USA and UK cease combat operations in Afghanistan: What’s next?

The United States and United Kingdom ceased combat operations in Afghanistan today:

October 26, 2014

The last U.S. Marines unit and final British combat troops in Afghanistan officially ended their operations on Sunday as they packed up to leave the country and transferred a massive military base to the Afghan military.

The American and British flags were lowered and folded up for the final time at the regional headquarters of the international military, 13 years after the toppling of the Taliban’s radical Islamist regime launched America’s longest war. …

The province, which produces 80-90 percent of the opium that helps finance the Taliban’s insurgency, has seen fierce fighting this year, with Taliban and allied forces seeking to seize the district of Sangin from Afghan army and police.The battles have raised concerns about whether Afghan forces are truly able to hold off the Taliban without intelligence and air support from the United States and its allies. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/uk-ends-combat-operations-afghan-province-article-1.1987458?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fsports%2Fbasketball%2Fnets+%28Sports%2FBasketball%2FNets%29

October 26, 2014

British and U.S. soldiers have formally marked the end of combat operations in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province by handing control of the country’s largest military base to Afghan forces.

The British flag was lowered Sunday in a ceremony at Camp Bastion, while the American flag came down for a final time at the adjacent Camp Leatherneck.

The handover ends an important chapter in the 13-year Afghan campaign, which started after the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001.

All NATO combat troops will leave Afghanistan by December, leaving most of the fight against a resilient Taliban insurgency to Afghan army and police.

The timing of the troops’ withdrawal from the base in the strategic province of Helmand was not released for security reasons.

Camp Leatherneck is the largest U.S. base to be handed over to Afghan control as the coalition ends its combat mission at the end of the year,

British base

British forces transferred the adjacent Camp Bastion at the same time. The camp has been the center of UK operations in Afghanistan since 2006.

UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said the end of combat operations is being announced “with pride” and that Britain has helped give Afghanistan “the best possible chance of a stable future.”

Fallon said Britain’s commitment to support Afghanistan will continue “through institutional development, the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, and development aid.”

Brigadier Rob Thomson, senior British officer in Helmand, said Afghan National Security Forces are “more than ready” to assume responsibility for security.

A total of 453 British troops and 2,349 Americans have been killed during the campaign.

Southwest command

Once a teeming compound of about 40,000 personnel, the coalition’s Regional Command (Southwest) combined base on Sunday resembled a dust-swept, well-fortified ghost town.

“It’s empty now – when I got here, it was still bustling, so there were a lot of services around and people around,” said Marine Capt. Ryan Steenberge, whose taskforce was overseeing surveillance and security for the withdrawal and will be among the last troops out.

The most recent official estimate of combined international troops at the base was 4,500 – and those last few will be gone soon, officials said.

Many facilities such as pipelines, buildings, roads and even office furniture remain in place, with the U.S. alone estimating $230 million worth of equipment is being left behind.

After the withdrawal, the Afghan National Army’s 215th Corps will be headquartered at the 6,500-acre base, leaving almost no foreign military presence in Helmand.

General Sayed Malook, who leads the Afghan forces in the region and has now established his quarters in the base, said the camp would become a military training center and house 1,800 soldiers.

“I’m certain we can maintain the security,” Malook told the French news agency AFP on Sunday. Asked about the departure of the NATO troops, he said: “I’m happy and sad. I’m happy because they are going to their home, I’m sad because they are friends.”

The province, which produces 80 to 90 percent of the opium that helps finance the Taliban’s insurgency, has seen fierce fighting this year, with Taliban and allied forces seeking to seize the district of Sangin from Afghan army and police.

Afghan army’s abilities

The battles have raised concerns about whether Afghan forces are truly able to hold off the Taliban without intelligence and air support from the United States and its allies.

Officials with the U.S.-led coalition say the Afghan forces held their own this summer fighting season and did not lose any significant ground.

“I’m cautiously optimistic they will be able to sustain themselves,” said Brig. Gen Daniel Yoo, the commander of Regional Command (Southwest), said of the Afghan forces.

He said the success of the Afghan security army and police depended on leadership, continued development of logistics and confidence.

“They’ve got to want it more than we do,” he said of Afghan forces that have been losing hundreds of soldiers and policemen each month in battles, assassinations and suicide attacks by insurgents. http://www.voanews.com/content/afghanistan-troop-withdrawal-us-marines-british-combat-forces/2496918.html

The Afghanistan war followed the September 11 attacks, and its public aims were to dismantle al-Qaeda and denying it a safe basis of operation in Afghanistan by removing the s group called the Taliban from power. While both al-Qaeda and the Taliban still exist, they have not been able to control as much in Afghanistan.

Barack Obama pushed for an increase of troops into Afghanistan years ago, but now (partially because of negotiation issues with the government now leading Afghanistan) is pulling all USA troops out.

The statements by Brigadier General Daniel Yoo “I’m cautiously optimistic they will be able to sustain themselves,” and “They’ve got to want it more than we do” suggest that he does not really believe that the Afghanis will be able to hold together. At least not how the USA and UK would prefer.

After Barack Obama pulled troops out of Iraq, a group called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant rose up. When ISIL fought the American trained Iraqi troops, those troops often dropped their weapons and fled. This resulted in ISIL taking over territory. It now calls itself as simply the Islamic State. The Islamic State is believed to pose the greatest threat to Iraq and the general region. It may well decide to use part of Afghanistan as a safe haven by 2015.

Afghanistan is difficult to govern. Its terrain, regional leaders, and limited infrastructure have always made it difficult to control. Islamic supporters will look for places to stay there.

Hamid Karzai was elected president of the country, which is now named the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai has had significant public differences with the USA–and that is part of why the troops are leaving.

The ceasing of combat operations by the UK and USA is not a victory in Afghanistan. It is a pause so that troops can be pulled out. It will not bring real peace to the region. At least some in Afghanistan will likely support the rise of a leader that the Bible refers to as the final King of the South.

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