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Subscribe to RSSWASHINGTON - The United States military is under-reporting the number of times that Afghan soldiers and police open fire on American and other foreign troops.
The U.S.-led coalition routinely reports each time an American or other foreign soldier is killed by an Afghan in uniform. But The Associated Press has learned it does not report insider attacks in which the Afghan wounds — or misses — his U.S. or allied target. It also doesn't report the wounding of troops who were attacked alongside those who were killed.
Such attacks reveal a level of mistrust and ill will between the U.S.-led coalition and its Afghan counterparts in an increasingly unpopular war. The U.S. and its military partners are working more closely with Afghan troops in preparation for handing off security responsibility to them by the end of 2014.
In recent weeks an Afghan soldier opened fire on a group of American soldiers but missed the group entirely. The Americans quickly shot him to death. Not a word about this was reported by the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, as the coalition is formally known. It was disclosed to the AP by a U.S. official who was granted anonymity in order to give a fuller picture of the "insider" problem.
ISAF also said nothing about last week's attack in which two Afghan policemen in Kandahar province fired on U.S. soldiers, wounding two. Reporters learned of it from Afghan officials and from U.S. officials in Washington. The two Afghan policemen were shot to death by the Americans present.
Three NATO troops killed by alleged Afghan security forces
Just last Wednesday, an attack that killed a U.S. Army special forces soldier, Staff Sgt. Andrew T. Brittonmihalo, 25, of Simi Valley, Calif., also wounded three other American soldiers. The death was reported by ISAF as an insider attack, but it made no mention of the wounded — or that an Afghan civilian also was killed.
The attacker was an Afghan special forces soldier who opened fire with a machine gun at a base in Kandahar province. He was killed by return fire.
Protests spread for a third day throughout Afghanistan despite apologies from NATO and U.S. officials for the inadvertent burning of Qurans. NBC's Atia Abawi reports.
That attack apparently was the first by a member of the Afghan special forces, who are more closely vetted than conventional Afghan forces and are often described by American officials as the most effective and reliable in the Afghan military.
Coalition officials do not dispute that such non-fatal attacks happen, but they have not provided a full accounting.
The insider threat has existed for years but has grown more deadly. Last year there were 21 fatal attacks that killed 35 coalition service members, according to ISAF figures. That compares with 11 fatal attacks and 20 deaths the previous year. In 2007 and 2008 there were a combined total of four attacks and four deaths.
ISAF has released brief descriptions of each of the fatal attacks for 2012 but says similar information for fatal attacks in 2011 is considered classified and therefore cannot be released.
Has the Taliban fallen on tough times?
Jamie Graybeal, an ISAF spokesman in Kabul, disclosed Monday in response to repeated AP requests that in addition to 10 fatal insider attacks so far this year, there have been two others that resulted in no deaths or injuries, plus one attack that resulted in wounded, for a total of 13 attacks. The three non-fatal attacks had not previously been reported.
Graybeal also disclosed that in most of the 10 fatal attacks a number of other ISAF troops were wounded. By policy, the fact that the attacks resulted in wounded as well as a fatality is not reported, he said.
Asked to explain why non-fatal insider attacks are not reported, Graybeal said the coalition does not disclose them because it does not have consent from all coalition governments to do so.
"All releases must be consistent with the national policies of troop contributing nations," Graybeal said.
Graybeal said a new review of this year's data showed that the 10 fatal attacks resulted in the deaths of 19 ISAF service members. His office had previously said the death total was 18. Most of those killed this year have been Americans but France, Britain and other coalition member countries also have suffered fatalities.
Gunman kills two US Army officers in Afghan Interior Ministry
Graybeal said each attack in 2012 and 2011 was "an isolated incident and has its own underlying circumstances and motives." Just last May, however, an unclassified internal ISAF study, called "A Crisis of Trust and Cultural Incompatibility," concluded, "Such fratricide-murder incidents are no longer isolated; they reflect a growing systemic threat." It said many attacks stemmed from Afghan grievances related to cultural and other conflicts with U.S. troops.
Mark Jacobson, an international affairs expert at the German Marshall Fund in Washington and a former deputy NATO senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, said attacks of all types are cause for worry.
"You have to build up trust when working with partners, and years of trust can be destroyed in just a minute," Jacobson said. No matter what the motivation of the Afghan attacker, "it threatens the partnership."
Until now there has been little public notice of non-fatal insider attacks, even though they would appear to reflect the same deadly intent as that of Afghans who manage to succeed in killing their foreign partners.
Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry, said the army has tightened its monitoring of soldiers' activities recently and, in some cases, taken action to stop insider attacks.
For example, "a number of soldiers" have been arrested for activity that might suggest a plot, such as providing information on army activities to people outside the military, he said. Some have been dismissed from the Army, but he did not provide figures.
U.S. officials say that in most cases the Afghans who turn their guns on their supposed allies are motivated not by sympathy for the Taliban or on orders from insurgents but rather act as a result of personal grievances against the coalition.
In a later press statement on its Twitter feed, ISAF said it "strongly refutes" the suggestion it is under-reporting "green-on-blue" incidents. It said it collects reports of all attacks but does not issue press notices unless the incidents are fatal.
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Stop giving them money! They are ungrateful idiots who don't give a rat's behind about the sacrifice and loss of lives to try to help them and give them democracy, they make a big deal of burning already desacrated korans, because they know this will keep the bank open.
Ungratefull idiots? Ungrateful that the 'United Snakes' have aggressed against the people of Afghanistan - and not one Afghan sat in the cockpits of those WTC attackers airplanes, huh? I guess you have never endured an aggression by cold blooded racist killers that have no respect for your culture, your soverignty or your people, huh Pilgrim? Always remember, the killers that that have come some 10,000 km. to invade and devastate your country and murder the people and stand on your turf are the enemy - you kill 'em dead right where they stand, comprendes Mendez? The 'Minute men' did it, the 'Viet Cong' did it, and the 'Taliban' are doing it with great success. Hail the 'Freedon fighters' in Kandajar and all of AF/PAK, for they are the 'real hero's' in this bloody saga of aggression, murder and mayhem by the US/NATO war criminals. Adieu!
Guilt, the gift that keeps on giving....
TheAZCowBoy, Tombstone, AZ.
You are either retarded, ill informed, or a Bin Laden sympathizer.
It may be true that the Taliban were not among the ranks of the 911 attackers, but all the Al Qaeda training for the attack took place in Afghanistan with the complicite cooperation of the official Taliban government. That makes them complicite accessories to the act. Further, the US asked for extradition of Osama Bin Laden, and the Taliban refused. This means that the Taliban were knowingly harboring terrorists.
The US has been at war with Islamic terrorists since 1801, more than 211 years. The imperatives in Islam to commit acts of terror against the unbelievers is the problem it seems. Perhaps the Afghanistanis would be better off submitting to a new authority, like reasoned secularism. I doubt they are capable though.
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Surprise, surprise, surprise, the liberal media not reporting the truth in afghanistan!!! Who would have thought?
Mr. Hammerhead,
I would say that you have a reasoned opinion, however the personal attack you spout negates any informed retort you may have ..
I would take this opportunity to reflect on the circumstance of the Taliban, Al Qaida, 9-11, timeline and issue..
As I recall.. The Taliban did not refuse to turn over Bin Laden.. but rather demanded proof of his complicity before .. DOING SO.
We.. The arrogant and ANGRY United States of America did not provide that proof.. and the rest is .. of course a very sad history.. resulting in untold grief, death and destruction.
Ultimately.. as long as you trust our governments version.. Bin Ladens head is on a platter.. and his Saudi family are safe and repatriated to their homeland.
We can now gather up our toys and go home.
Then they lost their country for being stupid. The next time the world's most powerful country asks you to do something, you probably should do it.
its no wonder the soldiers under these so-called insider attacks that returned fire and killed the morans are not being court-martialed. but they now also use surgery to implant a bomb on one of their sacrificial human bombs
Cultural Incompatibility.. What a wonderful insight.
A culture that finds Western ideology and religious practice disgusting, forcing itself on a people that have no use or desire for that influence.. resulting in an increasing number of Murder by Fratricide.. I wonder how many of these.. incidents.. were actually provoked by our own coalition trainers just out of sheer boredom.. pushing these poor devils to the mental breaking point.. and then ..executing them in front of their peers .. to make a point.
I think that there is a story in the shadows.. soon to be brought out in sun!!
Quick get in the I told you so before the Liberals tear this one up to! Thoses Bastards need to be taken out behind the wood shed and givin a good ole SPANKING on the ass and wiped out before they start threating to blow someone up with their nukes. Dirty camel flea ridden SOB'S I just cant see why we do this go in tear em up build them back up better than ever and then get kicked out? Their sneakey little we dont beg we steal attitude. WIPE EM OUT!! KOR#& AND ALL
Obama has his own agenda in Afghan. His does not want us to know what it is and will cover up all he can to keep us there. You can be sure of this, it is not in the best interest of the United States. Nothing the mad is. GET OUT NOW!
