Afghanistan War News Updates -- September 28, 2012

U.S. Navy Lt. Jerry Mojzis, center, and Cmdr. Thomas A. Sheppard pull security during a mission to Pur Chaman district, Farah province, Afghanistan, Sept. 26, 2012. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Lovelady

Military’s Own Report Card Gives Afghan Surge An F -- Danger Room

The U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan ended last week. Conditions in Afghanistan are mostly worse than before it began.

That conclusion doesn’t come from anti-war advocates. It relies on data recently released by the NATO command in Afghanistan, known as ISAF, and acquired by Danger Room. According to most of the yardsticks chosen by the military — but not all — the surge in Afghanistan fell short of its stated goal: stopping the Taliban’s momentum.

Of course, that’s not ISAF’s spin. The command notes that enemy attacks from January to August 2012 are slightly lower, by 5 percent, from that period last year; and that the past two Augusts show a reduction in attacks of 30 percent. But the more relevant comparison is to 2009, when Afghanistan looked like such a mess that President Obama substantially increased troop levels. And compared to 2009, Afghanistan does not look improved.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

Whatever Pentagon Says, U.S. Patrols With Afghans Aren’t ‘Normal’ Yet -- Danger Room
NATO Resuming More Operations With Afghans, Pentagon Says -- New York Times/Reuters
U.S. resumes joint operations with Afghans -- Washington Post
Panetta: Partnered operations with Afghans back to normal -- Stars And Stripes
NATO joint patrols with Afghans back to 'normal': US -- AFP
NATO Troops Resume Partnered Operations in Afghanistan -- ABC News
Joint missions rise again in Afghanistan -- Foreign Policy
Pause in joint patrols threatens NATO mission -- Deutsche Welle

Shropshire soldier Lance Cpl Jones awarded Military Cross -- BBC
Soldier who led Afghanistan bayonet charge honoured -- AFP
Soldier who led Afghanistan bayonet charge into hail of bullets honoured -- The Telegraph
Soldiers honoured for Afghanistan battlefield bravery -- The Guardian
Military Cross for shot soldier Rifleman Matthew Wilson -- BBC

Air superiority – Harriers continue operations over Helmand -- Marines.mil
Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is being smuggled into Afghanistan for IEDs -- Washington Post
Afghan troops get a lesson in American cultural ignorance -- Washington Post
Afghanistan: As Nato troops pull out, Kabul has the task of rebuilding society -- The Guardian
British-built schools in Afghanistan may be forced to close -- The Telegraph
Afghan schools and clinics built by British military forced to close -- The Guardian
Exclusive: Chinese halt at flagship mine imperils Afghan future -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters

Dakota Meyer on the state of the Afghan war -- FOX News
Taliban likely to regain power in Kabul: Analyst -- Ahram Online/AFP
Our soldiers still dying in a war half forgotten -- Chicago Sun Times editorial