No strikes in Afghanistan since US withdrawal, DoD leaders affirm

U.S. army forces haven’t performed 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 diminished 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.

“During the last 20 years, we’ve got developed beautiful [intelligence] capabilities,” he stated. “We are able to conduct counterterrorism missions over the horizon, and we’ve got exhibited that previously.”

Clarke’s feedback had been the most recent from senior army officers in latest weeks acknowledging shortfalls within the army’s means 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 a scarcity of dependable, on-the-ground intelligence in areas like Afghanistan and Somalia.

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

Protection Division officers have stated that they should 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 reduce down on gas and time prices.

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

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

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

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

“You’re already stretched skinny and shouldering the burden for the battle in opposition to terrorism,” he stated. “And after our Afghanistan withdrawal, I’m involved we’re taking an excessive amount of threat there.”

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