Commander Sees Success in Iraqi Security Forces

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2007 – U.S. forces are continuing to see improvements in the abilities of the Iraqi security forces they are training, the commander of the Iraqi Assistance Group today told representatives of veterans service organizations during a conference call from Iraq.

“From the streets of Baghdad to the Iranian border, transition teams are providing high-quality advice and assistance to Iraq security force units,” said Army Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard, commander of the Iraq Assistance Group in charge of helping Iraqi military, police and border enforcement officials.

Pittard said his troops are working directly with Iraqi leaders from a variety of units to advise them in real-time scenarios and tactical operations. They also are assisting with the organization’s staffing and unit structures.

To help make Iraqi forces more effective, Pittard’s group serves as the key link between Multinational Corps Iraq, which commands operations in the country, and Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, which equips, mans and trains Iraqi security forces.

During the conference call, Pittard said he travels almost daily to engage with Iraqi leaders, noncommissioned officers and units who are making great strides in security enforcement throughout Iraq.

“I feel like I’ve been witnessing history in the making,” Pittard said. “I’ve watched very courageous Iraqi leaders make tough decisions and work hard to develop units capable of defending their homeland.”

He cited the commanders of Iraqi ground forces, the national police and department of border enforcement units as making extraordinary efforts and “stepping up to the plate” to put an end to sectarian influences.

Efforts along the Iraqi border haven’t always been a priority for the country, he said.

“Over the last year we’ve seen more of a priority from the Iraqi government and coalition forces in training and equipping the Department of Border Enforcement,” Pittard said.

After training and working with representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Iraqi forces are primarily focusing on the country’s borders with Iran and Syria.

Pittard compared this “tough job” to the issues the United States has in securing its border with Mexico.

Beginning in May, more than 100 former U.S. border patrol agents have been contracted to assist Iraqis in border operations, Pittard said. Two of these agents have been embedded with each 11-man border transition team.

Applying their knowledge from operations at the U.S./Mexico border, agents have assisted Iraqi border enforcement officials along the Syrian border in using a “layered” approach with checkpoints at and away from the border. Pittard said this has helped reduce illegal goods and foreign fighters coming across the border.

Despite recent problems at the Iranian border with smuggling explosively formed projectiles, border officials are seeing some success in their efforts, the general said.

“Whether you talk to a soldier in Iraq or a Marine in al Anbar and ask them if we’re winning or losing,” he said, “I’d say the majority would say we are winning.”

He said his troops are making slow, methodical progress, and efforts will require time and patience on the part of Americans and Iraqis.

“We know it’s a moral commitment,” he said. “We can’t leave this nation as a failed state in disarray. We owe it to the American people and the Iraqi people to leave Iraq as a stable nation that can govern and defend itself with the Iraqi security forces.”

House Asks Where UAVs Belong

Yesterday the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces Subcommittee held a hearing on the proposed fiscal 2008 budget. In particular, the hearing focused on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program and the issue of single control of the program under one service. Many issues of efficiency and effectiveness were discussed, leading to a request for answers in writing from the panel explaining how many service members are currently working within the UAV fields for each service and also a detailed response on how having the Air Force as the executive agency for UAVs would effect other services getting what they needed when they needed it. The question on the number of service members comes from a previous hearing where General Moseley stated that 75,000 airmen are performing jobs normally filled by the Army.

During this hearing Michigan Representative Candice Miller brought the importance of the National Guard’s role with UAVs to the committee’s attention, noting that the UAV has an important place in border security particularly within the National Guard.

Coalition, Afghan Forces Counter Taliban Offensive

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – Coalition and Afghan National Army operations have blunted the Taliban spring offensive in eastern Afghanistan, Army Brig. Gen. Joseph Votel said at a Pentagon news conference today.

Votel, the deputy commanding general for operations for Combined Joint Task Force 82, spoke to reporters via a video hook-up.

Votel said coalition operations seem to have countered the long-anticipated Taliban spring offensive.

“We have been more offensive than I think they have in our posturing and in our ability to dominate areas on the battlefield,” Votel said. “As a result of that, I think we've seen a decrease in activities along the border. And our ability to be in more places, along with our Afghan national security force partners, has enabled us to address a broader area across Regional Command East.”

Coalition and Afghan leaders began preparing to counter the Taliban offensive over the winter. More NATO and U.S. troops are in the country, there is closer cooperation with Pakistani forces, and more Afghan forces moved to the border area to stop Taliban infiltration. This seems to have paid off, Votel said.

“So I would not necessarily characterize it as any kind of offensive,” he said. “We certainly haven't seen it manifest itself to any great degree.”

There have been attacks, the general said, “but we have not seen what I would describe as a spring offensive by the Taliban.”

Regional Command East is part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. U.S., NATO and Afghan forces continue to hunt Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists. The command helps train Afghan soldiers, police and border patrol personnel. It also helps extend the influence and control of the central and provincial governments.

The command is in the midst of Operation Eagle Teamwork, which builds on the counterinsurgency strategy of clear, hold and build.

“In the clear phase, we are focusing on separating the insurgents from the population,” Votel said. “This requires the Afghan national security forces' participation at all levels to kill or capture the enemy and disrupt his command and control capability. To this end, we are conducting military operations in the interior of the country and along the border area with Pakistan.”

In the hold phase, the command helps the Afghan government establish a permanent presence in the region. In the build phase, the command invests in developing and expanding government capabilities into these provincial and district areas, the general said.

“We are working very closely with the U.S. Agency for International Development and other national and international non-governmental organizations to ensure our military operations are quickly followed by reconstruction and development activities that extend the reach and influence of the district, provincial and national governments,” he said.

Regional Command East has spent more than $125 million of the Commanders Emergency Response Program funds to make a difference in the lives of Afghans in the region, Votel said.

“Our top development efforts are focused on provincial coordination centers, district coordination centers, the development and capacity building within the Afghan national security forces, roads, agriculture, border security, education and health care,” he said.

In the past three months, the command has funded 14 agricultural projects, more than 60 educational projects, about 20 electricity projects and more than 40 health care projects. “Water is a key aspect here in Afghanistan, and as a result, we've worked 25 irrigation projects, repairing dams, water systems, flood walls and canals,” Votel said.

Roads are key in the landlocked country. The command has nearly 65 transportation projects -- roads, bridges, and retaining walls -- under way, the general said.

U.S. soldiers have taken the news that they must serve 15-month tours in Afghanistan in stride, Votel said. “Nobody wants to stay any longer than they're required to stay here in Afghanistan,” he said. “But that said, you know, we are relatively early on in our deployment here. It was not unexpected completely that we might be extended.

“I think in talking to most soldiers out there – and I do have a pretty good opportunity to get around and visit with them and talk to them – they are glad to be here participating in this mission,” he continued. “They believe in it. And I think they're committed to stay and accomplish the mission. And we will trust that our leaders will be taking care of our families and get us back as soon as we can and when we've completed our portion of the mission.”