| Small Wars Journal

Today's Focus at STAND-TO! - Combined Action Operations

Combined Action Operations

What is it?

Combined action is a deliberate task organization that partners and embeds U.S. forces training teams with a host nation unit to conduct operations with a host nation face. U.S. forces can show host nation forces what right looks like, hold the host nation forces accountable for their actions, and are less likely to offend the host nation populace. The end state of combined action is the local populace having trust and confidence in local security forces. U.S. forces do not withdraw from being embedded; instead they gradually thin out and maintain a headquarters as there is a reduction of combat forces.

What has the Army done?

First coined during Vietnam, combined action is executed in a similar manner: Small teams living amid the populace, partnering with local forces to drive a wedge between the populace and the insurgency. The Army started combined action in both Iraq and Afghanistan and sees improvements in both Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Combined action operations are taking place now in the Khost-Gardez pass. ANSF and Coalition forces are partnering there to improve security and governance.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

The Army continues to use and refine this model. As host nation security forces conduct operations with confidence and integrity, the populace can begin to trust in these forces. The Iowa National Guard 2-34th IBCT (Red Bulls) is training on current patrol techniques, key leader engagements, and partnering with local security forces in the current contemporary operating environment for this mission.

Why is this important to the Army?

Combined action is paramount to defeating insurgency. Through combined action the Army, working in conjunction with ANSF, can restore the trust and confidence that the local populace has toward its local security forces.

STAND-TO! Resources:

COMISAF's Counterinsurgency Guidance - General David Petraeus

Combined Action in Afghanistan; August 2010 - Company Command document

Combined Action in the Khost-Gardez Pass - Related article

Small Wars Journal Resources (USMC / Vietnam):

Did the Marines Better Understand the Nature of the Vietnam Conflict and Was the Combined Action Program More Suitable than Civil Operations Revolutionary Development Support in Dealing With Insurgents? - Major Kenneth Eugene Wynn

Combine Action and US Marine Experiences in Vietnam, 1965-71 - Major Phillip Ridderhof

Combined Action Platoons: A Strategy for Peace Enforcement - Major Brooks Brewington

The U.S. Marine Corps Combined Action Program (CAP): A Proposed Alternative Strategy for the Vietnam War - Major Curtis Williamson III

Civic Action: The Marine Corps Experience in Vietnam - Peter Brush

The Combined Action Program: Vietnam - Captain Keith Kopets

Insurgency, Counterinsurgency, And The Marines In Vietnam - Major Frank Pelli

The Marine Corps' Combined Action Program and Modern Peace Operations - Common Themes and Lessons - Major William Go

Personal Experiences with the Combined Action Program in Vietnam - US Marine Corps Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities

The Combined Action Platoon in Iraq: An Old Technique for a New War - First Lieutenants Jason Goodale and Jon Webre

Revive Combined Action Platoons For Iraq - Marcus Corbin

Introduction to 2/7 Combined Action Program (CAP) Platoon Actions in Iraq - Lieutenant Colonel P.C. Skuta

US Marines Combined Action Platoons - CAC/CAP Web Page

The Village - Bing West's classic at Amazon.com

Woodward describes Obama's incoherent "terms sheet"

Bob Woodward's latest expose of a dysfunctional White House staff will prove as embarrassing to the Obama administration as his previous volumes were to previous administrations. Based only on this morning's accounts from the Washington Post and New York Times, Obama's Wars' greatest victim will not be a few bickering staffers but rather President Obama himself. According to Woodward and the newspaper accounts of his book, it was Obama who dictated the detailed specifications of America's military strategy in Afghanistan. These specifications arrived in the form of a six-page single-spaced "terms sheet," seemingtly drawn up to resemble a legal contract between Obama and his generals. But Obama's "terms sheet" is apparently a stew of bureaucratic and political compromises among interest groups, not a coherent strategy. Having personally written it, Obama will not be able to blame its inevitable failure on misguided staffers.

