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For one thing, artificial timelines should not be placed on a drawdown of troops. To many, this was Obama's strategy's fatal flaw. Not only did it broadcast an end date for the Taliban to plan offensives around, but it also decreased their incentive to work toward a political settlement with the national government. Why would the Taliban negotiate to be a minority political party when they could instead continue chipping away at that national government until it collapses, occupying the power vacuum left behind? Additionally, the timeline was born out of political expediency, not strategy. The drawdown was a part of the president's campaign promises and reflected a waning domestic interest in the conflict. Instead, the incoming administration should base a U.S. departure from Afghanistan on one simple question: Has the Taliban committed to a political compromise with the national government? Unfortunately, that will only come after the Taliban is sufficiently pressured. In order to do that, the Taliban and other insurgency groups must be denied safe-havens in neighboring Pakistan.

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Faced with a no-win scenario in Afghanistan, US leaders must learn from Star Trek - The Diamondback

ISLAMABAD

Afghanistan is calling on Pakistan to stop fencing off the border between the two countries, suggesting that Kabul might resort to military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the issue.

The Pakistani military launched the fencing project last month after the fortification of regular border crossings and construction of new security installations along portions of the 2,600-kilometer, largely porous frontier, known as the Durand Line.

Islamabad says the measures will help address mutual terrorism concerns and prevent illegal crossings as well as terrorist infiltration in both directions.

The border security project, however, has outraged Afghan political circles and media commentators. The turmoil-hit nation historically has disputed portions of the 1893 demarcation undertaken under then-British rulers of the Indian subcontinent.

Days of heated debate on the issue in the Afghan parliament prompted the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday to issue a formal government response.

We have clearly stated that any type of unilateral actions taken along the Durand Line without the agreement of the government of Afghanistan [are] going to be ineffective, impractical and impossible, ministry spokesman Ahmed Shakib Mostaghani told a news conference in Kabul. Afghanistan has long referred to the border with Pakistan as an imaginary boundary.

Mostaghani again dismissed as mere excuses Islamabads assertions that militants are entering Pakistan from the Afghan side to launch terrorist attacks in the neighboring country. Mostaghani added that his government has taken up the issue with Pakistani authorities to resolve it through diplomatic channels.

If this is not going to result in prevention of the unilateral actions taken by the Pakistani side along the Durand Line, and if the violations continue, the government of Afghanistan and the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces are ready to defend the countrys territorial integrity and national sovereignty, he responded when asked whether Kabul might consider using force to stop the fencing.

The spokesman also said that instead of indulging in "unjustified" steps like fencing the border and shutting legal crossings, Islamabad should move against insurgents and sanctuaries on Pakistani soil who are being used against Afghanistan.

There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan to the assertions made by the Afghan side on Wednesday.

During this weeks debate in the Afghan parliament, angry lawmakers even called for a fellow member to be stoned to death for publicly stating that the Durand Line is an international border.

Pakistani officials, however, maintain that the fencing is being undertaken well within their territory and once completed, will address mutual security concerns and improve understanding between the two countries.

Islamabad has also dismissed Afghan objections over the international status of the Durand Line, saying Pakistan inherited it when the country gained independence from Britain in 1947.

Afghanistan and Pakistan blame each other for supporting anti-state militants and sponsoring cross-border terrorist attacks, a major source of tensions and deterioration in bilateral relations. Pakistan says anti-state militants sheltering in "ungoverned" Afghan areas are behind a recent wave of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

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Afghanistan Reacts Angrily to Pakistan's Fencing of Border - Voice of America

The Hindu

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Afghanistan is ready for Test cricket, says Nabi - The Hindu

David Burge , El Paso Times 12:02 p.m. MT April 6, 2017

About 250 soldiers from the brigades headquarters and the brigades Special Troops Battalion will deploy to Afghanistan in May.(Photo: Courtesy Sgt. 1st Class Shelia Cooper, 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade public affairs)

Soldiers with the 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade are ready to get after it and are excited about their upcoming mission to Afghanistan.

About 250 soldiers from the brigades headquarters and the brigades Special Troops Battalion will deploy to Afghanistan in May.

There, they will serve as the logistical headquarters for the entire theater of operations and will provide key support for U.S. and coalition troops. The mission will include providing water, food, ammunition, transportation services and maintenance, among other activities.

The team is coming together, said brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Sean Howard, of Colorado Springs, Colo. Everyone is starting to synchronize, and there is definitely some synergy in the air right now. We are ready to get after it. They are motivated to go.

The brigade did a similar mission from May 2015 to February 2016 in Afghanistan, with about the same number of troops.

This deployment is scheduled to last about six months.

Its a similar mission, but it is dynamic, said brigade commander Col. Michael Lalor.

The mission will change, said Lalor, from Goshen, N.Y. Afghanistan changes, and the mission will change.

Members of the Sustainment Brigade will lead a task force of about 2,000 soldiers, civilians and contractors who will provide key support to troops in Afghanistan.

Howard agreed that the mission will evolve.

The 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade has been training for its upcoming deployment since summer.(Photo: Courtesy Sgt. 1st Class Shelia Cooper, 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade public affairs)

The big thing is the enemy has a vote, and we are always trying to stay ahead of that as well as focus on our (support) mission, he said.

The Sustainment Brigade has been training for this deployment since July. The Muleskinner Brigade does its sustainment role every day to support the division, but has been focusing its training on being able to provide its own security and practicing its other tactical battlefield skills, Lalor and Howard said.

