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| Afghan Air Force MD-530 Cayuse Warrior Attack Helicopters |
By: Shawn Snow and Andrew deGrandpre
The top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, heads to Capitol Hill on Thursday where he is likely to endure intense questioning from Senate lawmakers eager for his assessment of the challenges complicating the military’s ability to withdraw from the United States’ longest war. High on that list is the competency of Afghanistan's air force, which according to the United Nations’ latest report is largely responsible for a stunning rise in civilian casualties resulting from airstrikes.
Compared to 2015, the number of civilian casualties caused by Afghan airstrikes doubled last year to 252, according to the U.N. That figure includes civilians killed and wounded. And while American military officials say those numbers are grossly inflated, they have nevertheless begun to fast-track training for a new cadre of Afghan tactical air controllers who can, from the ground, warn pilots when they are at risk of killing innocent people.
What remains an issue of debate is whether this increase in civilian casualties is to blame on the Afghans being overly aggressive or undisciplined, whether it's the result of rushed training, or whether it is the inevitable result of assuming greater responsibility for their country’s security. U.S. and Afghan officials insist these pilots demonstrate restraint while in the cockpit, saying 66 percent of their requests to attack specific targets are rejected over concerns they could result in unintentional deaths.
However, the Afghans’ primary attack pilots are firing their weapons during four of every 10 combat missions, a rate three times greater than that of their U.S. Air Force counterparts, a Military Times analysis shows. And herein lies an enormous predicament, not only for Nicholson, but for President Donald Trump and his administration. The U.S. military's ability to extract from Afghanistan is inextricably linked to the success of Afghanistan's security forces — and most especially its air force, which is seen as a vital link to protecting Afghan ground forces from the pressure they face not only from relentless Taliban militants but from the host of al-Qaida affiliates that operate throughout the country, as well.
Read the full story at MilitaryTimes