Afghan Marksmanship: Pointing, Not Aiming
In the third in a series of posts on Afghan marksmanship, C.J. Chivers looks at some of the reasons behind the poor riflery skills of Afghan government troops.
View ArticleA Firsthand Look at Firefights in Marja
In a video report and analysis, C.J. Chivers gives a firsthand account of what American forces are facing in firefights with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
View ArticleA Numbers Game
As the last seven years have shown, forging an Afghan National Army of sufficient size and quality to do so is not a mission easily accomplished.
View ArticleWhere’s My Generator, Spy?
He was the Afghan king of his jungle; not the weapons my platoon carried, nor the technology we had at our disposal, could faze him.
View ArticleAbout That Generator, Captain
I’ve been trying to sit Indian-style with the Afghan people for this entire tour in Afghanistan, and my foot is starting to fall asleep.
View ArticleKandahar Roulette With a 9-millimeter
Lieutenant Aleem suddenly reached into his holster, pulled out a 9-millimeter pistol and pointed it at my head. “Bang bang!”
View ArticleAfghan Gun Lockers, Revisited
A look at the firearms carried by Afghan government forces, and compromises and problems that have accompanied arming an ever-growing force.
View ArticleAfghanistan: The Problems With Partnering
The Afghan troops’ observance of Ramadan in August and September slowed the pace of operations for the American company, which cannot patrol without them.
View ArticleOne Poor Choice in Arming the Afghans, and Its Repercussions
The Afghans who receive weapons from the United States have a complaint about their quality, though it has been scarcely heard outside of Afghan security circles.
View ArticleBattles Begin Early for Female Recruits in Afghan Army
As new recruits in the Afghan National Army, women cadets face many challenges before they even get to the battlefield.
View ArticleTrainers in Afghanistan Arm Themselves Against Both Sides
Military trainers in Afghanistan are still doing the work of transferring control to the Afghan forces, but they are now doing it with increasing distance and ever-present body armor.
View ArticleCommander’s View of the Afghan Endgame
Excerpts from an interview with Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the supreme military commander in Afghanistan, on the readiness of the Afghan security forces, his optimism that the Afghan Army will be a...
View ArticleThe Marine’s Secret Weapon: Coffee
America’s taste for coffee is inextricably linked to the history of its military.
View ArticlePart II: Lessons From Post-Soviet Afghanistan Haunt Debate on Syria
Kristen L. Rouse, a captain in the Army National Guard, says the all-consuming flames of civil war are unforgiving, and the damage can never be undone.
View ArticleThe ‘Battle Rhythm’ of Helping to Build a Democracy
A view from inside a NATO compound in Kabul, where though seven-day workweeks, bombs and dangerous checkpoints, people from all over the world are trying to stabilize Afghanistan.
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