British Army Lt. Gen. Adrian Bradshaw, ISAF’s deputy commander, said coalition troops are taking additional steps to protect themselves from “green-on-blue” attacks as they advise Afghan security forces. Since the upsurge in violence against NATO personnel by the Afghans, ISAF’s regional commands have all run assessments of risks at unit levels, said Bradshaw during via a videoconference from Kabul with Pentagon reporters on Oct. 3. The assessments caused “a brief pause” in partnered operations between NATO and Afghan forces in some areas, he said. “There may have been some minor adjustments. But largely . . . we are totally back to normal,” he noted. Afghan government counterintelligence officials are working with ISAF to improve the vetting process for Afghan soldiers and security forces, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai is “very much engaged in this effort,” said Bradshaw. The Afghans have also adjusted the number of people involved in counterintelligence activities, and the Afghan government’s efforts with its military and with its ISAF partners are “a lot more joined up” now, he said. (AFPS report by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.) (Bradshaw transcript)
The Air Force could conduct an operation like Israel's successful air campaign against Iran's nuclear sites, military leadership and air defenses, but readiness issues would make it risky, airpower experts said. Limited spare parts and training, low mission capable rates and few flying hours would put a drag on USAF's…