Global Security Studies Practicum

The CNN’s Republican debate on national security issues featured Republican presidential candidate, Jon Huntsman , announcing a “total defeat of the Taliban” despite the ongoing attacks occurring by the Taliban . Jon Huntsman, former Utah governor, expressed his belief on reducing soldier presence in Afghanistan since the United States has “dismantled the Taliban” and run them out of Kabul . However, the Taliban is highly likely to continue terrorist attacks against the United States even though progress has been made against the extremist group. Numerous suicide attacks recently made against the CIA, U.S. embassy, and NATO in Afghanistan are linked to the Taliban and the Haqqani network . International Security Assistance Force, Gen. John Allen, confirms that a vast majority of Taliban leaders did abandon Afghanistan and are choosing to phone in their operational orders from Pakistan . Pakistan ’s safe territory for the Taliban is a threat to the defeat of the extremist group ...

21 November 2011 Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) - A video is released from a Taliban affiliated website displaying the Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel suicide bombers in training and preparation for the attack. The video is an hour long and it includes a testimony from one of the suicide bombers, Naseer Ahmad Anas, expressing his motivation to take his own like and belief that a suicide attacker receives God’s blessing. Images also demonstrate masked and uniformed men training and performing exercises that reveal a disciplined Taliban force. One scene shows the suicide bombers sitting in a circle studying a mock up model of the Intercontinental Hotel and sharing tactical ideas for the assault. Pakistan intelligence officials state the Haqqani network, a group of militants in Afghanistan, is responsible for the Intercontinental Hotel attacks . Source: "Taliban-Affiliated Website Releases Purported Video of Kabul Suicide Bombers" http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/18/world/asia/afghanis...

According to Pakistan intelligence officials, a U.S. drone fired missiles at a house located in a Taliban and Al-Qaeda tribal area in Northwestern Pakistan . The attack killed seven suspected militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban. Northwestern Pakistan has been attacked more than 200 times by the U.S. The U.S. has conducted these attacks mainly targeting Al-Qaeda and Taliban militant groups who are fighting against U.S troops in Afghanistan . The U.S. intensified pressure on Pakistan to step up efforts and take military action against dangerous militant groups in Northwestern Pakistan or aid Washington on gathering intelligence against the Haqqani Network, the most dangerous militant group. Pakistan refuses to conduct military actions claiming the number of troops is low to release an operation in Northwester Pakistan. The U.S. believes Pakistan has historical ties with the Haqqani network and it is not in Pakistan ’s best interest to take action against the Haqqanis becau...

13 November 2011 Kabul- A Taliban -affiliated website published today claims to have leaked a document containing confidential government security plans for a vital meeting of tribal elders in Kabul next week to discuss Afghanistan’s long-term relationship with the United States and possible peace talks. The meeting is due to begin Wednesday and continue for several days, the meeting includes hundreds of community leaders invited from across the country. November 13s alleged leak was interpreted in Kabul as anything from a desperate insurgency resorting to deceitful information to a new sign of Taliban’s heightened ability to provoke confidential evidence from government ministries. The online statement went on to promise further detail which consisted of the original security plans of 28 pages and six pictorial maps recomposed and rewritten for intelligence and policy purposes and will release second, third, 28 th sides of the plan and maps to show validation. NATO’s Intern...

Preliminary investigations conducted by Afghan officials on the suicide bombing that killed 17 people in Kabul, Afghanistan have tied the attack to the Haqqani network . The Interior Ministry spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, announced that evidence on the vehicle and people used during the bombing are work of the Haqqani network. The attack claimed the lives of nine Americans, including five U.S. troops, four Afghan civilians, two British civilians, a Kosovo national, and a Canadian soldier. Although Afghan officials have tied the Haqqani network to the bombing, an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman, Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings, who lost nine troops in the attack, announced that the only information available is the Taliban claiming responsibility, but intelligence does not indicate the involvement of the Haqqanis. U.S. officials believe the Haqqani network has ties to Pakistani intelligence and therefore the country gives the organization an opportunity to reside in a sa...

26 October 2011 The fighting in Afghanistan is not just bullet s and bombs, right now U.S. forces are utilizing a different form of fighting back, via Twitter to get out the other side of the story. “The Taliban were just constantly putting out false information and propaganda.” said Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Cummings. “Some of it was so wrong we finally had to start engaging, and backing up our information with the facts.” In an email exchange with CNN, Cummings stated this form of social media allows them to keep their followers dynamically informed while also keeping the enemy’s statements in check. According to Cummings, he and other members of the public affairs team work in a big room together at the headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force and when one of the tweets comes in from the other side there is a group discussion on how to react, then the two military personnel type a response. Despite the fact Cummings may think there are reaching out to a younger g...