8/7/2019 A Week in the War Afghanistan March 16_29
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LashkarGah has been a focal point of the U.S. Marine-led
campaign in Helmand to push out the Talibanand deny them the
support of the population. In many ways, this has been considered a
success.However, one of the most pervasive problems of providing
security for the population is the insurgentsinherent ability to
move among the population and threaten retribution if their demands
are not met.
The Talibans successful intimidation campaign in an area where
Afghan government officials andsecurity forces operations are
concentrated is an ominous indication for International
SecurityAssistance Force (ISAF) efforts as the fighting season
heats up. It not only speaks to the Talibansability to provoke fear
and to the populations susceptibility to intimidation but also
serves as a potentialindicator of the local populations confidence
in the Afghan security forces ability to provide for
thatsecurity.
Community Police
Here is where community police can be particularly effective.
Armed locals deny the insurgency someof the advantages that a
guerilla movement enjoys against a foreign occupier. There have
been many
attempts at establishing coherent community police programs.
Kabul has opposed them several times asthey were often created
outside the aegis of the Afghan government in arrangements made
directlybetween ISAF forces and locals.
The attempt now under way in Logar province reportedly started
on the governors initiative, whichintended integration with the
Afghan government in Kabul. It trains individuals nominated by the
localelders who would be responsible for them (if, for example,
they are caught fleecing the localpopulation) and keeping them in
their local communities maximizing the utility of their
uniqueknowledge of the local landscape. This is not unlike the
Interim Security Critical Infrastructure (ISCI)program in Marjah,
though ISCI was more directly facilitated by the ISAF).
Border Security
Meanwhile, Helmands border with Pakistan remains a concern.
Raids and screening efforts by the 3rdLight Armored Reconnaissance
battalion last year are resuming, aiming to provide a more
sustainedpresence to deter the flow of fighters, weapons and
material to and from Pakistan in a more coherentway. As LashkarGah
and other portions of Helmand are turned over to Afghan security
forces, Marinesfreed up from those efforts could be shifted south
to reinforce efforts to lock down the border.
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