1、Afghanistan Brief,References: CIAs The World Factbook The Library of Congress Afghanistan Country Study “Seeds of Terror” by Gretchen Peters The Long War Journal,Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan),Agenda,Geography Climate Languages Culture Economy Natural Resources Medical Information
2、 History Politics Insurgent Groups Current Operations Assumptions/Questions,GEOGRAPHY,Country is landlocked and mountainous. The country is divided by the Hindu Kush Mountains into northern and southwestern.Natural hazards of the land are: Earthquakes Droughts Floods The longest river, the Helmand R
3、iver, which originates in the Hindu Kush Mountains is not navigable and runs west to the Iranian border. Environmental hazards: Soil degradation (“Moon Dust”) Overgrazing Deforestation Desertification Water pollution,Geography,Land Boundaries: Total: 5,529 km Border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936
4、km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km,Geography,Climate,The climate is typical of an arid or semiarid steppe, with cold winters and dry summers. The mountain regions of the northeast are subarctic with dry and cold winters. Severe blizzards generally occu
5、rs from December through February. In the mountains bordering Pakistan, a divergent fringe effect of the monsoon, generally coming from the southeast, brings tropical air masses between July and September. These air masses advance into central and southern Afghanistan, bringing increased humidity an
6、d some rain. In the western and southern regions a northerly wind, known as the “Wind of 120 days,“ blows during the summer months of June to September. This wind is usually accompanied by intense heat, drought, and sand storms. Dust and whirlwinds frequently occur during the summer months on the fl
7、ats in the southern part of the country.,Languages,Culture,The center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side Below the mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK) Central image is circled by a
8、 border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning “God is great“) A bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan,Flag Des
9、cription:,3 equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other two bands,Culture,Multi-cultural Multiple Languages Has always been a cross-roads for trade and cultural exchange within Asia,Culture,
10、Has aspects from various religions, especially dances Strong Arabic influence Merchants still enjoy bartering,Economy,“Narco-Terrorist State” Thrives on poppy production In 2007 Afghanistan accounted for 95% of the heroin produced in the world, 753 tons Capable of producing wheat, but doesnt generat
11、e comparable income 40% unemployment in 2006 Mining operations,Natural gas Petroleum Coal Copper Chromite Talc Barites,Natural Resources,Lead Zinc Iron ore Salt Precious stones Semiprecious stones Sulfur,Medical Information,Major infectious diseases: Risk: High Food/Waterborne Diseases: Bacterial an
12、d Protozoal Diarrhea, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid Fever Vectorborne Disease: Malaria Animal Contact Disease: Rabies(Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact wi
13、th birds (2009).,Alexander the Great conquers area around the year 330 B.C. Afghans resist foreign rule,First known religion in Afghanistan was Zoroastrianism.Buddhism followed later. In 652 AD, Arabs introduced Islamic teachings.,History,By the year 1220, Genghis Khans conquest destroyed the irriga
14、tion system, resulting in the desertification of Afghanistans fertile soil.,In the mid 900s, the Ghaznavid Dynasty made Afghanistan become the center of Islamic power and civilization.,From 1500-1700, the country was bitterly divided by the Uzbeks in the north, the Persians in the west and the Pasht
15、uns and the Mughals in the East. During this time period, war continued to tear the country apart.,History,THE GREAT GAME,Afghanistans internal affairs were further disturbed by the Tsarist Russian and British Empires. The British Indian colony was looking to expand to the Hindu Kush mountains while
16、 the Russians were expanding to the south and the east.,History,Founded in 1747 - Durrani Empire (Ahmed Shah Durrani) First Pashtun ruler Afghan Nationalism Current Afghan President Karzai is of the Durrani ClanServed as a buffer between the British and Russian empires The British Indian colony was
17、looking to expand to the Hindu Kush mountains The Russians were expanding to the south and the east.It won its independence in 1919,For 40 years, Muhammad Zahir Shah brought tribal leaders together under a unified Afghanistan. In 1978, Shahs rule was overthrown by Mohammed Doud Khan and established
18、the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). The Soviet Union took an active interest in the revolution by invading Afghanistan and assigning power to a more moderate faction of the PDPA. Islamic fundamentalist groups assisted by Osama Bin laden began to retaliate with the help of CIA and Pak
19、istani Intelligence. US also sought to exploit this situation causing the Soviet Union to waste resources and increase its leverage during the Cold War. Soviet Union withdrew after casualties began to mount dramatically.,History,In 1979, the USSR invaded Afghanistan to enforce communist ideology 10
20、years of a heavy resistance from anti-Communist Mujahedin rebels forced the USSR to withdraw in 1989 After the withdraw of the USSR in 1989, Afghanistan suffered 7 years of civil war In 1996 the Taliban claimed political power over Afghanistan Ended civil war Drove out mujahidin war lords Brought st
21、abilization to the country Enforced Sharia Law,History Cont.,Taliban control from 1996 to 2001 After the attacks of 9/11 Coalition Forces removed the Taliban regime from power during Operation Enduring Freedom for providing a safe haven for Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Ladin.United Nations helped establis
22、h political reconstruction through introducing a Democracy In 2004 Hamid Karzai became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan Despite gains in building a stable government, a resurgent Taliban remains a serious threat to Afghanistan government,Politics,Politics,National Election:
23、President Karzai is up for reelection. Chief rival: Dr. Abdullah Abdullah (strong support in the Herat province in the northwest). Support for Karzai is slipping in the Pashtun South, his stronghold as a result anti US posturing.,International Politics (Cross Border problems),The Spira district in K
24、ohst province borders North Waziristan in Pakistans Northwest Frontier Province. Red: agencies/ districts controlled by the Taliban Purple: is defacto control Yellow: under threat.,Taliban,Also known as “Students of Islamic Knowledge Movement“ Ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001 Their policiesinc
25、luding their treatment of women and support of terroristsostracized them from the world community. The Taliban is one of the Mujahadeen (“holy warriors“ or “freedom fighters“) groups that formed during the war against the Soviet Union. The Taliban, under the direction of Mullah Muhammad Omar, brough
26、t about this order through a very strict interpretation of Sharia law. In contrast to their strict beliefs, the Taliban profited from smuggling operations (primarily electronics) and opium cultivation. Although many Taliban members have fled Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion, many conduct operatio
27、ns throughout southern Afghanistan and from Pakistan.,Al Qaeda,Established by Osama Bin Ladin in the late 1980s to bring together Arabs who fought in Afghanistan against the Soviet invasion. Helped finance, recruit, transport, and train Sunni Islamic extremists for the Afghan resistance. Current goa
28、l is to establish a pan-Islamic Caliphate throughout the world by working with allied Islamic extremist groups to overthrow regimes it deems “non-Islamic“ and expelling Westerners and non-Muslims from Muslim countries. Plotted to carry out terrorist operations against the U.S. and Israeli tourists v
29、isiting Jordan for millennial celebrations. May have several hundred to several thousand members. Also serves as a focal point or umbrella organization for a worldwide network that includes many Sunni Islamic extremist groups such as Egyptian Islamic Jihad, some members of al-Gamaat al-Islamiyya, th
30、e Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and the Harakat ul-Mujahidin.,Hezbi Iaslami,Meaning Islamic Party is an Islamic organization commonly known for fighting the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Led by and founded by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar , it was established in Pakistan in 1975 and grew out of the Musl
31、im Youth organization, an Islamist organization founded in Kabul by students and teachers at Kabul University in 1969 to combat communism in Afghanistan. Its membership was drawn from ethnic Pashtuns, and its ideology from Muslim Brotherhood and Abdul Maududis Jamaat-e-Islami. Divided into two facti
32、ons: Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) and Khalis Faction. Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin is considered a terrorist organization.,Lashkar-e-Taiba,“Army of the Good,” “Army of the Righteous,” or “Army of the Pure” The Lashkar-e-Taiba was created to participate in the Mujahadeen conflict against the Najibullah r
33、egime in Afghanistan. Cultivated links with the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan and also with Osama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network. Members have carried out major attacks against India and its objective is to introduce an Islamic state in South Asia and to “liberate“ Muslims residing in Ind
34、ian Administered Kashmir. The group reportedly conducts training camps and humanitarian work. These camps have long been trained by the Pakistans powerful Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) agency because of their usefulness against India and in Afghanistan, though they have reportedly been told not t
35、o mount any operations for now.,The Islamic Movement of Central Asia (IMCA) also known as Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is an Islamist organization affiliated with Al Qaeda, headed by Tohir YoIdosh. Operated in Central Asia since its formation on September 16, 2002. Its objective is to create a pan
36、-Central Asia Islamist theocracy. Members include Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uzbek, Chechen, and Uyghur militants. Kyrgyz Defense Minister Esen Topoyev said there were several hundred Islamic militants and terrorist bases in Badakhsan Province, Afghanistan, and 1,500 terrorists in Paktia Province, as recently a
37、s September 2002. Current situation where President was deposed last week requires assessment of Kyrgystans political landscape and security of the US leased Manas Air Base.,Islamic Movement of Central Asia,Jemaah Islamiyah (JI),Southeast Asias “premier terror group” Seeks to establish a pan-Islamic
38、 state across Southeast Asia Currently holding captured US Soldier, PFC Bowe Bergdahl,Current Operations,The 411th EN BDE may be directed South to assist the NATO (ISAF) forces and US Marines. Currently, 4,000 US Marines along with allied forces are engaged with the Taliban in the Southern Province
39、of Helmand.Current operations are being strained by the logistical requirements to sustain increased troop strength.Route Clearance high priority as convoys IED threat increasing.,Assumptions,Expect high elevations to restrict helicopters use in areas, especially during summer season. Landlocked cou
40、ntry: supplies have to travel overland and are exposed to IED threat or have to be flown in at great expense and then travel overland to remote bases. Nearest Port is in Karachi, Pakistan, 350 miles south of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on the Indian Ocean, lots of log convoys (expect delays). 19
41、th century infrastructure throughout most of the country Expect communications and traveling to be difficult over the terrain and distances. Set up BDE HQ, not falling in on anything. Bring everything we need to set up (automation, network (cables, servers, etc), building materials and tools). Need a robust PDSS, 15+ not counting the mob station trainers. Torch party should stay behind to after PDSS to start working on developing lay of land familiarity and build BDE TOC/living area. Need G4/CORs, G2, G3, Tech HQs, G6 reps. Expect austere conditionsand austere logistics once there.,
