FORBES
"Staggering Costs – U.S. Military Equipment Left Behind In Afghanistan"
Adam Andrzejewski, Senior Contributor
Aug 23, 2021
The U.S. provided an estimated $83 billion worth of training and equipment to Afghan security forces since 2001.
This year, alone, the U.S. military aid to Afghan forces was $3 billion.
Putting price tags on American military equipment still in Afghanistan isn’t an easy task.
In the fog of war – or withdrawal – Afghanistan has always been a black box with little sunshine.
Not helping transparency, the Biden Administration is now hiding key audits on Afghan military equipment.
This week, our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com reposted two key reports on the U.S. war chest of military gear in Afghanistan that had disappeared from federal websites.
#1. Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit of U.S. provided military gear in Afghanistan (August 2017): reposted report (dead link: report).
#2. Special Inspector General For Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) audit of $174 million in lost ScanEagle drones (July 2020): reposted report (dead link: report).
U.S. taxpayers paid for these audits and the U.S.-provided equipment and should be able to follow the money.
After publication, the GAO spokesman responded to our request for comment, “the State Department requested we temporarily remove and review reports on Afghanistan to protect recipients of US assistance that may be identified through our reports and thus subject to retribution.”
However, these reports only have numbers and no recipient information.
Furthermore, unless noted, when estimating “acquisition value,” our source is the Department Logistics Agency (DLA) and their comprehensive databases of military equipment.
Vehicles and airplanes
Between 2003 and 2016, the U.S. purchased and provided 75,898 vehicles and 208 aircraft, to the Afghan army and security forces, according to a Government Accountability Office report.
Here is a breakdown of estimated vehicle costs:
Armored personnel carriers such as the M113A2 cost $170,000 each and recent purchases of the M577A2 post carrier cost $333,333 each.
Mine resistant vehicles ranges from $412,000 to $767,000.
The total cost could range between $382 million to $711 million.
Recovery vehicles such as the ‘truck, wrecker’ cost between for the base model $168,960 and $880,674 for super strength versions.
Medium range tactical vehicles include 5-ton cargo and general transport trucks were priced at $67,139.
However, the family of MTV heavy vehicles had prices ranging from $235,500 to $724,820 each.
Cargo trucks to transport airplanes cost $800,865.
Humvees – ambulance type (range from $37,943 to $142,918 with most at $96,466); cargo type, priced at $104,682.
Utility Humvees were typically priced at $91,429.
However, the 12,000 lb. troop transport version cost up to $329,000.
Light tactical vehicles: Fast attack combat vehicles ($69,400); and passenger motor vehicles ($65,500).
All terrain 4-wheel vehicles go up to $42,273 in the military databases.
This month, the Taliban seized Black Hawk helicopters and A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft.
As late as last month, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense posted photos on social media of seven newly arrived helicopters from the U.S., Reuters reported.
Black Hawk helicopters can cost up to $21 million.
In 2013, the U.S. placed an order for 20 A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft for $427 million – that’s $21.3 million for each plane.
Other specialized helicopters can cost up to $37 million each.
The Afghan air force contracted for C-208 light attack airplanes in March 2018: seven planes for $84.6 million, or $12.1 million each.
The airplanes are very sophisticated and carry HELLFIRE missiles, anti-tank missiles and other weaponry.
The PC-12 intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance airplanes use the latest in technology.
Having these planes fall into Taliban control is disconcerting.
Civilian models sell new for approximately $5 million each and the military planes could sell for many times that price.
Basic fixed-wing airplanes range in price from $3.1 million to $22 million in the DLA database.
Of course, helicopter prices also range widely depending on the technology, purpose, and equipment.
For example, according to the DLA, general purpose helicopters range in price from $92,000 to $922,000.
Observation helicopters can cost $92,000 and utility helicopters up to $922,000.
Even if the Taliban can’t fly our planes, the parts are very valuable.
For example, just the control stick for certain military planes has an acquisition value of $17,808 and a fuel tank sells for up to $35,000.
Lost drones
In 2017, the U.S. military lost $174 million in drones that were part of the attempt to help the Afghan National Army (ANA) defend itself.
But the ANA didn’t immediately use the drones and then lost track of them.
This week, the SIGAR audit on the $174 million drone loss disappeared from its website.
Weapons, communications equipment, and night vision googles
Since 2003 the U.S. gave Afghan forces at least 600,000 infantry weapons, including M16 rifles, 162,000 pieces of communication equipment, and 16,000 night-vision goggle devices, according to the GAO report.
The howitzer is the modern cannon for the U.S. military and each unit can cost up to $500,000; however most are in the $200,000 price range.
At the higher end, there’s GPS guidance on fired shells.
A common price of a M16 rifle is $749, according to DLA.
Adding a grenade launcher can push the price of the M16 to $12,032.
M4 carbine rifles are slightly more expensive with unit prices as high as $1,278.
Just the sights on night-vision sniper rifle scopes can run as high as $35,000, however, most vary in price between $5,000 and $10,000.
Here are the costs of other types of weaponry provided to Afghan forces:
Machine guns, i.e. the M240 model, were priced between $6,600 and $9,000 each.
Grenade launchers cost between $1,000 and $5,000 each; however, in 2020, the manufacture sold 53 for $15,000 each.
Army shotguns were acquired for only $150 each, according to DLA.
Military pistols cost $320 each, such as the .40 caliber Glock Generation 3.
Each Aerostat surveillance balloon costs $8.9 million.
Each ScanEagle drone costs approximately $1.4 million according to recent procurement news.
Even as late at 2021, U.S. appropriations for the Wolfhounds radio monitoring systems approached $874,000.
Night vision devices: The total cost for the 16,000 night-vision goggles alone could run as high as $80 million.
Individually, the high-tech goggles were priced between $2,742 and $5,000 by the DLA.
Other equipment like image intensifiers are commonly priced at $10,747 each; however, sophisticated models run as high as $66,000 each.
Radio equipment: the cost of equipment adds up – receiver-transmitters ($210,651); sophisticated radio sets ($61,966); amplifiers ($28,165); repeater sets ($28,527); and deployment sets to identify frequencies run up to $18,908.
However, if the Taliban doesn’t have the expertise or technologies to program the equipment, it will become obsolete quickly.
Or it could be sold off to other countries who wanted to acquire U.S. technology.
And there’s more… years 2017 through 2019
From 2017 to 2019, the U.S. also gave Afghan forces 7,035 machine guns, 4,702 Humvees, 20,040 hand grenades, 2,520 bombs and 1,394 grenade launchers, according to the since removed 2020 SIGAR report, reported by The Hill.
An unnamed official told Reuters that current intelligence assessment was that the Taliban took control of more than 2,000 armored vehicles, including American Humvees, and as many as 40 aircraft that may include UH-60 Black Hawks, scout attack helicopters and ScanEagle military drones.
Crucial quote
“We don't have a complete picture, obviously, of where every article of defense materials has gone, but certainly a fair amount of it has fallen into the hands of the Taliban,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday, The Hill reported.
“And obviously, we don't have a sense that they are going to readily hand it over to us at the airport.”
Critic
Republican Senators have demanded that there be a full count of U.S. military equipment left in Afghanistan.
In a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the lawmakers said they were "horrified" to see photos of Taliban militants taking hold of military equipment, including Black Hawk helicopters.
"It is unconscionable that high-tech military equipment paid for by U.S. taxpayers has fallen into the hands of the Taliban and their terrorist allies," the lawmakers said in the letter.
