SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY AND AFGHAN PRESIDENT KARZAI CLOSE TO BILATERAL SECURITY AGREEMENT

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Kerry, Karzai Make Progress on Security Agreement Negotiations
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2013 - After weekend meetings in Kabul, Afghanistan, with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he and Karzai had resolved all but one of the major issues critical to a bilateral security agreement between the two countries.

And en route to London this morning, Kerry consulted several times via phone with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel about the meetings, according to senior State Department officials who spoke with reporters in a background briefing.

Last night, Kerry and Karzai spoke during a press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, positive about the progress they'd made.

"I believe that in the last 24 hours, as we have worked hard at these issues that really have been negotiated over now for more than 11 months, that we have resolved ... the major issues that [President Karzai] went through," Kerry said.

Kerry said he and Karzai "have put ourselves in a position for an enduring [U.S.-Afghanistan] partnership going forward in the years ahead."

In his remarks, Karzai had described his main issues as national sovereignty, prevention of civilian casualties, and a clear definition of invasion by foreign forces.

But both leaders acknowledged that, on the outstanding issue of claiming U.S. jurisdiction for U.S. troops who are accused of committing crimes while deployed in Afghanistan, the decision about whether to allow this agreement in the bilateral agreement will be left to the Loya Jirga, or council of Afghan elders, which Karzai has called to meet in November.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said in July after meeting with Karzai in Kabul that getting the security agreement signed by October fit in with his best military advice for putting in place the framework for the continuing U.S. and NATO effort in the country after Dec. 31, 2014, when the current NATO mandate expires.

Last night Kerry said his delegation was pleased that the agreement reached could be submitted to a Loya Jirga, where it will go through the appropriate political process, including the issue of jurisdiction for U.S. troops who act outside the law while in Afghanistan post-2014.

"The question of jurisdiction is an appropriate one for the president to submit to the Loya Jirga, and we have high confidence that the people of Afghanistan will see the benefits that exist in this agreement," the secretary said.

"But we need to say that if the issue of jurisdiction cannot be resolved, then unfortunately there cannot be a bilateral security agreement," Kerry added. "So we hope that that will be resolved. And it's up to the Afghan people, as it should be."

The secretary explained that if an American who is part of any expeditionary force under agreement from the Afghan government were to violate any law, the United States would prosecute to the full measure of that law and any perpetrator of any incident or crime would be punished.

"There is no immunity," he said, referring to what some call immunity for U.S. troops posted overseas.

"Let me make that clear: No immunity," Kerry added. "And we have proven in many cases, unfortunately too many instances, that when somebody has violated the law, they have paid the price. There are people in prison today in the United States of America who have paid that price."

In terms of jurisdiction, Kerry said, where the United States has forces serving in other parts of the world, including Japan, South Korea, Europe, Africa and elsewhere, they operate under the same standard.

"We completely respect that the [Afghan] president should decide appropriately that this issue ought to be decided in his Loya Jirga," Kerry said.

But, he added, "if [the jurisdiction issue] isn't resolved, we can't send our forces in places because we don't subject United States citizens to that kind of uncertainty with respect to their rights and lives."

THE MEMORIAL REUNION DURING A BRAVES GAME

FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE
Airman has 'Memorial' reunion during Braves game
5/30/2012 - ATLANTA (AFNS) -- An Air Force reservist hit the proverbial grand slam by surprising his family at the Atlanta Braves Memorial Day baseball game here May 28.

Master Sgt. David Sims returned from a six-month deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan with a plan to surprise his loved ones.

His family, thinking he was still overseas, attended the Braves game at Turner Field. They were called onto the field at the top of the fifth inning to represent military families as part of the Braves' Memorial Day ceremonies.

They were watching a video message from Sims, who at the end of the video told them to "wait a minute." He then suddenly appeared from the other side of the Braves dugout, and the family raced across the baseball field for the heartwarming reunion, witnessed by thousands of applauding fans.

Sims is assigned to Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command's Communications Directorate at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

AFGHAN FORCES HAVE RESPONSE TO ATTACKS ON KABUL AND PROVINCES

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Afghan Forces Respond to Coordinated Attacks

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force and ISAF Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2012 - Afghan forces responded to a series of attacks in the Afghan capital of Kabul and in a few outlying provinces yesterday, military officials reported.

The Taliban called the attacks, which were concentrated in three clusters around the city, the start of their "spring offensive.

Consisting primarily of rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire, the attacks were largely ineffective, International Security Assistance Force officials said. Afghan crisis response units, along with Afghan police and army forces, deployed to repel the attacks.

