WERKSTATT | SAMMLUNG | KOMPOSITION

13-10-2011

ISAF officials have long presented the capture‐or‐kill operations as one of the most effe ctive parts of the military mission in Afghanistan. They regularly release large figures describing the number of 'leaders', 'facilitators' and 'insurgents' that were killed or captured, to illustrate the success of the campaign. AAN's latest report, by Alex Strick van Linschoten and Felix Kuehn, is based on an analysis of all ISAF press releases over the last 22 months.

The report covers the period from 1 December 2009 to 30 September 2011 and 3,771 ISAF press releases. It provides important baseline data, as well as insight into how ISAF sees the success of their operations. The numbers provid ed by ISAF show a steady general increase in reported kills and captures each month until June 2011, with a slight decrease over the winter (2010-11). After June 2011 there is a steady decline in almost all of the analysed metrics, which may be linked to the unsustainable pace of capture‐or‐kill operations and the departure of General Petraeus.

The data shows differences in operational pace and impact across the country, and reveals some important inconsistencies in ISAF's use of terminology with regard to 'leaders' and 'facilitators'. The data further suggests that ISAF is pursuing a 'networked' targeting strategy, targeting not only specific individuals, but also others perhaps only tangentially connected to them.

The Guardian newspaper was given access to the compiled press release data and has produced visualisations to accompany this paper, which can be viewed here read more »

The full report can be viewed here read more »

AAN Blog s

In the meantime AAN has been writing more blogs than you can count on the most wide ranging topics. These include the intricacies surrounding Rabbani's death, the ever-continuing Parliamentary crisis, developments in different parts of the country (among others Nuristan, Mazar, Badghis and Nimruz), UNAMA's report on torture, Afghanistan's first human rights film festival, women and reconciliation, ten years of international intervention, Karzai's new peace strategy, and much more. The blogs can be found here read more »

As always with best regards, The Afghanistan Analysts Network

4-7-2011

New Report: The Layeha: Calling the Taleban to Account

The most recent AAN report discussed the Taleban Code of Conduct or the Layeha. The report authored by Kate Clark, AAN Senior Analyst, analyses the Taleban Codes of Conduct adopted in 2006, 2009 and 2010 with a special focus on their four main themes: (1) Dealing with those who surrender; (2) dealing with crime, punishment and prisoners; (3) dealing with the local population, and (4) dealing with the Taleban's own organizational structure and hierarchies. Clark uses the Layeha as a means of analyzing the Taleban itself and the movements changing concerns, but she also asks whether the Layeha could be approached in more practical terms, as a rulebook which if applied could help reduce suffering in the conflict.

To read the report, its executive summary or the English translation of the Layeha, please visit: read more »

We also take this opportunity to invite you to read some of our recent blogs:

On July 3, Thomas Ruttig and Susanne Schmeidl reported from a half-day conference about civilian casualties organized by ISAF Kabul. The detailed blog, discusses the realities and spin around the issue, as well as the recommendations put forth at the conference aiming to reduce civilian casualties. To read the blog, please visit: read more »

On 2 July, AAN published a guest blog by Emilie Jelinek, on reconciliation in Khost (this blog was first published by the AfPakChannel). To read the blog, please visit: read more »

On 1 July, AAN published a guest blog by Anand Gopal that unpacks the background of Taayeb Agha, the senior Taleban leader whose name has figured in reports about talks with the Taleban. To read the blog, please visit: read more »

As always, with best regards from the Afghanistan Analysts Network.

22-3-2011

The New Year brings a New AAN Report: 'Doing Pashto'

AAN's latest report by Lutz Rzehak provides an overview of the way of life of the Pashtuns, often called Pashtunwali. It is a term that features prominently when international civilian and military actors try to find ways to engage the population in the southern half of Afghanistan. There has however been no comprehensive account of Pashtunwali in English the literature for some time - a void that this report attempts to fill.