"Securing U.S. assets should have been among the top priorities for the U.S. Department of Defense prior to announcing the withdrawal from Afghanistan."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamandrze ... 0c3d8e41db
THE DOD
Re: THE DOD
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
"Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says Al Qaeda may seek a comeback in Afghanistan"
BY ROBERT BURNS ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEP. 9, 2021 7:25 AM PT
KUWAIT CITY — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said Thursday that Al Qaeda, which used Afghanistan as a staging base to attack the U.S. 20 years ago, might attempt to regroup there following the withdrawal of Western forces.
Austin spoke to a small group of reporters in Kuwait City at the conclusion of a four-day tour of Persian Gulf states.
He said the United States is prepared to prevent a comeback by Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, which is once again under Taliban rule.
“The whole community is kind of watching to see what happens and whether or not Al Qaeda has the ability to regenerate in Afghanistan,” he said.
“The nature of Al Qaeda and [Islamic State] is they will always attempt to find space to grow and regenerate, whether it’s there, whether it’s in Somalia or whether it’s in any other ungoverned space."
"I think that’s the nature of the organization.”
During its 1996-2001 rule of Afghanistan, the Taliban provided Al Qaeda with sanctuary.
The U.S. invaded and overthrew the Taliban after it refused to turn over Al Qaeda leaders following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
During the course of the 20-year U.S. war, Al Qaeda was vastly diminished, but questions have arisen about its future prospects with the Taliban back in Kabul.
“We put the Taliban on notice that we expect them to not allow that to happen,” Austin said, referring to the possibility of Al Qaeda using Afghanistan as a base in the future.
In a February 2020 agreement with the Trump administration, Taliban leaders pledged not to support Al Qaeda or other extremist groups that would threaten the United States.
But U.S. officials believe the Taliban maintains ties to Al Qaeda, and many nations, including Gulf Arab states, are concerned that the Taliban’s return to power could open the door to a resurgence of Al Qaeda influence.
Austin has asserted that the U.S. military is capable of containing Al Qaeda or any other extremist threat to the U.S. emanating from Afghanistan by using surveillance and strike aircraft based elsewhere, including in the Persian Gulf.
He also has acknowledged that it will be more difficult without U.S. troops and intelligence teams based in Afghanistan.
Austin, a retired Army general, has a deep network of contacts in the region based in part on his years commanding U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq and later as head of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East.
This week’s trip to the Persian Gulf was his first to the region since he took office in January.
Austin had been scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday as the final stop on his gulf tour.
But on Wednesday evening, his spokesman, John Kirby, announced that that visit had been dropped because of “scheduling issues.”
Kirby offered no further explanation but said Austin looked forward to rescheduling.
Austin indicated that his visit was postponed at the Saudis’ request.
“The Saudis have some scheduling issues; I can’t speak to exactly what they were,” he said.
The Saudi stop was to happen two days before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
Fifteen of the men who hijacked commercial airliners and crashed them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field were Saudis, as was Osama bin Laden, whose Al Qaeda network plotted the attack from its base in Afghanistan.
Last week, President Biden directed the declassification of certain documents related to the attacks, a gesture to victims’ families who have long sought the records in hopes of implicating the Saudi government.
Public documents released in the last two decades, including by the 9/11 Commission, have detailed numerous Saudi entanglements but have not proved government complicity.
The Saudi government denies any culpability.
On Wednesday, the Saudi Embassy in Washington released a statement welcoming the move to declassify and release more documents, saying: “No evidence has ever emerged to indicate that the Saudi government or its officials had previous knowledge of the terrorist attack or were in any way involved in its planning or execution.”
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/st ... fghanistan
"Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says Al Qaeda may seek a comeback in Afghanistan"
BY ROBERT BURNS ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEP. 9, 2021 7:25 AM PT
KUWAIT CITY — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said Thursday that Al Qaeda, which used Afghanistan as a staging base to attack the U.S. 20 years ago, might attempt to regroup there following the withdrawal of Western forces.
Austin spoke to a small group of reporters in Kuwait City at the conclusion of a four-day tour of Persian Gulf states.
He said the United States is prepared to prevent a comeback by Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, which is once again under Taliban rule.
“The whole community is kind of watching to see what happens and whether or not Al Qaeda has the ability to regenerate in Afghanistan,” he said.
“The nature of Al Qaeda and [Islamic State] is they will always attempt to find space to grow and regenerate, whether it’s there, whether it’s in Somalia or whether it’s in any other ungoverned space."
"I think that’s the nature of the organization.”
During its 1996-2001 rule of Afghanistan, the Taliban provided Al Qaeda with sanctuary.
The U.S. invaded and overthrew the Taliban after it refused to turn over Al Qaeda leaders following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
During the course of the 20-year U.S. war, Al Qaeda was vastly diminished, but questions have arisen about its future prospects with the Taliban back in Kabul.
“We put the Taliban on notice that we expect them to not allow that to happen,” Austin said, referring to the possibility of Al Qaeda using Afghanistan as a base in the future.
In a February 2020 agreement with the Trump administration, Taliban leaders pledged not to support Al Qaeda or other extremist groups that would threaten the United States.
But U.S. officials believe the Taliban maintains ties to Al Qaeda, and many nations, including Gulf Arab states, are concerned that the Taliban’s return to power could open the door to a resurgence of Al Qaeda influence.
Austin has asserted that the U.S. military is capable of containing Al Qaeda or any other extremist threat to the U.S. emanating from Afghanistan by using surveillance and strike aircraft based elsewhere, including in the Persian Gulf.
He also has acknowledged that it will be more difficult without U.S. troops and intelligence teams based in Afghanistan.
Austin, a retired Army general, has a deep network of contacts in the region based in part on his years commanding U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq and later as head of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East.
This week’s trip to the Persian Gulf was his first to the region since he took office in January.
Austin had been scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday as the final stop on his gulf tour.
But on Wednesday evening, his spokesman, John Kirby, announced that that visit had been dropped because of “scheduling issues.”
Kirby offered no further explanation but said Austin looked forward to rescheduling.
Austin indicated that his visit was postponed at the Saudis’ request.
“The Saudis have some scheduling issues; I can’t speak to exactly what they were,” he said.
The Saudi stop was to happen two days before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
Fifteen of the men who hijacked commercial airliners and crashed them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field were Saudis, as was Osama bin Laden, whose Al Qaeda network plotted the attack from its base in Afghanistan.
Last week, President Biden directed the declassification of certain documents related to the attacks, a gesture to victims’ families who have long sought the records in hopes of implicating the Saudi government.
Public documents released in the last two decades, including by the 9/11 Commission, have detailed numerous Saudi entanglements but have not proved government complicity.
The Saudi government denies any culpability.
On Wednesday, the Saudi Embassy in Washington released a statement welcoming the move to declassify and release more documents, saying: “No evidence has ever emerged to indicate that the Saudi government or its officials had previous knowledge of the terrorist attack or were in any way involved in its planning or execution.”
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/st ... fghanistan
Re: THE DOD
REUTERS
"U.S. Senate panel may force Afghanistan answers from Biden administration"
By Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu
September 14, 2021
WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee threatened on Tuesday to subpoena Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and other officials if necessary to make them testify to Congress about the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"A full accounting of the U.S. response to this crisis is not complete without the Pentagon – especially when it comes to understanding the complete collapse of the U.S.-trained and funded Afghan military," Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said at the second congressional hearing in two days, which included testimony from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"I expect that the Secretary (Austin) will avail himself to the Committee in the near future."
"If he does not, I may consider the use of the Committee’s subpoena power to compel him and others over the course of these last twenty years to testify," Menendez said.
A Pentagon spokesman responded that Austin was unable to appear because of "conflicting commitments" and added that Austin would testify at the end of September before the Senate and House of Representatives Armed Services Committees.
Menendez told MSNBC after the hearing that he nonetheless wanted Austin to appear before the foreign policy panel.