Aaaaah, the Great Satan has been underreporting Taliban attacks on the US/NATO 'baby' killers, huh? Well, we have to give the impression that the AF/PAKS love us don't we - yes? The United Snakes' also underreports the number of innocent civiians murdered for the same reason(s), right? I mean, you can't continue to murder and maim 'everything that moves' (Innocent men, women and children, gpats, sheep, chickens and dogs included) with our genocidal Predator/Grim Reapers and expect the natives to be thrilled to have us there as 'aggressors' no? In Iraq we murdered 1.4m Iraqi's. The Pentagon (devils that they are) insisted that no more than 166,000 Iraqi's had been (((blown away))) (As if this was a small number) by the US/NATO 'patriots.' The 'proof in the pudding' is that today there are some 1,000,000 widows collecting government assistance in Iraq - and some 300,000 orphans too, ouch! So, 'what to do?' Well, I would say 'pack your brogans and viagara and head out of Dodge, immedicately if not sooner killers, yes? Yassar, the United Snakes (US/Israel/NATO) seem headed for their 'Warerloo' in the Middle East and the Midcontinent and we couldn't wish any less for the 'Killa's.'
To 'TheAZCowboy, Tombstone, AZ' - The barbaric religion you thrive on and strongly supported by the Talibanis has killed more Afghan civilians than all the US/Nato forces combined. Its amazing isn't it!
When the casualties are from Western hands they are considered murders, but, if the Talibanis and al Quackos kill inocent civilians its what? A fast trip to heaven?
With a few exceptions, in the Western Culture (imperfect as it may be), the killing of civilians is accidental. In your eastern culuture (perfect as it may be) killing of innocent civilians is a way of life, a way to prove your point and impose your views.
Since I have lived in that area for 9 years or so, I do have a sense of what life is worth. Sand.
How sad for your 'culture' to discover that there is no such place as 'heaven'. Its all here, and yours is sand and rocks.
We are just wasting our time, resources, and blood in your part of the world. You can take a horse (camel) to water, but cannot force it to drink. So, let it die of thirst.
If the US was there to murder everyone, all of the Afghan's would be dead by now.
Maybe this is the problem to many people posting this BS no wonder we have problems in this country to many people dislike each other... get along fellows bring world peace back to this old world and keep cool. We know it is the money that is being handed over to the afgan leaders that goes into their pockets but maybe sooner or later our leaders will figure out that money doesn't buy friends!!!!!!!
A soldier from MN was reportedly killed in action, and yesterday the parents found out. How much blood does it take for the boychild emperor president to understand that enough is enough! This is getting very much like Vietnam. They also hid the numbers of our soldiers being killed in that war. Boychild made a 'new deal' with Afghanistan ...... 2.7 billion US dollars per year from 2014-2024 just to supply, equip, train, and pay for Afghan 'security' forces. That does not include the price of civilian US foreign aid! NOR DOES IT INCLUDE THE BLOOD OF OUR SOLDIERS DIEING TO REBUILD THIS SNAKEPIT!!!! Time for tar&feathers and run that bum in DC into another country!
The Afghans are treating us as an opposing tribe attempting to usurp their territories and way of life. Tribal warfare has been the norm in this part of the world for hundreds if not thousands of years. We are being told to leave them to their own. I say listen to them, cut the money and support and bring back all of our people. In a just world the borders to this area (including parts of Pakistan) would be sealed and let these tribe lead the life they want.
Get our people out of there and turn the damn place to glass!
We "share" FOBs with the ANA/ANP and routinely discover infiltrators on base looking to kill US personnel. When the threat is eliminated ... no one on the ANA/ANP side of the FOB knows how they got there. These are not isolated incidents, they happen often. Here's the question that the press needs to ask, "How many US soldiers trust their Afghan counterparts"? Set up a survey in which DoD cannot find out how soldiers responded and I would hazard a guess that the percentage will be close to 100%, if not 100%.
The liberal media does not want to report this , it might hurt their community organizer chance for reelection.
I grew up in the military and have a pretty good appreciation of how they tend to down-play issues and even lie about them. Under our form of government, our military is commanded by politicians, and when one has bad news to share, and you don't want to ruin your career (often one in which you have spent many tough and lonely years to build), you will tell your political bosses whatever you think that they want to hear. Additionally, your military training precludes you from ever saying, "I quit, I give up.", so you continue the charade even when you know that it is a lie. I do believe that we probably have, overall, the best military in the world. 99.9% of our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen, are the best that money, training, and, of course, dedication can provide. But, letting them be wounded or killed by their supposed 'allies', fighting in a country when winning is an impossibility at this time, is both shameful and unjust. America's leaders (military and civilian) need to get back to the job of protecting this country and its people (including our military) and stop trying to prop up a weak, terrible and dishonest foreign government in a crap-hole country like Afghanistan.
