New Status Of Forces Agreeement In Afghanistan?

U.S. Marines rush to a firing point after receiving enemy fire in Lakari Bazaar, Afghanistan, July 19, 2009. Afghan National Army soldiers are patrolling with the U.s. Marines, who are assigned to the 8th Marine Regiment's 1st Platoon, 2nd Battalion. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. James A. Burks

Concerning an Afghanistan Status of Forces Agreement -- Captain's Journal

We have previously dealt with the apparent desire for an Afghanistan SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) on par with the Iraq SOFA. Bad idea, said we. It has made U.S. forces in Iraq virtually impotent to conduct missions, even when their own force protection is involved.

U.S. officials told the Post there have been numerous disagreements between the two forces. The newspaper reported one clash in which a U.S. unit wanted and failed to get permission to send out a patrol to trap insurgents allegedly planning a mortar attack on a U.S. base from an adjacent Iraqi neighborhood named Amiriyah. “I understand you have your orders,” the Iraqi commander told the American commander, “but I have my orders, too. You are not allowed to go inside of Amiriyah.” Iraqi soldiers have blocked American convoys, U.S. officials said.

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My Comment: President Karzai has made it clear that if he should win the Presidential election this month (which the odds strongly favor), he would start to demand that new rules of engagement must be implemented for all U.S. and NATO forces. While he is not specific on what these "new rules" will be, I can only assume that they will be designed so that on the command and control level, operations can only be conducted with Afghan approval.

I concur with the Captain's Journal's remarks on the consequences if such a change (at this stage in the war) is implemented.

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