. Aviation Assault - © Mark Khan 2015 As a result of the US presidential elections To allow larger operations to be conduct- The British contribution to the oper- In January 2009, the new US President ed under much more favourable condi- ation would be performed by 11 Barack Obama fulfilled his commitment, tions, preparatory work would be Light Brigade commanded by Briga- to significantly increase troop densities in carried out to “shape” the environment. dier James Cowan and would focus Afghanistan. This combined with the When conditions were then suitable, the on the central Helmand area. Two appointment of Lt Gen Stanley “clear” phase would take place with signif- specific insurgent strongholds were McChrystal, as the head of the icant military operations to push the in- chosen for the assault. international Security Assistance Force surgenOnce this phase had been These were known as “The Cha e (ISAF) in Afghanistan, led to a significant completed, the “hold” phase would take Angir Triangle” (a triangular area of change in strategy.
    [Show full text]