According to Woodward, Obama was frustrated with the military options presented to him in 2009, all of which called for escalation, nation-building, and a large open-ended military commitment in Afghanistan. Obama wanted none of these and growled at his military advisers for the messages they delivered. Obama seems to have had great trouble getting his staff to function properly. The problem is not the snide bickering, which is inevitable. The grave flaw appears to be the tight filters placed on the alternatives presented to Obama. "Personnel is policy." If all of Obama's military advice came from advisers who favor large-scale population-centric counterinsurgency, Obama should not be surprised when all of the options presented to him called for at least 30,000 more soldiers, nation-building, and an open-ended commitment. If this is in fact what happened during the 2009 deliberations, the blame for a poor staff process belongs to James Jones, Robert Gates, Admiral Mullen, and Obama himself.

As is already well-known, Obama has approved a population-centric counterinsurgency strategy but refused to fund it with the time necessary for success. Woodward also makes it clear that Obama proceeded with escalation even after acknowledging that the U.S. can't succeed while the Taliban's sanctuaries in Pakistan remain -- a problem that remains without a solution. What was newly revealed this morning is Obama's discomfort with his own strategy, his disdain for his military advisers, and his urgency to wind down America's military effort. As a result, Hamid Karzai will redouble his efforts to cut his own deals with Pakistan, the ISI, and the Taliban. And from that follows a higher risk of an Afghan civil war as its ethnic groups prepare to defend themselves.

Obama seems determined to resist any modification of his "terms sheet." But he and the military are not the only parties to the deal; the Taliban and reality are partners, too. Not long ago, Obama expressed pride at tripling the U.S. headcount in Afghanistan from the level left to him by the Bush administration. Escalation means greater risk and failure will mean three times the pain.

The Foreign Fighter Problem

The Foreign Fighter Problem: Recent Trends and Case Studies

Conference and Webcast

Sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute and the Reserve Officers Association

Mon.-Tues., September 27--28, 2010

Reserve Officers Association

One Constitution Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20045

On the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines have confronted third-party national combatants. Known as "foreign fighters," these individuals have gained deadly skills and connections that can be exported or exploited to devastating effect in other locations. Over the past two decades, the foreign fighters phenomenon has grown after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 to the ethnically cleansed fields of the Balkans to Chechnya and beyond. But this is not a new problem. This conference builds upon the findings of the FPRI's first foreign fighters conference from the summer of 2009 and brings together recognized academic and analytical expertise in order examine recent trends in the foreign fighter phenomenon and also explore the particular cases of Somalia, the Maghreb, Yemen, and Afghanistan/Pakistan.

More here, to include the conference agenda and registration link.