In present-day Afghanistan the way of life of the Pashtuns is often viewed through the prism of the idiosyncratic interpretation of Islam presented by the Taleban. But this obscures the cultural values and rules of behaviour that existed long before the rise of the Taleban and that remain influential today. Pashtunwali should rather be interpreted as an ethnic self-portrait. Like many other concepts which are aimed at shaping ethnic identity, Pashtunwali describes an i deal.

The paper not only presents a current overview of Pashtunwali as an ideal, but also touches on its transformation. Afghanistan has been subject to fundamental change in almost every respect, during three decades of war. The ideals of Pashtunwali now compete with other value systems, which have gained influence over the years. The continued role of Pashtunwali in Afghanistan requires further in-depth research. But it seems clear that the formal and organisational aspects of Pashtunwali (the principles of decision making, the role of elders, the art of warfare, the inner coherence of tribal units) have been more deeply affected than the system of values.

The full report can be downloaded here read more »

AAN Blogs

Don't forget to check out the AAN blogs. We have been writing about the drawn-out election of the Parliament's speaker, the string of violent Taleban attacks, the destruction of the Bamian buddhas, Gul Agha's future, the absurdity of every-day corruption, detention in Bagram, civilian casualties, talking about the Taleban, modernisation stress, and the Kabul museum - among other things. All blogs can be found here: read more »

With best regards

The Afghanistan Analysts Network

19-2-2011

AAN's New Publications

AAN is proud to present three new publications and a long list of blogs.

Inciting the Believers to Fight

'Inciting the Believers to Fight: A closer look at the rhetoric of the Afghan jihad' is an insightful discussion by Florian Broschk of a rare Dari-language propaganda video. The analyis of the video and the language used in it reveals a Salafi-influenced narrative of oppression and corruption, designed to 'incite the Believers to fight'. The author argues that although this message is difficult to sell to large parts of the Afghan population, the insurgents benefit from the 'somewhat inconsistent and incoherent narrative offered by the Western backers of the Kabul government', who have difficulties in matching their own stories to the thinking and perceptions of the Afghan population. read more »

Peace offerings

In a thoughtful discussion paper called 'Peace offerings: Theories of conflict resolution and their applicability to Afghanistan', Matt Waldman and Thomas Ruttig take a more theoretical approach to the current debate on reconciliation, often too narrowly described just as 'talking to the Taleban'. They look into various theories of conflict resolution and explore which insights they may offer for a peaceful solution of the Afghan conflict. The authors conclude that the theories discussed suggest that military de-escalation, effective mediation, dialogue and confidence-building measures, supported by track II and III diplomacy, could increase the prospects for a negotiated outcome of the Afghan conflict. read more »

And a long list of blogs

You may want to also check out the 29 blogs that were posted since the last mailing (which admittedly was two months ago). There are a large number of blogs about the twists and turns in the bizarre and endless aftermath of the parliamentary elections, But there is much more: blogs about about transition, PRTs, the intangible cultural heritage, women's shelte rs, legal pluralism, destroyed orchards, the Taleban's education policy, US military bases, snow and drought, night raids, militias (oops, I mean Afghan Local Police), Victim's Day, the Pentagon Papers, Tunis and Tahrir, and a respons to 'an under-researched rant' against human rights activists. Well worth a browse. read more »

Curious what else AAN has to say? Look here for the latest media mentions and quotes: read more »

As always with best regards, the Afghanistan Analysts Network

13-10-2010

Recent AAN blogs - elections, talks, justice

For those who have missed AAN's latest twenty-or-so blogs, since the last mailing on 25 September 2010, a quick overview of wha t you may still want to read. A lot on the elections, a fair bit on the talks about talks, and some much needed attention for justice and human rights.

2010 Elections 14: Voices from Paktia

Amongst high official turnout figures, the first results being announced and reports of irregularities coming in from all corners of Southeast Afghanistan, it is also perception which counts. Here some voices from Paktia, some with an own interest to be elected, other from an impartial position. read more »

Weiterlesen Kommentare (0) Eingestellt von RoBin 13.10.2010 (23:41)

AAN Election Reporting - since polling day

Kommentare (0) Eingestellt von RoBin 27.09.2010 (12:47)

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