Lawmakers - President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats as well as Republicans - peppered Blinken with questions and criticism during the 3-1/2 hour hearing about the messy end last month to America's longest war and why the administration did not delay the withdrawal to allow more people to be evacuated.
Menendez blasted the exit as "clearly and fatally flawed."
Blinken said U.S. officials had not expected the Taliban's lightning advance and the "11-day collapse" of U.S.-backed Afghan forces.
"That's what changed everything," Blinken said.
U.S. forces had been in Afghanistan since toppling the Taliban in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks which they say were masterminded by al-Qaeda leaders based in the country.
Senator Jim Risch, the committee's top Republican, said he worried the administration was seeking to normalize relations with the Taliban and called plans to restart humanitarian aid "deeply, deeply concerning."
He described the militant group as "one of the best-armed terrorist organizations on the planet," now that it controls military equipment left behind by U.S. forces.
"There is not enough lipstick in the world to put on this pig to make it look any different than what it actually is," Risch said.
Members of Congress, which is narrowly controlled by Biden's fellow Democrats, have pledged to investigate since the collapse of the Kabul government and takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban last month.
Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced after Monday's House hearing with Blinken that he had hired a former CNN reporter to investigate the withdrawal.
Blinken, and many Democrats, repeatedly noted that Republican former President Donald Trump had negotiated the withdrawal agreement with the Taliban.
Several Democrats accused Republicans of hypocrisy for supporting Trump's planned withdrawal but opposing Biden's action.
Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu; additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-sen ... 021-09-14/
"U.S. Senate panel may force Afghanistan answers from Biden administration"
By Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu
September 14, 2021
WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee threatened on Tuesday to subpoena Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and other officials if necessary to make them testify to Congress about the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"A full accounting of the U.S. response to this crisis is not complete without the Pentagon – especially when it comes to understanding the complete collapse of the U.S.-trained and funded Afghan military," Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said at the second congressional hearing in two days, which included testimony from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"I expect that the Secretary (Austin) will avail himself to the Committee in the near future."
"If he does not, I may consider the use of the Committee’s subpoena power to compel him and others over the course of these last twenty years to testify," Menendez said.
A Pentagon spokesman responded that Austin was unable to appear because of "conflicting commitments" and added that Austin would testify at the end of September before the Senate and House of Representatives Armed Services Committees.
Menendez told MSNBC after the hearing that he nonetheless wanted Austin to appear before the foreign policy panel.
Lawmakers - President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats as well as Republicans - peppered Blinken with questions and criticism during the 3-1/2 hour hearing about the messy end last month to America's longest war and why the administration did not delay the withdrawal to allow more people to be evacuated.
Menendez blasted the exit as "clearly and fatally flawed."
Blinken said U.S. officials had not expected the Taliban's lightning advance and the "11-day collapse" of U.S.-backed Afghan forces.
"That's what changed everything," Blinken said.
U.S. forces had been in Afghanistan since toppling the Taliban in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks which they say were masterminded by al-Qaeda leaders based in the country.
Senator Jim Risch, the committee's top Republican, said he worried the administration was seeking to normalize relations with the Taliban and called plans to restart humanitarian aid "deeply, deeply concerning."
He described the militant group as "one of the best-armed terrorist organizations on the planet," now that it controls military equipment left behind by U.S. forces.
"There is not enough lipstick in the world to put on this pig to make it look any different than what it actually is," Risch said.
Members of Congress, which is narrowly controlled by Biden's fellow Democrats, have pledged to investigate since the collapse of the Kabul government and takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban last month.
Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced after Monday's House hearing with Blinken that he had hired a former CNN reporter to investigate the withdrawal.
Blinken, and many Democrats, repeatedly noted that Republican former President Donald Trump had negotiated the withdrawal agreement with the Taliban.
Several Democrats accused Republicans of hypocrisy for supporting Trump's planned withdrawal but opposing Biden's action.
Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu; additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-sen ... 021-09-14/
Re: THE DOD
FOX NEWS
"Top Intelligence officials say al Qaeda could rebuild in Afghanistan in one to two years - Officials say that members of the terrorist group have already started to return to Afghanistan"
By Michael Lee | Fox News
14 SEPTEMBER 2021
Al Qaeda could rebuild in Afghanistan and again become a threat to the U.S. homeland in one to two years.
"The current assessment probably conservatively is one to two years for al Qaeda to build some capability to at least threaten the homeland," said Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier during Tuesday's National Security Summit.
Officials say that members of the terrorist group have already started to return to the country amid the Taliban takeover, speeding the timeline for which the group could begin to pose a renewed threat.
While both al Qaeda and ISIS-K have a presence in Afghanistan, only al Qaeda has an established alliance with the Taliban.
It is still unclear how much effort the Taliban will put into keeping the terrorist group in check, though they pledged during the peace agreement with the U.S. to not allow the country to become a haven for terrorist groups, a pledge some officials do not trust the Taliban to keep now that U.S. forces have departed Afghanistan.
Deputy director of the CIA David S. Cohen said the agency is watching "some potential movement of al Qaeda to Afghanistan" but noted it is hard for the CIA to assess a timeline for when they or ISIS-K would "have the capability to go to strike the homeland" before the agency could detect the threat.
Without a ground presence in the country, the officials will be looking to develop "over the horizon" methods of collecting intelligence.
"We will also look for ways to work from within the horizon, to the extent that is possible," Cohen said.
Berrier stressed that any over-the-horizon intelligence ability in Afghanistan will have to be developed alongside a new push to monitor rivals such as Russia and China.
"We’re thinking about ways to gain access back into Afghanistan with all kinds of sources," Berrier said.
"We have to be careful to balance these very scarce resources with this pivot to China, and to Russia."
Michael Lee is a writer at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @UAMichaelLee
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-in ... -two-years
"Top Intelligence officials say al Qaeda could rebuild in Afghanistan in one to two years - Officials say that members of the terrorist group have already started to return to Afghanistan"
By Michael Lee | Fox News
14 SEPTEMBER 2021
Al Qaeda could rebuild in Afghanistan and again become a threat to the U.S. homeland in one to two years.
"The current assessment probably conservatively is one to two years for al Qaeda to build some capability to at least threaten the homeland," said Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier during Tuesday's National Security Summit.
Officials say that members of the terrorist group have already started to return to the country amid the Taliban takeover, speeding the timeline for which the group could begin to pose a renewed threat.
While both al Qaeda and ISIS-K have a presence in Afghanistan, only al Qaeda has an established alliance with the Taliban.
It is still unclear how much effort the Taliban will put into keeping the terrorist group in check, though they pledged during the peace agreement with the U.S. to not allow the country to become a haven for terrorist groups, a pledge some officials do not trust the Taliban to keep now that U.S. forces have departed Afghanistan.
Deputy director of the CIA David S. Cohen said the agency is watching "some potential movement of al Qaeda to Afghanistan" but noted it is hard for the CIA to assess a timeline for when they or ISIS-K would "have the capability to go to strike the homeland" before the agency could detect the threat.
Without a ground presence in the country, the officials will be looking to develop "over the horizon" methods of collecting intelligence.
"We will also look for ways to work from within the horizon, to the extent that is possible," Cohen said.
Berrier stressed that any over-the-horizon intelligence ability in Afghanistan will have to be developed alongside a new push to monitor rivals such as Russia and China.
"We’re thinking about ways to gain access back into Afghanistan with all kinds of sources," Berrier said.
"We have to be careful to balance these very scarce resources with this pivot to China, and to Russia."
Michael Lee is a writer at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @UAMichaelLee
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-in ... -two-years
Re: THE DOD
USA TODAY
"Fort Bliss: Female military service member assaulted by Afghan evacuees, FBI investigating"
Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times
25 September 2021
A female U.S. military service member was assaulted by male evacuees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex where Afghan refugees are being housed, Fort Bliss officials said.