Read more about The Foreign Fighter Problem

22 September SWJ Roundup

Afghanistan

Woodward Book Portrays Obama Aides' Battles - New York Times

Woodward Book Details Obama Battles with Advisers - Washington Post

Holbrooke: Slow Afghan Progress Doesn't Alter Exit Plan - Reuters

Election Complaints Overwhelm Afghan Voter Commission - Voice of America

More Troops Provide 'Game-Changer' - American Forces Press Service

Taliban Fighters Seek Reintegration - American Forces Press Service

2010 Is Deadliest Year for NATO in Afghan War - New York Times

NATO Helicopter Crash Kills 9 in Afghanistan - Voice of America

Helicopter Crash, Bombing Kill 10 NATO Troops in Afghanistan - Washington Post

Afghan Reporter Held in Taliban Propaganda Probe - Associated Press

Commander Massoud, Killed on Eve of 9/11, A National Hero - Los Angeles Times

A Director's Many Battles to Make Her Movie - New York Times

Progress for Democracy in Afghanistan - Washington Times editorial

The Cost of War Crimes - Washington Post editorial

Iran

Iran's Leader Warns U.S. as He Rebuts Criticism - New York Times

Iranian President Expects Nuclear Talks to Resume - Los Angeles Times

Iran Displays Advanced Missile at Military Parade - Associated Press

Iran Considers Death Penalty for Blogger, Family Says - New York Times

United Nations

U.N. Summit Aims to Reduce Poverty, Hunger and Disease - VOA

World Leaders Discuss U.N. Poverty Goals - Reuters

U.N.: Progress Being Made on Combating HIV/AIDS - Voice of America

U.N. to Announce Aid for Women and Children - New York Times

U.S. Department of Defense

Amos: Marines 'Ready to Respond to Any Crisis' - American Forces Press Service

Medal of Honor Awarded to Air Force CMS for Laos Action - Washington Post

Airman's Heroism in '68 Secret Mission Is Recognized - Associated Press

Senate Blocks Debate on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' - Washington Post

Move to End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Stalls in Senate - New York Times

Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Fix - Washington Post editorial

Military Equality Goes Astray - New York Times editorial

United States

Obama to Announce New Foreign-aid Policy - Washington Post

Senators Demand No 'Backdoor' Illegals Amnesty - Washington Times

After 40 years, Search for Wisconsin Bomber Heats Up - Washington Post

Terrorism: On Red Alert and Perilously Uninformed - Washington Post opinion

Africa

Somali Prime Minister Resigns - Voice of America

Somalia's Prime Minister Resigns, Citing Political Tensions - Reuters

Clinton Says Sudan Vote Can Open Door to U.S. Ties - Reuters

Al-Qaida Claims Kidnapping of 5 French in Niger - Associated Press

South Africa's ANC Targets Media At Political Meeting - Reuters

Nigeria Election Chief Wants Vote Delayed to April - Reuters

Americas and Caribbean

Chilean Rescuers Look to Free Miners Early - Washington Post

Special Report: Who Can Beat Hugo Chavez? - Reuters

Venezuela: Chavez Plays on Sabotage Claims Before Vote - Associated Press

Asia Pacific

China Builds its Own High-tech Military - Washington Times

China Working to Counter U.S. Naval Power in the Pacific - VOA

China Says No Meeting With Japan at U.N. - New York Times

China's Wen Threatens to Step Up Japan Row - Reuters

North Korea Sets Date for Rare Leadership Conference - Voice of America

North Korea Sets Date for Leadership Gathering - New York Times

Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan to Bar U.S. Fuel Contractors from American Base - Washington Post

Europe

Swedish Vote a Bellwether as Europe Moves Right - Washington Times

U.S. Expects Closer Russia-NATO Ties - Associated Press

Italian Police Probe Big Explosives Haul - Reuters

Turkey's President on Relations with Iran, Israel and the U.S. - Washington Post

Middle East

Mideast Quartet to Discuss Boosting Israeli-Palestinian Talks - Voice of America

Quartet Keeps Pressure on Israel Over Settlements - Reuters

Clinton Presses Arab Nations to Bolster Aid to Palestinians - Washington Post

Mideast Peacemakers Push Israel on Settlements - Associated Press

Palestinian Leader Hints at Settlement Compromise - Associated Press

IDF Lethal Force in the West Bank - Washington Post

Yemen Military Besieges Remote Qaeda Redoubt - New York Times

South Asia

India Struggles to End Kashmir Unrest - New York Times

India: New Controversy Surrounds Upcoming Commonwealth Games - VOA

Hopes Fade for Success of Commonwealth Games in India - New York Times

Problems Plague India's Commonwealth Games - Washington Times

Read more about 22 September SWJ Roundup

Obama's Wars

Two news items published today provide a preview of Bob Woodward's new book Obama's Wars set for release next Monday. Steve Luxenberg in The Washington Post writes Bob Woodward book details Obama battles with advisers over exit plan for Afghan war and Peter Baker in The New York Times Woodward book portrays Obama aides' battles.

Blake Hounshell, at Foreign Policy's Passport, provides a nice overview of the "nuggets" from the two articles.

