No strikes in Afghanistan since US withdrawal, DoD leaders affirm

U.S. army forces haven’t carried out any counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan since withdrawing all troops from the nation final summer season, however army officers insisted on Tuesday that they’ve the aptitude to watch and neutralize threats there regardless of logistical challenges.

Pressed by lawmakers on the Senate Armed Companies Committee, Gen. Richard Clarke, head of U.S. Particular Operations Command, acknowledged the withdrawal has lowered intelligence sources in Afghanistan and response occasions to potential threats.

When requested if that has meant restricted operational effectiveness within the area, he replied “I can’t sit right here and say that it has not.”

However he additionally insisted that these challenges — and the dearth of strikes — don’t imply that his forces are utterly unable to supply over-the-horizon monitoring.

“Over the past 20 years, we have now developed beautiful [intelligence] capabilities,” he mentioned. “We will conduct counterterrorism missions over the horizon, and we have now exhibited that previously.”

Clarke’s feedback have been the most recent from senior army officers in latest weeks acknowledging shortfalls within the army’s potential to police Afghanistan.

In testimony earlier than the committee final month, U.S. Africa Command chief Gen. Steven Townsend warned lawmakers that America “could also be backsliding” due to an absence of dependable, on-the-ground intelligence in areas like Afghanistan and Somalia.

In February, Lt. Gen. Michael Kurilla — then the nominee to steer U.S. Central Command — mentioned monitoring the operations of terrorist teams within the Afghanistan area was “extraordinarily tough, however not unattainable,” given how far-off American army property are positioned now.

Protection Division officers have mentioned that they must launch surveillance drones each few hours from far-off army bases to supply steady intelligence gathering over Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Establishing a better base would lower down on gas and time prices.

Christopher Maier, assistant secretary of Protection for particular operations, on Tuesday mentioned officers have made progress establishing nearer websites, however nonetheless haven’t formalized any settlement, regardless of months of diplomacy.

Republicans on the Senate panel mentioned they wish to get that carried out.

“Our present technique for countering terrorist teams in Afghanistan assumes an immense quantity of labor and danger,” mentioned Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb. “I’m deeply involved by the dearth of intelligence assortment capabilities that we have now for Afghanistan.”

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Committee rating member Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., known as the counterterrorism duties a “daunting problem” for SOCOM.

“You might be already stretched skinny and shouldering the burden for the struggle towards terrorism,” he mentioned. “And after our Afghanistan withdrawal, I’m involved we’re taking an excessive amount of danger there.”

Navy intelligence officers final fall mentioned that terrorist teams like Al Qaida and the Islamic State might have the flexibility to assault western targets by this summer season or fall if left unchecked.