The woman, whose name and age were not released, was assaulted Sept. 19 by a “small group of male evacuees” at the complex in New Mexico, Fort Bliss officials said.
The incident is being investigated by the FBI.
“We take the allegation seriously and appropriately referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Fort Bliss officials said in an emailed statement.
“The safety and well-being of our service members, as well as all of those on our installations, is paramount.”
No details on the assault or the suspects have been released.
The victim was “immediately provided appropriate care, counseling and support,” officials said.
The victim is among 1,000 service members who are part of Operation Allies Welcome.
The U.S. operation is to “support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The number of refugees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex was not immediately available.
Thousands of refugees have come to the U.S. after fleeing Afghanistan as the U.S. ended its 20-year presence there in late August.
Officials said additional security and safety measures are being put into place at the complex.
“Task Force-Bliss is also implementing additional security measures to include increased health and safety patrols, additional lighting, and enforcement of the buddy system at the Doña Ana Complex,” officials said.
“We will cooperate fully with the FBI and will continue to ensure the service member reporting this assault is fully supported.”
Aaron Martinez may be reached at 915-546-6249; aamartinez@lpasotimes.com; @AMartinezEPT on Twitter.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fort- ... d=msedgntp
"Fort Bliss: Female military service member assaulted by Afghan evacuees, FBI investigating"
Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times
25 September 2021
A female U.S. military service member was assaulted by male evacuees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex where Afghan refugees are being housed, Fort Bliss officials said.
The woman, whose name and age were not released, was assaulted Sept. 19 by a “small group of male evacuees” at the complex in New Mexico, Fort Bliss officials said.
The incident is being investigated by the FBI.
“We take the allegation seriously and appropriately referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Fort Bliss officials said in an emailed statement.
“The safety and well-being of our service members, as well as all of those on our installations, is paramount.”
No details on the assault or the suspects have been released.
The victim was “immediately provided appropriate care, counseling and support,” officials said.
The victim is among 1,000 service members who are part of Operation Allies Welcome.
The U.S. operation is to “support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The number of refugees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex was not immediately available.
Thousands of refugees have come to the U.S. after fleeing Afghanistan as the U.S. ended its 20-year presence there in late August.
Officials said additional security and safety measures are being put into place at the complex.
“Task Force-Bliss is also implementing additional security measures to include increased health and safety patrols, additional lighting, and enforcement of the buddy system at the Doña Ana Complex,” officials said.
“We will cooperate fully with the FBI and will continue to ensure the service member reporting this assault is fully supported.”
Aaron Martinez may be reached at 915-546-6249; aamartinez@lpasotimes.com; @AMartinezEPT on Twitter.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fort- ... d=msedgntp
Re: THE DOD
REUTERS
"'Unmitigated disaster': Republicans attack Biden's defense of Afghan pullout"
By Phil Stewart and Patricia Zengerle
September 29, 2021
WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. lawmakers tried on Wednesday to pick apart President Joe Biden's defense of his withdrawal from Afghanistan as they attacked his judgment and honesty during a second day of contentious Congressional hearings with Pentagon leaders.
Democrat Biden has faced the biggest crisis of his presidency over the war in Afghanistan, which he argued needed to be brought to a close after 20 years of stalemated fighting that had cost American lives, drained resources and distracted from greater strategic priorities.
Republicans have accused him of lying about military commanders' recommendations to keep 2,500 troops in the country, playing down warnings of the risks of a Taliban victory, and exaggerating America's ability to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a safe haven for militant groups like al Qaeda.
"I fear the president may be delusional," said Mike Rogers, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, calling the withdrawal an "unmitigated disaster."
"It will go down in history as one of the greatest failures of American leadership," Rogers said.
Under Biden's Republican predecessor Donald Trump, the United States made a deal with the Islamist militant group to withdraw all American forces, leaving Biden with the tough choice of pulling out completely or abandoning the deal and embracing a period of renewed hostilities with the Taliban.
Biden's approval ratings have been badly damaged by last month's spectacular collapse of the two-decade war effort, which ended in a chaotic withdrawal that left U.S. troops dead and American citizens behind.
General Frank McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, said both he and the top commander on the ground in Afghanistan had recommended keeping 2,500 U.S. troops as well as thousands more coalition forces in the country.
McKenzie, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley testified in the House for 4-1/2 hours on Wednesday, after spending almost all day on Tuesday at a hearing in the Senate.
McKenzie told the House committee that he had warned that a complete withdrawal would lead to the collapse of the Afghan military and the Afghan government.
"That is in fact what happened," McKenzie said.
In an August television interview, Biden denied his commanders had recommended keeping 2,500 troops in Afghanistan.
He said then: "No."
"No one said that to me that I can recall."
Republicans accused Biden of being untruthful, also citing his promises to leave no Americans behind and scoffing at his assurances in July that Afghanistan wouldn't become another Vietnam even as the Taliban's advance accelerated.
The House hearing devolved repeatedly into shouting matches, as representatives argued over what Democrats characterized as partisan Republican attacks on Biden, particularly over the television interview.
One committee member, Republican Representative Mike Johnson, used the time he had been allotted for questions to read the interview transcript aloud.
Republican Joe Wilson said Biden should resign.
Other Republicans directed their anger at Milley.
They slammed him for doing interviews for books critical of Trump and accused him of being "woke," which Republicans consider a disparaging reference to his comments this summer about the need for military commanders to be aware of racial tensions in America.
Trump has repeatedly accused Milley of being a "woke" general more concerned with his image than winning the war.
U.S. Representative Liz Cheney, who has broken from Republicans to become a vocal Trump opponent, praised Milley.
"For any member of this committee, for any American to question your loyalty to our nation ... is despicable," Cheney told Milley at the hearing.
"STRATEGIC FAILURE"
Milley testified that withdrawing to zero had a major impact on morale among Afghan troops, who had grown to depend on U.S. assistance for everything from air and intelligence support to training and equipment maintenance.
While the U.S. airlift of 124,000 people out of Afghanistan was a logistical success, Milley acknowledged for a second day that it was a "strategic failure" - one that left the Taliban back in power at the end of America's longest war.
Democrats faulted Republicans for blaming Biden - who has been president since late January - for everything that went wrong during the 20 years U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan.
Representative Adam Smith, the committee's Democratic chairman, said he agreed with Biden's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.
"Our larger mission to help build a government in Afghanistan that could govern effectively and defeat the Taliban had failed," Smith said.
"President Biden had the courage to finally make the decision to say no, we are not succeeding in this mission."
Reporting by Phil Stewart and Patricia Zengerle, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Grant McCool
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/unmiti ... 021-09-29/
"'Unmitigated disaster': Republicans attack Biden's defense of Afghan pullout"
By Phil Stewart and Patricia Zengerle
September 29, 2021
WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. lawmakers tried on Wednesday to pick apart President Joe Biden's defense of his withdrawal from Afghanistan as they attacked his judgment and honesty during a second day of contentious Congressional hearings with Pentagon leaders.
Democrat Biden has faced the biggest crisis of his presidency over the war in Afghanistan, which he argued needed to be brought to a close after 20 years of stalemated fighting that had cost American lives, drained resources and distracted from greater strategic priorities.
Republicans have accused him of lying about military commanders' recommendations to keep 2,500 troops in the country, playing down warnings of the risks of a Taliban victory, and exaggerating America's ability to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a safe haven for militant groups like al Qaeda.
"I fear the president may be delusional," said Mike Rogers, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, calling the withdrawal an "unmitigated disaster."