From the Amazon product description: Working behind the scenes for 18 months, Woodward has written the most intimate and sweeping portrait of Obama making the critical decisions on the Afghanistan War, the secret war in Pakistan, and the worldwide fight against terrorism. Drawing on internal memos, classified documents, meeting notes, and hundreds of hours of interviews with most of the key players, including the president, Woodward offers an original, you-are-there account of Obama and his team in this time of turmoil and uncertainty.

Read more about Obama's Wars

Gen. Amos affirms Marine Corps' return to the sea

Today General James Amos (currently the Assistant Commandant) had his confirmation hearing to be the next Commandant of the Marine Corps. Senator Scott Brown asked Amos to describe his vision for the post-Afghanistan Marine Corps (fast-forward to 91:30 in this webcast). Amos' answer re-affirmed Gen. James Conway's intention to return the Marine Corps to its naval and expeditionary roots.

Amos summed up his post-Afghanistan priorities for the Marine Corps:

1. High operational readiness

2. Persistent forward deployment, especially for ongoing theater security cooperation activities

3. Be prepared to execute a wide variety of crisis response missions

Amos made clear his strong support for a minimum of 33 Navy amphibious ships (enough for the assault echelon of two amphibious brigades) and left open the possibility that the Marine Corps' Force Structure Review Group (due to issue its report in January) may call for more than 33 amphibs. He also praised Navy Undersecretary Robert Work's support of the amphibious mission.

There was no discussion at the hearing of the troubled Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program, nor was Amos asked to discuss his views on reducing the Marine Corps' post-Afghanistan end-strength from 202,000 to 175,000.

After Afghanistan, the Conway/Amos vision seems to call for preventive Phase Zero theater security cooperation deployments to be the Marine Corps' standard day-to-day routine. At the same time, the vision calls for the Marine Corps to be ready to rapidly mass for crisis response missions, ranging from disaster relief to raids to the possibility of brigade-sized amphibious operations.

Amos pledged that the Marine Corps would retain the counterinsurgency expertise it has re-exercised over the past nine years. But Amos also seems ready to shake the image of the Marine Corps as a second land army.

Read more about Gen. Amos affirms Marine Corps' return to the sea

A New Way Forward in Afghanistan? (Updated)

Playing catch-up here: Read the Afghanistan Study Group's report "A New Way Forward: Rethinking U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan" then read (or read before) Joshua Foust's take on the report at Registan. Also see Andrew Exum at Abu Muqawama.

Update: For even more on the report see Christian Bleuer at Ghosts of Alexander, Herschel Smith at The Captian's Journal, Bernard Finel at his blog, and Justin Logan at The National Interest. And Foust responds to his critics.

