American Two Star General Dies in Attack on NATO Troops

An Afghan man the Kabul government described as a terrorist in uniform shot a US Army major general dead and wounded up to 15 other NATO troops Tuesday,Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said.The gunman was wearing military clothing and fired on the allied troops with a light machine gun at the Marshal Fahim National Defense University in Kabul,Afghanistan,where Afghan commissioned and non-commissioned officers are trained at the British-led academy.The NATO soldiers were on a routine site visit,RADM Kirby told reporters.*
Believed to be among the wounded are a German general and at least seven Americans and five British troops.Some of them were seriously wounded;others received only minor injuries.
The general who was killed has been identified as General Harold J. Greene,deputy commanding general of the Combined Security Transition Command.A 34-year veteran,he is the highest ranking US soldier to have been killed in either the the Iraq or Afghan War,which began in 2001 following the 9-11 attacks.*
The so-called green on blue attack is the latest of a long series of similar incidents,many of them attributed to disgruntled Afghan National Security Forces personnel.*
Army Lieutenant General Timothy J. Maude died in the 9-11 attack on the Pentagon.*
General Joseph F. Dunford,Jr.,US Marine Corps,Commander of ISAF forces in Afghanistan,briefed Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on the incident this morning.The attack will be jointly investigated by ISAF and Afghan personnel.ISAF consists of NATO troops and those of partner nations.
Most US and allied forces are to be withdrawn by the end of 2014,but plans to leave a limited number of trainers and special operations troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014 are on hold until the disputed Afghan presidential election is resolved.An audit of the election finally began on Sunday even as squabbling between the parties continued,with one candidate's supporters boycotting the audit.

Special Intelligence Report:ISAF Afghanistan Status

Lieutenant General James Terry,US Army,ISAF Afghanistan Joint Commander,said the progress there is very substantial.With our partners,we're gonna be working on the challenges.The Afghan National Police and Army can and do fight for the people of Afghanistan.
The general briefed reporters at the Pentagon on the status of International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan,or ISAF.
The ISAF mission is Train,Advise and Assist,he continued.Today the insurgents fear the Afghan National Security Forces,or ANSF.They are taking the lead because long term stability demands it.It undermines the insurgents' doctrine of fighting foreign forces.
The militants have been forced out of urban areas.Cellphone coverage extends to over 80% of the population and the kids are back in school.The people are tired and have no desire to be controlled by insurgents.The majority believe the country is headed in the right direction.
We are now bringing in brigade-size training and assistance forces.These forces are accelerating self-security.We are witnessing examples of increasing ANSF capability.There are Afghan-planned and executed operations using Afghan helicopters and pilots.We are putting our advisors and enablers at the right levels in the ANSF.
The future is not without risk.We are confident we can mitigate that risk.While ANSF move to the lead,coalition forces will still conduct operations in combat conditions.As we look toward national elections in 2014,I am confident the security provided by the ANSF will be sufficient.
It can and will work.They will need a partner and our help,but they are well on the way to taking the lead.From where I'm at,they're at the run phase.I was recently pleased the insider threat has in my mind receded.The vetting and counterintel are ongoing.
We'll be with the ANSF through this fighting season,providing help with logistics;counter-IED;surface fires;and the Afghan helicopter fleet.
Besides the US Army,the US Marines,US Air Force and Individual Augmentees from the US Navy are a part of ISAF Afghanistan,along with NATO and other coalition partners.Around 60,000 US troops remain in Afghanistan and most are slated for withdrawal by the end of 2014.

Marines Evolve Their Australian Presence

The US Marine Corps has established a presence in Australia.There are currently 250 Marines based there.General Joseph F. Dunford,Jr,Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps,said their presence has been a reinforcement of our already strong partnership with the Australians.They are a key ally,a trusted partner,and we've fought shoulder-to-shoulder with them in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Australia has some great training ranges in the north.Our current teaming effort involves combined training,enhancing our teamwork and building our partnership.
This includes training  and exercising with other nearby nations.We hope to gradually deepen our partnership at a pace both nations are comfortable with.While our training force today is infantry-centric,the desired end state is a Marine Air Ground Task Force,or MAGTF,that includes all elements-ground,air,logisitcs-that flows through this training environment on a rotational basis,General Dunford told Seapower magazine.
When constituted,the MAGTF will bring the total number of Marines in Australia up to 2500.General Dunford is now being considered by the US Senate for the post of commander of International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan,or ISAF.

Marine Assumes Afghan War Command

A U.S. Marine four-star general,John R. Allen,has assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force,or ISAF,the senior military leadership post in the Afghan War.On 18 July,General Allen replaced General David Petraeus,U.S. Army,who is to become the next CIA director.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy,General Allen has had an intellectually stimulating career,earning several academic degrees in national security and intelligence studies from Georgetown University and the National War College,as well as the Defense Intelligence University.He also taught and was Commandant at the Naval Academy.
From 2006-08,General Allen was Commanding General,2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in the Iraq War.He then served as Deputy Commander,U.S. Central Command from 2008-11,assisting General Petraeus for most of that assignment.
General Allen has been decorated with the Legion of Merit with 3 award stars,as well as both the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 oak leaf cluster.
There would be no let up in engaging the Taliban militants during the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops and transfer of command to Afghan security forces,General Allen insisted.