"It will go down in history as one of the greatest failures of American leadership," Rogers said.
Under Biden's Republican predecessor Donald Trump, the United States made a deal with the Islamist militant group to withdraw all American forces, leaving Biden with the tough choice of pulling out completely or abandoning the deal and embracing a period of renewed hostilities with the Taliban.
Biden's approval ratings have been badly damaged by last month's spectacular collapse of the two-decade war effort, which ended in a chaotic withdrawal that left U.S. troops dead and American citizens behind.
General Frank McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, said both he and the top commander on the ground in Afghanistan had recommended keeping 2,500 U.S. troops as well as thousands more coalition forces in the country.
McKenzie, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley testified in the House for 4-1/2 hours on Wednesday, after spending almost all day on Tuesday at a hearing in the Senate.
McKenzie told the House committee that he had warned that a complete withdrawal would lead to the collapse of the Afghan military and the Afghan government.
"That is in fact what happened," McKenzie said.
In an August television interview, Biden denied his commanders had recommended keeping 2,500 troops in Afghanistan.
He said then: "No."
"No one said that to me that I can recall."
Republicans accused Biden of being untruthful, also citing his promises to leave no Americans behind and scoffing at his assurances in July that Afghanistan wouldn't become another Vietnam even as the Taliban's advance accelerated.
The House hearing devolved repeatedly into shouting matches, as representatives argued over what Democrats characterized as partisan Republican attacks on Biden, particularly over the television interview.
One committee member, Republican Representative Mike Johnson, used the time he had been allotted for questions to read the interview transcript aloud.
Republican Joe Wilson said Biden should resign.
Other Republicans directed their anger at Milley.
They slammed him for doing interviews for books critical of Trump and accused him of being "woke," which Republicans consider a disparaging reference to his comments this summer about the need for military commanders to be aware of racial tensions in America.
Trump has repeatedly accused Milley of being a "woke" general more concerned with his image than winning the war.
U.S. Representative Liz Cheney, who has broken from Republicans to become a vocal Trump opponent, praised Milley.
"For any member of this committee, for any American to question your loyalty to our nation ... is despicable," Cheney told Milley at the hearing.
"STRATEGIC FAILURE"
Milley testified that withdrawing to zero had a major impact on morale among Afghan troops, who had grown to depend on U.S. assistance for everything from air and intelligence support to training and equipment maintenance.
While the U.S. airlift of 124,000 people out of Afghanistan was a logistical success, Milley acknowledged for a second day that it was a "strategic failure" - one that left the Taliban back in power at the end of America's longest war.
Democrats faulted Republicans for blaming Biden - who has been president since late January - for everything that went wrong during the 20 years U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan.
Representative Adam Smith, the committee's Democratic chairman, said he agreed with Biden's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.
"Our larger mission to help build a government in Afghanistan that could govern effectively and defeat the Taliban had failed," Smith said.
"President Biden had the courage to finally make the decision to say no, we are not succeeding in this mission."
Reporting by Phil Stewart and Patricia Zengerle, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Grant McCool
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/unmiti ... 021-09-29/
Re: THE DOD
THE CAPE CHARLES MIRROR SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 AT 10:48 PM
Paul Plante says:
I wonder what Jen will have to say about this:
“Fort Bliss: Female military service member assaulted by Afghan evacuees, FBI investigating”
Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times
25 September 2021
A female U.S. military service member was assaulted by male evacuees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex where Afghan refugees are being housed, Fort Bliss officials said.
The woman, whose name and age were not released, was assaulted Sept. 19 by a “small group of male evacuees” at the complex in New Mexico, Fort Bliss officials said.
The incident is being investigated by the FBI.
“We take the allegation seriously and appropriately referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Fort Bliss officials said in an emailed statement.
“The safety and well-being of our service members, as well as all of those on our installations, is paramount.”
No details on the assault or the suspects have been released.
The victim was “immediately provided appropriate care, counseling and support,” officials said.
The victim is among 1,000 service members who are part of Operation Allies Welcome.
The U.S. operation is to “support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The number of refugees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex was not immediately available.
Thousands of refugees have come to the U.S. after fleeing Afghanistan as the U.S. ended its 20-year presence there in late August.
Officials said additional security and safety measures are being put into place at the complex.
“Task Force-Bliss is also implementing additional security measures to include increased health and safety patrols, additional lighting, and enforcement of the buddy system at the Doña Ana Complex,” officials said.
“We will cooperate fully with the FBI and will continue to ensure the service member reporting this assault is fully supported.”
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/n ... ghanistan/
Paul Plante says:
I wonder what Jen will have to say about this:
“Fort Bliss: Female military service member assaulted by Afghan evacuees, FBI investigating”
Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times
25 September 2021
A female U.S. military service member was assaulted by male evacuees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex where Afghan refugees are being housed, Fort Bliss officials said.
The woman, whose name and age were not released, was assaulted Sept. 19 by a “small group of male evacuees” at the complex in New Mexico, Fort Bliss officials said.
The incident is being investigated by the FBI.
“We take the allegation seriously and appropriately referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Fort Bliss officials said in an emailed statement.
“The safety and well-being of our service members, as well as all of those on our installations, is paramount.”
No details on the assault or the suspects have been released.
The victim was “immediately provided appropriate care, counseling and support,” officials said.
The victim is among 1,000 service members who are part of Operation Allies Welcome.
The U.S. operation is to “support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The number of refugees at the Doña Ana County Range Complex was not immediately available.
Thousands of refugees have come to the U.S. after fleeing Afghanistan as the U.S. ended its 20-year presence there in late August.
Officials said additional security and safety measures are being put into place at the complex.
“Task Force-Bliss is also implementing additional security measures to include increased health and safety patrols, additional lighting, and enforcement of the buddy system at the Doña Ana Complex,” officials said.
“We will cooperate fully with the FBI and will continue to ensure the service member reporting this assault is fully supported.”
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/n ... ghanistan/
Re: THE DOD
THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
"Marine who blasted military leaders over Afghanistan withdrawal expected to plead guilty"
Virginia Aabram
13 OCTOBER 2021
A Marine officer who posted a video criticizing military leaders over the chaotic pullout of U.S. forces from Afghanistan will plead guilty to charges but will argue for favorable discharge, according to one of his lawyers.
Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller is set to appear for a court-martial hearing on Thursday and faces charges, including disrespecting commissioned officers, disobeying a superior commissioned officer, and dereliction of duties.
His lawyer, Tim Parlatore, told the Washington Post on Tuesday they hope for a general or honorable discharge rather than dishonorable discharge.
Scheller also wants to avoid jail time.
“Our hope is for him to get a letter of reprimand, and no more,” Parlatore said.
In addition, the lawyer said the exact details of a pretrial agreement are “still up in the air.”
In August, Scheller posted a video in uniform demanding accountability from military higher-ups after an explosion at Kabul's airport killed 13 U.S. service members and roughly 170 Afghans.
After Scheller posted the video, he was removed from his role as commander of the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
His hearing will take place at Camp Lejeune.
He was in confinement until being released earlier this month following outcry from Republican lawmakers.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ma ... d=msedgntp
"Marine who blasted military leaders over Afghanistan withdrawal expected to plead guilty"
Virginia Aabram
13 OCTOBER 2021
A Marine officer who posted a video criticizing military leaders over the chaotic pullout of U.S. forces from Afghanistan will plead guilty to charges but will argue for favorable discharge, according to one of his lawyers.
Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller is set to appear for a court-martial hearing on Thursday and faces charges, including disrespecting commissioned officers, disobeying a superior commissioned officer, and dereliction of duties.
His lawyer, Tim Parlatore, told the Washington Post on Tuesday they hope for a general or honorable discharge rather than dishonorable discharge.