21 September SWJ Roundup

Afghanistan

Defense Officials Predict Slow Afghan Progress - Wall Street Journal

Opposition Sees Gains After Afghan Voting - New York Times

Voter Fraud Claims Abound After Afghan Elections - Los Angeles Times

Fraud Must be Investigated, Afghan Vote Observers Say - Washington Times

Attacks Down, Voting Up in Afghan Elections - American Forces Press Service

Intimidation, Fraud Mar Afghan Vote - Voice of America

Karzai Hails Afghan Election as 'Serious' Flaws Found - Bloomberg

Officials Laud Afghans for Election Roles - American Forces Press Service

Afghan Officials Say Too Early to Judge Election - Associated Press

Afghan Warlords Hedge Bets, Contest Elections - Associated Press

Forces Protect Afghans During Elections - American Forces Press Service

British Forces Leave Afghanistan's Deadly Sangin District - Voice of America

U.K. Troops Leave Afghan Flashpoint - BBC News

Britain Hands Over to U.S. in Deadly Afghan District - New York Times

9 NATO Soldiers Die in Afghan Crash - Washington Post

9 NATO Members Killed in Afghan Copter Crash - New York Times

9 Deaths Make 2010 Toll Worst of Afghan War - Los Angeles Times

NATO Members Killed in Afghan Crash - Associated Press

Helicopter Crash Makes 2010 Worst Year Of Afghan War - Reuters

Contractor Helps Troops Gain Conversation Skills - Washington Post

Reinventing Afghan Real Estate - Washington Post

In Afghanistan, Boys Are Prized and Girls Live the Part - New York Times

Pakistan

Pakistan Aid Approaches 8 Million Pounds - American Forces Press Service

Iraq

Children of al-Qaeda Pay for Sins of their Fathers - Washington Post

Blast Kills 2 Iraqi Soldiers in Country's North - Associated Press

Iran

At U.N. Obama to tell Iran Door Open to Engagement - Reuters

Iran Hits At U.N. Nuclear Watchdog - Reuters

Special Report: Tracking Iran's Nuclear Money Trail to Turkey - Reuters

Iran's Paramilitary Force Gets New Missile - Associated Press

Shourd Feels only 'One-third Free' after Iran Prison Release - Los Angeles Times

Trekkers and Other Troubles in Iran - Washington Times editorial

Al Qaeda

Bin Laden Said to be Mulling Cease-fire - WTOP News

Pakistani Identified as al Qaeda Top Brass - Washington Times

U.S. Department of Defense

Army's Future Looks a Lot Like the Present - Washington Times

Senate Hearing Set on JFCOM Closure - Washington Post

McDonnell Invited to JFCOM Meeting at Pentagon - Virginian-Pilot

Key Meetings Next Week on Joint Forces Command - Daily Press

More Details About Arlington Cemetary Errors - Washington Post

The Wars' Continuing Toll - New York Times editorial

Defense Authorization Bill: D-Day for U.S. Military - Washington Times opinion

United States

Sen. Graham: U.S. is 'Punting' on National Security Issues - Washington Post

FBI Probes Were Improper, Justice Says - Washington Post

Internal Report Raps FBI's Probes of Advocacy Groups - Washington Times

FBI Spying Not Fueled by Politics, Report Says - New York Times

U.S. Muslim Leaders Call for Week of 'Dialogue' With Other Faiths - VOA

United Kingdom

Britain's Liberal Democrats Adjust to Power, and Critics - New York Times

United Nations

U.N. Chief Urges World Leaders to Meet Millennium Goals - Voice of America

U.N. Foresees Dramatic Cuts in World Poverty - Washington Post

Millennium Development Goals Appear Out of Reach in Africa - Los Angeles Times

U.N. Millennium Goals 'Can be Met' - BBC News

U.N. Says Rich Must Not Cut Aid to Poor to Balance Budgets - Reuters

France Steps Up Pledge to Combat World Poverty - Associated Press

World

Report: Poor Countries Face Education Crisis - Associated Press

Developing Nations to Get Clean-Burning Stoves - New York Times

Africa

South Sudan Independence Vote Stokes Concerns - Los Angeles Times

Sudan Slow to Act on Referendum, Official Says - Washington Times

Frontrunners for Nigerian Presidency Focus on Economy, Security - VOA

Branson Charity Seeks to Aid Zimbabwe - New York Times

Zimbabwe Constitution Meetings Halted by Violence - Associated Press

Suicide Bomber Attacks Somali Presidential Palace - Reuters

Suicide Attack on Somalia's Gov't Foiled - Associated Press

Seized Somali Media Network 'Must Serve Islam' - BBC News