These are perishable skills, and we always need to practice them, Howard said.

Lt. Col. Robin-Desty Husted, the commander of the Special Troops Battalion, said her battalion is ready to go and play its part, too.

The importance lies in the fact that we will support the daily mission of the forces in Afghanistan and have a direct impact on the success of their mission, said Husted, from San Antonio.

Husted said the Army and the 1st Armored Division have given her battalion all the training and resources it needs to succeed.

As part of the U.S. Army, our mission is to defend the nation as well as assisting in the defense of our allies, Husted said. We are a well-trained and ready force, well capable of providing sustainment operations to units in theater during this deployment.

Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Porras, the Special Troops Battalions senior enlisted leader, said the battalion is absolutely ready for the upcoming deployment.

The 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade's deployment is scheduled to last about six months.(Photo: Courtesy Sgt. 1st Class Shelia Cooper, 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade public affairs)

The battalion will continue to train until it leaves, but we are ready, said Porras, from Pelion, S.C.

Lalor, the brigade commander, said that the brigades families serve as the foundation for all the unit does.

It is from that bedrock that all this happens, he said. There are a lot of people who have sacrificed a lot.

Some of the key training the brigade and Special Troops Battalion have gone through includes the Combat Lifesaver Course, which is a weeklong course in basic first-aid skills for out in the field.

David Burge may be reached at 546-6126; dburge@elpasotimes.com; @dburge1962 on Twitter.

Members of the 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade will lead a task force of about 2,000 soldiers, civilians and contractors who will provide key support to troops in Afghanistan.(Photo: Courtesy Sgt. 1st Class Shelia Cooper, 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade public affairs)

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Sustainment Brigade ready for Afghanistan mission - El Paso Times

Is Pakistan witnessing a resurgence of terrorism?

It is an upsurge of terrorism. As a result of the successful conduct of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the terrorists ran for their lives and crossed over to into Afghanistan, where they were hosted by the Hostile Intelligence Agencies (HIAs). After absorbing the initial set back, these terrorists relocated and re-established themselves.

Over time, they have reorganised, regrouped, and recuperated. The recent series of attacks show that they are now well-established and have adequate support of Hostile Intelligence Agencies to restart their heinous activities.

Now that the terrorists are in Afghanistan, the issue is more complex and complicated. Defeating these terrorists in the protection of HIAs is a real challenge, which is further compounded by the non-cooperative outlook of Afghanistan towards Pakistan.

To defeat these terrorists, we definitely need a cooperative framework with Afghanistan. Such a framework must interface the countries at a political, diplomatic, military, intelligence, and a people-to-people level. Both the countries need to cooperate and respond to each other's concerns based on the sincerity and trust to rid the menace of terrorism.

Unfortunately, the Afghan government has displayed hostility towards us recently.

Not only this, Afghanistan is using all available means, forums, and platforms including other countries, particularly India, to blame Pakistan and lump its own failures on us.

This outlook of Afghanistan is worrisome as such a venomous rhetoric permeates into next generations which does not auger well for both the countries. Afghanistan fails to understand that we are their most sincere partner for peace, stability, and a greater future. If we had not stood with Afghanistan at the time of USSR's invasion, there would have been no Afghanistan today. We are their partners to the core and they owe us their sovereignty. We mean no ill to them and furthermore we cannot repeat the conduct of Afghanistan.

Despite the recent hard times, we envision a greater future with our neighbouring country. They are our brothers. Everyone will leave but we will remain together. Therefore, Pakistan's leadership has always displayed patience and a steady outlook on Afghanistan.

I understand that Afghanistan holds a greater future if she can reconcile and become a trade corridor with Pakistan and we are all prepared to help, cooperate, and support Afghanistan to embrace the brighter future along with us.

Janjua retired as a three-star rank army general after commanding the XII Corps in Quetta and briefly tenured as president of the National Defence University in 2012

War has become perpetual in Afghanistan, since all its stakeholders have tried to win the war. They have not tried to win peace. Therefore, they have been investing only in war.

I believe that there are no love stories born out of way of war, particularly if the people are injured en masse. Talking and negotiating from a position of strength is another strategy, which keeps the war ongoing with a view to achieve ascendency over your adversary. So, continuous way of war, and the intent to gain a position of strength, has made the war perpetual in Afghanistan.

Coming to reconciliation, well, that has to happen between the sitting government and the warring factions of the Taliban. Both of them are cousins of each other. They need to reconcile. I also feel that people of Afghanistan, who have seen nothing but war since nearly four decades, should also rise and pressurise both sides to reconcile. They cannot go on fighting forever. We believe that a political solution through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process will bring enduring solutions for the stability of Afghanistan.

Progress on the plan's implementation had initially been slow, but now it is picking up steadily and we are on our way to gain a better trajectory.

It is important to note that the NAP comprises of twenty points, which identify twenty vacuums or weaknesses of our society. These vacuums have taken a long time to emerge and their redressal would require a change in our attitude, enhancement of our capacities, more time, and the peoples' will.

We also need to be mindful of the fact that NAP has some very sensitive religious areas which, if we do not handle carefully, will prove to be divisive instead. I am hopeful that in the coming days the implementation of NAP will further improve, particularly with the initiation of Operation Radd-ul-Fassad.

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EXCLUSIVE: Despite challenges, Pakistan NSA envisions greater future with Afghanistan - Geo News, Pakistan