Scheller also wants to avoid jail time.
“Our hope is for him to get a letter of reprimand, and no more,” Parlatore said.
In addition, the lawyer said the exact details of a pretrial agreement are “still up in the air.”
In August, Scheller posted a video in uniform demanding accountability from military higher-ups after an explosion at Kabul's airport killed 13 U.S. service members and roughly 170 Afghans.
After Scheller posted the video, he was removed from his role as commander of the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
His hearing will take place at Camp Lejeune.
He was in confinement until being released earlier this month following outcry from Republican lawmakers.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ma ... d=msedgntp
Re: THE DOD
THE WASHINGTON POST
"Pentagon inspector general raises questions about former D.C. Guard commander’s Jan. 6 account"
Dan Lamothe, Paul Sonne
17 NOVEMBER 2021
The D.C. National Guard’s commanding general was directed twice by Pentagon leadership to send in troops as violence engulfed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, according to a newly released investigation that appears to undercut the now-retired general’s claim that he would have responded to the riot more quickly if Trump administration officials had allowed.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy first notified Maj. Gen. William Walker by phone at 4:35 p.m. that Walker was authorized to send troops to Capitol Hill, and then called the general again “to reissue the deployment order” about 30 minutes after McCarthy “originally conveyed it,” an unidentified Army witness told investigators with the independent Defense Department Inspector General, according to a newly released report.
A timeline of events that day, assembled by the inspector general’s office, also indicates separate calls were made.
The investigation’s findings bring new scrutiny to Walker, who earlier this year was lauded for his candor in publicly recounting how dysfunction at the Pentagon stalled the National Guard’s response as supporters of President Donald Trump brutalized police and panicked lawmakers pleaded for help.
Speaking at a joint Senate hearing on March 3, Walker recalled having a quick reaction force (QRF) geared up and said he was frustrated by the speed at which senior defense officials were responding.
He told senators it was 5:08 p.m. when he received approval to deploy.
The Capitol was breached at 1:50 p.m.
Three weeks after the Senate hearing, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appointed him House sergeant-at-arms, saying Walker was a “leader of great integrity” and that he would be “an important asset to the House, particularly in light of the January 6 insurrection.”
Walker, in a phone interview late Wednesday, said he was shocked the inspector general’s office released what he characterized as inaccurate, uncorroborated statements by anonymous Army officials.
He said he tried to send personnel to the Capitol hours earlier and was ready to go when was first notified.
“These were exigent circumstances."
"Rome was burning,” Walker said.
“I came danger-close to just saying, ‘Hey, we’re going,’ and then resign."
"But prudent people talked me out of that decision."
"It probably wouldn’t have been the right one.”
Walker said he was not allowed to respond to the anonymous statements before the report, calling the inspector general’s work sloppy and illustrative that he is up against “the most powerful Army in the world.”
“And I believe in that Army,” he added.
“But that Army failed on January 6th.”
McCarthy, through a spokesperson, declined to comment.
It’s unclear why Walker was never asked for a response to the claims he was told twice to dispatch his forces.
A spokeswoman for the inspector general’s office, Megan Reed, said that as a matter of practice, she could not comment on the office’s oversight processes.
The investigation concluded that, overall, the Pentagon’s response was “reasonable in light of the circumstances.”
Walker told Congress in his testimony that memorandums issued by McCarthy and Trump’s acting defense secretary, Christopher C. Miller, restricted his ability to quickly dispatch the National Guard, but Army officials interviewed by the inspector general said Walker was aware of those decisions ahead of time and did not voice objection.
“The discussion of QRF implementation beforehand was very clear and General Walker understood it and he knew exactly what needed to happen if the QRF needed to be employed and he had no questions or concerns at that time,” said one member of the Army staff, according to the report.
The discrepancy in timelines has come up before.
Days after the assault, the Pentagon released an account of events that said Miller provided verbal authorization at 4:32 p.m. to “re-mission” the National Guard in support of Capitol Police and that Guardsmen began departing from the D.C. Armory precisely 30 minutes later.
A National Guard timeline released in January did not mention a call at 4:32 p.m.
Investigators interviewed 44 witnesses, including Walker, McCarthy, Miller and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Other witnesses included members of the Army staff and D.C. National Guard, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III and former Capitol Police chief Steven Sund, who was forced to resign after the attack.
Mirroring his Senate testimony, Walker told the inspector general’s investigators that he was “stunned” and “frustrated” during a 2:22 p.m. conference call, when city officials asked for National Guard assistance and senior Army officers — Lt. Gens. Charles Flynn and Walter Piatt — advised against providing it.
Other witnesses interviewed as part of the investigation said that Piatt was concerned about public blowback over the sight of uniformed military personnel potentially confronting political protesters, but that the Army had not ruled out helping and needed a plan before inserting soldiers into the crisis.
Walker, when asked by Piatt and Flynn for an operational plan, told the generals that he wanted to get his personnel onto buses and en route to the Capitol while taking direction from police officials, he told investigators.
Piatt wanted more specifics.
“It would be like me saying, ‘Go to Baghdad and just find somebody and see what they need,’ ” Piatt said in his interview with investigators.
Flynn’s involvement became controversial because his brother is retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a former Trump adviser who called for the military to participate in re-running the 2020 election.
Army officials falsely asserted for days that Charles Flynn was not at the meeting, before Flynn confirmed that he was briefly involved in a statement to The Washington Post.
The inspector general report affirms as much, saying other Army witnesses told investigators that Flynn’s involvement was “minimal.”
Piatt told inspector general investigators that he was unable to calm other officials, saying someone on the conference call warned that they would tell the media that the Army had denied the Capitol Police request for help.
Another Army witness said Bowser made that statement.
An official close to Bowser said Wednesday that the mayor did not speak during the call.
It is not clear who else may have issued the warning.
A short time later, Army officials told investigators that claim leaked to the media anonymously, and McCarthy and his staff took time to respond to inquiries from journalists and members of Congress during the crisis.
An unidentified Army witness told inspector general investigators that McCarthy went to D.C. Metropolitan Police headquarters after the conference call, at about 3:48 p.m., in part because Walker “could not clearly articulate to his staff” specifically what police needed.
“Mr. McCarthy, Mayor Bowser, Chief Contee, and others present drafted a plan that identified where the [D.C. National Guard] personnel would go, the route they would take, with whom they would connect when they arrived, what they would do when they got there, whom they would support, who was in charge, and who the key leaders were,” the report said.
The report made several recommendations for improvement, including ensuring that all D.C. National Guard members have functioning communications equipment issued by the Defense Department, formulating a plan for how the Pentagon and D.C. Guard might respond to any future major disturbance in the D.C. area, and establishing criteria and training for personnel who could be tasked with responding.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the Defense Department “takes seriously all reports of the Department’s independent Inspector General,” and is reviewing findings and recommendations in the report.
“We are grateful for their work,” he said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/penta ... hp&pc=U531
"Pentagon inspector general raises questions about former D.C. Guard commander’s Jan. 6 account"
Dan Lamothe, Paul Sonne
17 NOVEMBER 2021
The D.C. National Guard’s commanding general was directed twice by Pentagon leadership to send in troops as violence engulfed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, according to a newly released investigation that appears to undercut the now-retired general’s claim that he would have responded to the riot more quickly if Trump administration officials had allowed.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy first notified Maj. Gen. William Walker by phone at 4:35 p.m. that Walker was authorized to send troops to Capitol Hill, and then called the general again “to reissue the deployment order” about 30 minutes after McCarthy “originally conveyed it,” an unidentified Army witness told investigators with the independent Defense Department Inspector General, according to a newly released report.
A timeline of events that day, assembled by the inspector general’s office, also indicates separate calls were made.