The Afghan forces took light casualties while killing or capturing many of the suicide attackers in a matter of hours, officials said.

Afghanistan's national security directorate announced that two would-be suicide bombers were captured alive before they were able to reach their intended targets.

ISAF quick-reaction forces were prepared to respond, if required, but were not needed, officials said.

In operations today around Afghanistan:

-- An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani network facilitator in the Khost district of Afghanistan's Khost province. The facilitator coordinated the delivery of weapons, vehicles and equipment to insurgents in the region. The security force also detained two other insurgents and seized two assault rifles.

-- A combined force captured a Taliban facilitator, detained two additional insurgents and seized a 9 mm pistol, an assault rifle and a roadside-bomb pressure plate in the Jagori district of Ghazni province. The facilitator coordinated the movement of weapons, mortars and explosives.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined force killed two insurgents, detained several otherss and seized an assault rifle during a search for a senior Taliban leader in the Pashtun Kot district of Faryab province. The leader is the head Taliban commissioner in the province, responsible for several kidnappings, suicide attacks, roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force killed an insurgent leader along with several other insurgents and seized rocket-propelled grenade rounds, blasting caps and a mortar tube with mortar rounds during a search for a Taliban leader in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. The insurgent leader killed in the operation had directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and provided insurgents with weapons, ammunition and equipment.

-- An Afghan-led force captured a Taliban leader and detained several suspects in the Baghlan-e Jadid district of Baghlan province. The leader directed roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force detained several suspects while searching for a Taliban leader in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province. The leader oversees Taliban operations in the province's Marjah district, including roadside-bomb and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also attempts to impose Taliban law on Afghan civilians.

-- A combined airstrike killed several insurgents and destroyed a machine gun in the Nerkh district of Wardak province.

-- A combined force detained several suspects and seized an artillery round and a mortar round during a search for a Taliban leader in Ghazni's Khugyani district. The leader supervises roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also targets local Afghan officials and attempts to impose Taliban law on Afghan civilians.

-- An Afghan-led force detained several suspects and seized a military uniform, a grenade and 100 rounds of small-arms ammunition during a search for a Haqqani leader in Khost's Sabari district. The leader coordinates roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also supplies weapons and ammunition to insurgents.

In April 14 operations:

-- A combined force killed an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan terrorist group leader who directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, along with another insurgent, in the Rustaq district of Takhar province. The security force also seized weapons and grenades.

-- A combined force captured a Taliban leader and two suspects in Helmand's Nahr-e Saraj. The leader directed roadside-bomb and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the Nahr-e Saraj and Sangin districts. He is also suspected in the assassination plot of an Afghan security forces commander.

-- A combined airstrike killed a Taliban leader and four other insurgents in the Muhammad Aghah district of Logar province. The leader planned and conducted roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained several other insurgents and seized two assault rifles.

-- A combined force captured a Haqqani facilitator and detained two other insurgents in Khost's Bak district. The facilitator coordinated suicide attacks and roadside bombings against Afghan and coalition forces in the area. He also is suspected of transporting suicide bombers for attacks across the country.

-- In the Sayyidabad district of Wardak province, a combined force captured a Taliban leader, detained another insurgent and seized an assault rifle and a grenade. The leader supervised the construction and placement of roadside bombs used to attack Afghan and coalition forces. He also facilitated the movement of Taliban fighters from Pakistan into Afghanistan.

-- A combined force detained two suspects while searching for a Taliban leader in the Zurmat district of Paktia province. The leader coordinates roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces. He also attempts to impose Taliban law on Afghan civilians in the area.

In April 13 operations:

-- A combined force found and destroyed about 2,400 pounds of hashish in the Zharay district of Kandahar province.

-- A combined patrol found and destroyed 2,500 5.56 mm rounds, 50 .50-caliber rounds, three mortar tubes and two mortar base plates in the Shinkai district of Zabul province.

-- A coalition force found and destroyed seven makeshift bombs in the Zharay district of Kandahar province.

In other news, ISAF Commander Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen praised Afghan national security forces for a recent operation in the Kamdesh district of Nuristan province.

Afghan commando-led operations resulted in more than 32 enemy fighters killed, along with numerous equipment and fighting positions destroyed. The operation was conducted to deny insurgent safe havens and prevent insurgents from massing against Afghan forces in the area, officials said.

"This was yet another example of the successful transition we have been seeing throughout the past year, as the [Afghan forces] are planning, leading and executing very productive combat operations against the insurgency," Allen said. "We expect to see more of these types of successful [Afghan-led] operations as we progress further into the spring and summer."

The commando operations led to follow-on missions by Afghan soldiers and police, officials said.