French Troops Hunt Niger Hostages - BBC News

French Soldiers Hunt for Abducted Workers in Niger - Associated Press

South Africa's Zuma Sttacks ANC Divisions - BBC News

Americas and Caribbean

Brazil Becoming a Player in the Global Economy - Washington Post

Scandal Puts Bumps in Path of Brazil Leader's Protégée - New York Times

Border Tensions Are Seen at Governors' Conference - New York Times

Mexico Paper, a Drug War Victim, Calls for a Voice - New York Times

Desperate Plea from a Mexican Newspaper - Los Angeles Times

Juarez Newspaper Vows to Keep Reporting Amid Violence - Washington Post

Mexico Newspaper Pleads to Cartels - BBC News

Mexico Makes Veiled Criticism of Border Newspaper - Associated Press

Senior FARC Rebel Leader 'Killed' in Colombia - BBC News

Veteran Rebel Leader Killed In Colombia Raid - Reuters

Colombia: 3 Share $500K for Tips on Bombed Rebels - Associated Press

Chavez Turns on The Charm For Venezuela Vote - Reuters

Venezuela Guards Power Grid to Buffer Elections - Associated Press

Venezuela Sends 2 Drug Suspects to United States - Associated Press

Not-Guilty Pleas by Pair, Passing Secrets to Venezuela - Associated Press

Nicaragua Presidential Race Shaping Up to be a Bruiser - Los Angeles Times

Asia Pacific

North Korea Set for Leadership Summit - BBC News

North Korea to Hold Key Party Convention Next Week - Associated Press

North Korea Ruling Party to Hold Leadership Meeting - Reuters

North Korea Set for Leadership Summit - BBC News

Scenarios: What Delayed North Korea Ruling Party Meeting? - Reuters

Boat Collision Sparks Anger, Breakdown in China-Japan Talks - Washington Post

Japan Urges Calm in Islands Row with China - BBC News

Japan Wants Nationalism Avoided In China Sea Row - Reuters

Officials Blamed in Manila Hijack - BBC News

Philippines Weighs Charges Over Hostage Standoff - Associated Press

Fears of 'Christianization' in Indonesia - New York Times

Death of 9-Year-Old Puts Focus on Thai Gang Wars - Associated Press

Central Asia

Tajikistan Says Militants Were Behind Attack on Troops - New York Times

23 Soldiers Killed in Tajikistan Ambush - Associated Press

Radical Islam Challenges Central Asian Leaders - Reuters

Europe

France Raises Terror Security, New Threat Reported - Associated Press

War Crimes Prosecutor Presses Serbia on Mladic - Voice of America

Prosecutor: Mladic Arrest Vital For War Crimes Courts - Reuters

Sweden PM Calls for Calm After Historic Election - Voice of America

Political Earthquake Shakes Up Sweden - New York Times

German Opposition Seeks Nuclear Referendum - New York Times

Macedonia: Moderate Muslims Seek Help Against Sect - Associated Press

Middle East

Saudi King Meets Top U.S., Canadian Counter-terror Officials - AFP

Mubarak to Berlin And Rome to Discuss Mideast - Reuters

Turkey's Gul Backs Mideast Nuclear-Free Zone - Associated Press

Peres And Abbas Met Monday In New York - Reuters

Israel's Peres: Turkish Conditions for Meeting Unacceptable - Associated Press

Israelis Float Settlement Deal Involving Spy - New York Times

Peace Now Flight Highlights West Bank Settlements - New York Times

Israeli Minister: Palestinians Need to Compromise - Associated Press

PM Wants Israeli Troops at Palestinian Border - Associated Press

Israeli Arab Accused of Spying Freed in Plea Deal - Associated Press

Israel Angry At Russian Plan to Sell Syria Missiles - Reuters

Lebanon: Doom, Gloom and an Economic Boom - Voice of America

Thousands of Yemenis Flee Battle With al-Qaida - Associated Press

Thousands Flee Qaeda Clashes In South Yemen - Reuters

Bahrain Revokes Citizenship of Top Shiite Cleric - Associated Press

South Asia

Delegation of Indian Lawmakers Visits Indian Kashmir - Voice of America

Indian MPs Meet Kashmir Leaders - BBC News

India Lawmakers Meet Detained Kashmir Separatists - Reuters

Sri Lanka War Panel 'Missing' Evidence - BBC News

Read more about 21 September SWJ Roundup

Army's Future Looks a Lot Like the Present

Army's Future Looks a Lot Like the Present by Shaun Waterman of The Washington Times. Article covers the new "Army Operating Concept" developed by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the "false choice" between combined arms maneuver and security operations.