The investigation’s findings bring new scrutiny to Walker, who earlier this year was lauded for his candor in publicly recounting how dysfunction at the Pentagon stalled the National Guard’s response as supporters of President Donald Trump brutalized police and panicked lawmakers pleaded for help.
Speaking at a joint Senate hearing on March 3, Walker recalled having a quick reaction force (QRF) geared up and said he was frustrated by the speed at which senior defense officials were responding.
He told senators it was 5:08 p.m. when he received approval to deploy.
The Capitol was breached at 1:50 p.m.
Three weeks after the Senate hearing, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appointed him House sergeant-at-arms, saying Walker was a “leader of great integrity” and that he would be “an important asset to the House, particularly in light of the January 6 insurrection.”
Walker, in a phone interview late Wednesday, said he was shocked the inspector general’s office released what he characterized as inaccurate, uncorroborated statements by anonymous Army officials.
He said he tried to send personnel to the Capitol hours earlier and was ready to go when was first notified.
“These were exigent circumstances."
"Rome was burning,” Walker said.
“I came danger-close to just saying, ‘Hey, we’re going,’ and then resign."
"But prudent people talked me out of that decision."
"It probably wouldn’t have been the right one.”
Walker said he was not allowed to respond to the anonymous statements before the report, calling the inspector general’s work sloppy and illustrative that he is up against “the most powerful Army in the world.”
“And I believe in that Army,” he added.
“But that Army failed on January 6th.”
McCarthy, through a spokesperson, declined to comment.
It’s unclear why Walker was never asked for a response to the claims he was told twice to dispatch his forces.
A spokeswoman for the inspector general’s office, Megan Reed, said that as a matter of practice, she could not comment on the office’s oversight processes.
The investigation concluded that, overall, the Pentagon’s response was “reasonable in light of the circumstances.”
Walker told Congress in his testimony that memorandums issued by McCarthy and Trump’s acting defense secretary, Christopher C. Miller, restricted his ability to quickly dispatch the National Guard, but Army officials interviewed by the inspector general said Walker was aware of those decisions ahead of time and did not voice objection.
“The discussion of QRF implementation beforehand was very clear and General Walker understood it and he knew exactly what needed to happen if the QRF needed to be employed and he had no questions or concerns at that time,” said one member of the Army staff, according to the report.
The discrepancy in timelines has come up before.
Days after the assault, the Pentagon released an account of events that said Miller provided verbal authorization at 4:32 p.m. to “re-mission” the National Guard in support of Capitol Police and that Guardsmen began departing from the D.C. Armory precisely 30 minutes later.
A National Guard timeline released in January did not mention a call at 4:32 p.m.
Investigators interviewed 44 witnesses, including Walker, McCarthy, Miller and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Other witnesses included members of the Army staff and D.C. National Guard, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III and former Capitol Police chief Steven Sund, who was forced to resign after the attack.
Mirroring his Senate testimony, Walker told the inspector general’s investigators that he was “stunned” and “frustrated” during a 2:22 p.m. conference call, when city officials asked for National Guard assistance and senior Army officers — Lt. Gens. Charles Flynn and Walter Piatt — advised against providing it.
Other witnesses interviewed as part of the investigation said that Piatt was concerned about public blowback over the sight of uniformed military personnel potentially confronting political protesters, but that the Army had not ruled out helping and needed a plan before inserting soldiers into the crisis.
Walker, when asked by Piatt and Flynn for an operational plan, told the generals that he wanted to get his personnel onto buses and en route to the Capitol while taking direction from police officials, he told investigators.
Piatt wanted more specifics.
“It would be like me saying, ‘Go to Baghdad and just find somebody and see what they need,’ ” Piatt said in his interview with investigators.
Flynn’s involvement became controversial because his brother is retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a former Trump adviser who called for the military to participate in re-running the 2020 election.
Army officials falsely asserted for days that Charles Flynn was not at the meeting, before Flynn confirmed that he was briefly involved in a statement to The Washington Post.
The inspector general report affirms as much, saying other Army witnesses told investigators that Flynn’s involvement was “minimal.”
Piatt told inspector general investigators that he was unable to calm other officials, saying someone on the conference call warned that they would tell the media that the Army had denied the Capitol Police request for help.
Another Army witness said Bowser made that statement.
An official close to Bowser said Wednesday that the mayor did not speak during the call.
It is not clear who else may have issued the warning.
A short time later, Army officials told investigators that claim leaked to the media anonymously, and McCarthy and his staff took time to respond to inquiries from journalists and members of Congress during the crisis.
An unidentified Army witness told inspector general investigators that McCarthy went to D.C. Metropolitan Police headquarters after the conference call, at about 3:48 p.m., in part because Walker “could not clearly articulate to his staff” specifically what police needed.
“Mr. McCarthy, Mayor Bowser, Chief Contee, and others present drafted a plan that identified where the [D.C. National Guard] personnel would go, the route they would take, with whom they would connect when they arrived, what they would do when they got there, whom they would support, who was in charge, and who the key leaders were,” the report said.
The report made several recommendations for improvement, including ensuring that all D.C. National Guard members have functioning communications equipment issued by the Defense Department, formulating a plan for how the Pentagon and D.C. Guard might respond to any future major disturbance in the D.C. area, and establishing criteria and training for personnel who could be tasked with responding.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the Defense Department “takes seriously all reports of the Department’s independent Inspector General,” and is reviewing findings and recommendations in the report.
“We are grateful for their work,” he said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/penta ... hp&pc=U531
Re: THE DOD
NEWSWEEK
"Iraq Resistance Warns It's Ready to Expel U.S. by Force at End of Year"
Tom O'Connor
19 NOVEMBER 2021
A group of Iraqi militias has issued a warning that they were prepared to take up arms against the U.S. military presence in Iraq if U.S. troops stayed in the country past the upcoming year's end deadline for combat operations revealed over the summer by President Joe Biden.
In a statement issued Friday and shared with Newsweek, the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Commission, an umbrella of paramilitary groups aligned with the pro-Iran Axis of Resistance opposed to the U.S. footprint in the region, said its members were "closely monitoring the extent of commitment to the outcomes of the so-called strategic dialogue round" that took place between Washington and Baghdad in July.
The message went on to say that the council "did not believe in the seriousness of the occupation and its commitment" to withdrawing combat troops from Iraq according to the established timeline, but was itself "committed to giving the Iraqi negotiator an opportunity to expel the American occupation from our pure land through diplomatic means."
But since then, the commission said it had "not yet seen any manifestations of withdrawal despite that only 42 days separate us from 12/31/2021."
"On the contrary, we have observed that the brazen American occupation increased its numbers and equipment in its bases in Iraq," the commission said, "and we even heard official and semi-official statements from officials of the American states of evil about their intention not to withdraw from the country under the pretext that there was a request from Baghdad to do so, at a time when we did not see any response or denial from the Iraqi government about these clumsy statements!"
The militia said its forces were prepared to meet such an outcome with action.
"We affirm that the weapons of the honorable resistance, which have been talked about a lot in the past days, and some insisted on embroiling them in recent political rivalries, will be ready to dismember the occupation as soon as the moment comes and the deadline ends after twelve o'clock in the evening of 12/31/2021," the statement said.
The ongoing presence of U.S. troops going on four years after Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) has remained a dividing factor in the country, especially as clashes between U.S. troops and Iraqi militias have escalated in recent years.
Frictions peaked at the turn of 2019 to 2020 as deadly exchanges culminated in the U.S. slaying of Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander Major General Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad International Airport.
Shortly after this event, Iraqi lawmakers voted for the expulsion of foreign forces from the country, and Soleimani's successor, Esmail Qaani, has further vowed to push U.S. forces from the region.
