In a penetrating analysis reported by the  Department of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen warns of the long-term impact of the current conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq on US troops.  Key Highlights:

•  The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today offered a warning of what ...
  
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On the Army's effectiveness testing of body armor for the troops, a 2009 GAO report concluded: "Overall reliability and repeatability of the test results are uncertain." To that, Army Brig. Gen. Peter N. Fuller, Program Executive Officer of the Soldier Systems Center at Ft. Belvoir said: "The challenge we are having with this ...

Policy – Corruption Perceptions Index 2010  Key Highlights: 

• The 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 178 countries around the world. Afghanistan is 176 of 178 and scored a 1.4 on the index.
• Iraq is 175 of 178 and scored a 1.5 on ...
  
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Policy – A Firefight Exposes Afghan Weakness (Wall Street Journal – Pay to View: Article Obtained via OSINT)  Key Highlights: 

• An account of the six-hour siege on the U.S. agency on July 2, drawn from interviews with witnesses and survivors and an internal investigation by the aid agency, shows ...
  
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Policy -- 8 Enemy Deaths, 46 Shootings: War by the Numbers Key Highlights

• He's done laundry twice, mailed five letters and received two. He's spent 378 hours on post and 256 hours on patrol. He's crossed 140 miles (230 kilometers) of thorny bomb-laced farmland and waist-high trenches of water ...
  
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Policy – General Sees Progress in Counter-IED Fight Key Highlights:

•  Despite an increase in incidents that tracks with the build-up of forces in Afghanistan, Oates said, “my assessment is we’re making progress” in the fight against IEDs. The growing number of forces in the country and increased fighting caused ...
  
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 I follow football.  High School, College, Professional – all levels, all kinds. It’s a blood sport.  So there was no way I could ignore the blaring RSS feed headlines on Monday morning announcing that this past weekend’s games will be forever known as “Bloody Sunday.” Sports Illustrated football analyst Peter ...

Policy -- Taliban’s Elite, Aided by NATO, Join Talks for Afghan Peace Key highlights:

• Taliban Quetta and Peshawar Shura and Haqqani Network are participating in Afghan peace talks
• NATO/ISAF is providing transport and security to delegates from safe-havens to Kabul
• Delegates are senior members

Analysis:  These talks have ...

In a revealing article published today (October 20, 2010) in the Washington Examiner, Sara A. Carter, National Security Correspondent reports that "Troops Chafe at Restrictive Rules of Engagement" and reported talks with the Taliban.  As reported earlier, frontline troops in Afghanistan have not been entirely pleased (read "pissed off") at  current Rules ...

A week ago, SFTT received a request from a concerned parent (whose son is expected to deploy shortly to Afghanistan) inquiring whether a service member is obligated to wear "US government approved" equipment or is free to use protective gear and combat equipment purchased from other  firms. The question is in response to ...

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