The reported death in this article of SSG Andrew T. Britton is my son. The spelling Brittonmihalo is offensive and speaks to the poor editing quality of this piece that is so very poorly reported. Green on Blue incidents are a serious embarrassment to the current presidency, especially in that he is now in Afganistan signing an agreement to keep up to 20,000 troops in country until the year 2024. I hope the lithium is worth it. My son's life and the sacrifice of our family cannot be mitigated by a few words of praise and the promise of eternal friendship and brotherly love with a people who don't want us there. This was Andrew's third trip to Afganistan. Andrew married not six months ago to an exceptional woman who is now a widow before 30.
My heart goes out to you and your family. SSG Britton deserved better. As a teacher who tries to give the whole story to his kids, I'll share your son's story with them.
The heavy metal that we are taking out of that country is not worth the heavy price we are paying and I think our country needs to remember that wealth aka greed is a bad base to build on.
I can only hope you find peace as soon as possible and I would ask you to continue to speak up. We need to hear your truth.
You have to understand there is a tremendous difference in culture and religion here. Our soldiers use bad words and have no religion, whereas the Afghans are very religious, smoke dope all day and buttfock each other regularly.
I guess WE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! The higher ups know that the Aerican people would not stood for Obama doing what he just did if it was reported. Now something that I am really puzzle about and its this---Not to long ago it was reported that Pres Karzai demanded that we pull out of Afphanistan! Then why in hades are we commiting our troops another 10+ years??? If I had been the prez I would have figured some way to have a massive air lift and our troops be gone by daylight the next AM and then let him have a "Oh, Crap" moment! Karzai is a traitor to the USA in fact he is believed to have been giving Tallis info up to not long ago. Then why are we there? Lithium-one of the ONLY places in the world that we have access to and in large quanity. If it were not there the current car revolution would not be going on!
"
AZ cowboy may or may not be in here anymore but if anyone else in here thinks that our intent is to kill Iraqi's and Afghans, don't you think we would have turned their countries in to glass by now? Hell, we've been there long enough to do it.
Do you know the kind of firepower we have in our military, we could bomb for months, years non-stop 24/7 until they were all gone? When the Soviets rolled through Afghanistan with gunships and massacred villages they killed a million like it was nothing, we could easily do the same if our intest was to kill civilians. C'mon, smarten up!!
I do not speak for the AZ Cowboy..
however.. I do believe that his comments are being taken out of context.. the revulsion .. which I personally share.. is for the sheer indifference that our leaders display for the loss of life and in many cases the lopsided perception that the lives that an undeclared enemy loses are somehow less valuable. The Military that the United States fields is one of the most deadly in the world.. we are capable of mass killing on a biblical scale. We can level cities and commit genocide at will. We tend to thumb down Sovereign Nations and use our other weapon of choice.. monetary aid.. to bribe and bully our way across the globe. Now.. before all you would be saber rattlers get all worked up.. as an American .. I do not apologize for this ability.. we worked for it, we built it.. as a political derivative of our northern European ancestors.. we have an affinity for conquest and rule.. it's in our political blood.
But.. like our Warlike and yes Democratic forebears.. we should look to the strenghts of our adversaries and instead of attempting to subjugate them, rather yoke their attributes and allow them their culture. Afghans have a long history of conflict. Face it.. they are very good at survival, and as soon as possible, they will remove any vestige of western influence from their government.
The Russians can attest to the tenacity of these formidable warriors, however don't think for one moment that the warriors of Afghanistan do not still respect and hold a close eye on their former occupier.. they understand strength and the Russians spent a lot of gun powder there flexing that strength.
Time to let the Afghans be Afghans..
And Dr.Tim bless you and your family in this time.
Of course they are the LIEberal media that controls almost all TV news and all newspapers want Obama's reign to go as smoothly as possible to get him re elected....If it were Bush we would have a minute by minute bullet count!
The US Military made a big mistake by holding all those press conferences during Desert Storm by demonstrating how precision our weapons can be with minimal collateral damage. If the US military used its current stock of conventional weapons like we did in WWII, it would have been "mission accomplished" in Afghanistan after year one.
This type of news is not good for our soldiers and the US government. The news details have lots of questions.