Rocket strikes have continued to target U.S. positions and President Joe Biden has twice retaliated, striking sites in both Iraq and neighboring Syria, where Iran-backed groups deployed against ISIS and other jihadis have also targeted U.S. troops tasked with a similar mission.
Domestic politics have also proven an incendiary factor as of late.
Last month, the country held its sixth election since the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled longtime leader Saddam Hussein.
The results saw strong gains for influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and a disappointing turnout for paramilitary blocs whose supporters took to the streets to challenge the vote, leading to clashes with security forces in which at least two demonstrators were killed.
Upon the backdrop of these events, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's residence was targeted by small, explosives-rigged drones in an apparent assassination attempt that prompted universal condemnation, including from the U.S., Iran and the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Commission.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Those seeking a timely withdrawal of U.S. forces have accused Kadhimi of being soft on Washington, while those critical of Tehran have accused Iran of exerting pressure on the Iraqi leader through the use of its local partners.
The U.S., for its part, has offered no sign it planned to pull out of Iraq completely as it did in Afghanistan in August, and the definition of "combat" forces has remained somewhat unclear as the Pentagon has maintained for years that its presence in the country was solely for training and advising Iraq personnel to fight ISIS.
Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for the Middle East Dana Stroud reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to the December 31 deadline during an interview aired Tuesday by Al Jazeera, but she also said that U.S. troops would continue to support Iraqi forces as long as Baghdad welcomed them in the country.
"We are still committed to advising and assisting the Iraqi forces in their fight, and we'll be there so long as they would like our help," she said.
She also said that "the United States remains absolutely committed to Iraq, the security of Iraq, the sovereignty of Iraq and the ability of Iraqi citizens to live in peace and safety."
On Sunday however, Iraqi member of parliament and the Al-Sadiqoon bloc that represents the powerful, influential Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia Hassan Salem referred to Iraq's resistance elements as the true defender of the nation, even if this bothered rivals such as the U.S., the United Kingdom, Israel and the monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula.
"The Islamic resistance factions are the only guarantee of Iraq's sovereignty," Salem tweeted Sunday, "and they are a thorn in the path of the U.S.-British-Zionist Gulf project that targets the country."
And the following day, as the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Commission published its position, the head of an Iraqi militia targeted twice this year in strikes order by Biden in response to attacks on U.S. military positions doubled down on the warning.
Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada Secretary-General Abu Alaa al-Walai tweeted Friday: "With the approaching hour of decisiveness and a major confrontation, the Islamic Resistance, the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, announces the opening of the door to belonging and volunteering to its ranks and calls on our resistant Iraqi people and the resistance factions to raise the level of readiness in preparation for the decisive and historic confrontation with the American occupation on 12/31/2021 after 12:00 a.m."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ir ... d=msedgntp
"Iraq Resistance Warns It's Ready to Expel U.S. by Force at End of Year"
Tom O'Connor
19 NOVEMBER 2021
A group of Iraqi militias has issued a warning that they were prepared to take up arms against the U.S. military presence in Iraq if U.S. troops stayed in the country past the upcoming year's end deadline for combat operations revealed over the summer by President Joe Biden.
In a statement issued Friday and shared with Newsweek, the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Commission, an umbrella of paramilitary groups aligned with the pro-Iran Axis of Resistance opposed to the U.S. footprint in the region, said its members were "closely monitoring the extent of commitment to the outcomes of the so-called strategic dialogue round" that took place between Washington and Baghdad in July.
The message went on to say that the council "did not believe in the seriousness of the occupation and its commitment" to withdrawing combat troops from Iraq according to the established timeline, but was itself "committed to giving the Iraqi negotiator an opportunity to expel the American occupation from our pure land through diplomatic means."
But since then, the commission said it had "not yet seen any manifestations of withdrawal despite that only 42 days separate us from 12/31/2021."
"On the contrary, we have observed that the brazen American occupation increased its numbers and equipment in its bases in Iraq," the commission said, "and we even heard official and semi-official statements from officials of the American states of evil about their intention not to withdraw from the country under the pretext that there was a request from Baghdad to do so, at a time when we did not see any response or denial from the Iraqi government about these clumsy statements!"
The militia said its forces were prepared to meet such an outcome with action.
"We affirm that the weapons of the honorable resistance, which have been talked about a lot in the past days, and some insisted on embroiling them in recent political rivalries, will be ready to dismember the occupation as soon as the moment comes and the deadline ends after twelve o'clock in the evening of 12/31/2021," the statement said.
The ongoing presence of U.S. troops going on four years after Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) has remained a dividing factor in the country, especially as clashes between U.S. troops and Iraqi militias have escalated in recent years.
Frictions peaked at the turn of 2019 to 2020 as deadly exchanges culminated in the U.S. slaying of Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander Major General Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad International Airport.
Shortly after this event, Iraqi lawmakers voted for the expulsion of foreign forces from the country, and Soleimani's successor, Esmail Qaani, has further vowed to push U.S. forces from the region.
Rocket strikes have continued to target U.S. positions and President Joe Biden has twice retaliated, striking sites in both Iraq and neighboring Syria, where Iran-backed groups deployed against ISIS and other jihadis have also targeted U.S. troops tasked with a similar mission.
Domestic politics have also proven an incendiary factor as of late.
Last month, the country held its sixth election since the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled longtime leader Saddam Hussein.
The results saw strong gains for influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and a disappointing turnout for paramilitary blocs whose supporters took to the streets to challenge the vote, leading to clashes with security forces in which at least two demonstrators were killed.
Upon the backdrop of these events, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's residence was targeted by small, explosives-rigged drones in an apparent assassination attempt that prompted universal condemnation, including from the U.S., Iran and the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Commission.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Those seeking a timely withdrawal of U.S. forces have accused Kadhimi of being soft on Washington, while those critical of Tehran have accused Iran of exerting pressure on the Iraqi leader through the use of its local partners.
The U.S., for its part, has offered no sign it planned to pull out of Iraq completely as it did in Afghanistan in August, and the definition of "combat" forces has remained somewhat unclear as the Pentagon has maintained for years that its presence in the country was solely for training and advising Iraq personnel to fight ISIS.
Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for the Middle East Dana Stroud reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to the December 31 deadline during an interview aired Tuesday by Al Jazeera, but she also said that U.S. troops would continue to support Iraqi forces as long as Baghdad welcomed them in the country.
"We are still committed to advising and assisting the Iraqi forces in their fight, and we'll be there so long as they would like our help," she said.
She also said that "the United States remains absolutely committed to Iraq, the security of Iraq, the sovereignty of Iraq and the ability of Iraqi citizens to live in peace and safety."
On Sunday however, Iraqi member of parliament and the Al-Sadiqoon bloc that represents the powerful, influential Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia Hassan Salem referred to Iraq's resistance elements as the true defender of the nation, even if this bothered rivals such as the U.S., the United Kingdom, Israel and the monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula.
"The Islamic resistance factions are the only guarantee of Iraq's sovereignty," Salem tweeted Sunday, "and they are a thorn in the path of the U.S.-British-Zionist Gulf project that targets the country."
And the following day, as the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Commission published its position, the head of an Iraqi militia targeted twice this year in strikes order by Biden in response to attacks on U.S. military positions doubled down on the warning.
Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada Secretary-General Abu Alaa al-Walai tweeted Friday: "With the approaching hour of decisiveness and a major confrontation, the Islamic Resistance, the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, announces the opening of the door to belonging and volunteering to its ranks and calls on our resistant Iraqi people and the resistance factions to raise the level of readiness in preparation for the decisive and historic confrontation with the American occupation on 12/31/2021 after 12:00 a.m."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ir ... d=msedgntp