Servicemembers quizzed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates about Afghanistan, the elections in Iraq and the Iran situation during a question-and-answer period here today.

Gates spoke to members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing has been deployed here since January 2002 in response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The unit has a refueling mission, a reconnaissance mission and also provides air command and control for the U.S. Central Command area of operations, according to AFPS’ Jim Garamone.

Not surprisingly, the airmen and soldiers at the base wanted to know how operations in the theater are going.

Gates told the group that the extraordinary turnout in the Iraqi election held March 7, is a good sign for the future. Before the election, the U.S. commander in Iraq, Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, told Gates that a turnout of 50 to 55 percent would be good, and a turnout of 55 to 60 percent would be outstanding. “We apparently ended up with 62 percent turnout,” the secretary said. “When you think of where we were three years ago, … the progress there has been extraordinary.”

If the Iraqis can form a government quickly, the secretary said, he sees no reason why the United States could not meet the marks set for the U.S. withdrawal from the country. That would mean all combat units will be out of Iraq by the end of August, and all American forces will be gone by the end of 2011.

The subject shifted to Iran, whose nuclear program disturbs all countries in the region. By coincidence, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinijad visited neighboring Afghanistan at the same time that Gates was in the country. The Iranian leader met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai the day after Gates met with him.

Some Iranian-made weapons and supplies have ended up in the hands of the Taliban, but that is not yet having a negative impact on the U.S. and international efforts in Afghanistan, Gates said.

The secretary joked that he and Ahmedinijad “exchanged a few words through the media yesterday.”

“I talked about Iran playing a double game with Afghanistan – wanting to have a good relationship with the Afghan government, but wanting to make our lives harder and our lives more difficult,” the secretary said.

But so far, he added, the Iranian level of effort in Afghanistan is not a major problem. “The level of their support to the Taliban has, so far as we can tell, been pretty limited,” Gates said. “I was just trying to express the hope that it wouldn’t get any worse than that.”

The conflict there will take time, the secretary said, though commanders in the country told him during his visit earlier this week that the Taliban momentum has been blunted.

“What I’ve tried to point out to folks is that of the 30,000 troops that the president ordered for the surge in Afghanistan, only about 6,000 are in country so far,” he said.

The rest of the troops will be deployed by the end of August, and that will allow the new strategy in the country to be fully implemented. “The civilian capacity that is equally important to our success there is just arriving and getting in to place as well,” the secretary said.

A key element of the new strategy involves obtaining more trainers for the Afghan security forces. U.S., NATO and international partners are working on getting the training teams in place that Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, says he needs, Gates said.

“My view is all the pieces needed to be successful in Afghanistan – including increasing the size of the Afghan national army and police – are just beginning to come together,” he said. “My view is that the signs we have seen so far indicate to me that General McChrystal’s strategy is working, but it’s still a hard fight ahead of us.”

Gates thanked the members of the unit for their efforts. He said they are helping to make a difference in Afghanistan in particular. “You’ve flown thousands of sorties providing support for those in action,” he said. “And I can tell you, I spent a good part of [March 9] in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, and those men and women on the ground know how much they owe you all for the support you’ve given them. You save lives every day.”

Gates asked the servicemembers to thank their families for him.

“You couldn’t do what you do without their support back home and I want you to pass along from me personally that we recognize how much they sacrifice and how important their support for you is,” he said.

The secretary then shook the hand of every member of the audience and handed his commemorative coin to them.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates toured an Afghan Army training camp during his recent visit to Afghanistan.

The commander of U.S. Division Center briefs reporters from Baghdad.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will discuss Iran, Afghanistan and military-to-military contacts with Saudi officials here today, according to AFPS’ Jim Garamone.

Gates, who arrived here after a three-day visit to Afghanistan, is scheduled to meet with King Abdallah and Crown Prince Sultan.

The Saudis are worried about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the affect that Iran’s Shiia government can have on the significant Shiia minorities in some of the Gulf states, senior defense officials speaking on background said.

Many of the Gulf states are building up air-defense capabilities in response to Iranian uranium research and continued Iranian missile development. And the threat Iran poses also is causing many of the Gulf States – who don’t necessarily get along – to look for ways to cooperate.
“Secretary Gates has said many times that continued Iranian nuclear development doesn’t make them safe,” Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said. The fact that many states in the region are examining ways to share intelligence and radar information and considering other potential forms of cooperation, he added, shows that Gates’ contention is correct.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have had excellent military-to-military relations since World War II. U.S. advisors continue to help in training the Saudi military and National Guard.

Saudi Arabia is one of the largest customers for U.S. defense goods, and officials said they expect that all of these matters and more will be on the table during the meetings.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs ADM Mike Mullen spoke to officers at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Thursday. He said the military alone can’t solve the world’s conflicts.

Admiral Michael Mullen says U.S. and NATO troops will shift their focus to southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province following their current offensive against the Taliban in Marjah.

Commander of U.S. Central Command GEN David Petraeus says it is vital for coalition troops to avoid civilian deaths whenever possible.

As more soldiers head from Iraq to Afghanistan, proper training for different circumstances becomes vital for their success.

The commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan has issued new rules governing night raids, acknowledging that although they can have value militarily, they also can foster ill will toward international forces on the part of the Afghan people.

In a written statement, International Security Assistance Force officials released unclassified portions of Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s new guidance “to ensure a broader awareness of [its] intent and scope.”

“We are in a war of perceptions,” the new guidance says. “Our forces operate far from home with selfless courage, admirable intentions, and impressive precision and effects. But ultimately, how the Afghan people judge our conduct and perceive our intentions will be decisive factors in their decision to support their nation’s struggle against the insurgency. We must remember that their protection, their respect, and their support are the critical objectives for everything we do. And that reality must govern how we operate.”

The guidance notes that operations conducted at night are “an essential component of our campaign, delivering often decisive effects in disrupting and defeating some of the most dangerous insurgent groups” and reduce the potential for civilian casualties.

“That said,” the guidance continues, “in the Afghan culture, a man’s home is more than just his residence. It represents his family, and protecting it is closely intertwined with his honor. He has been conditioned to respond aggressively in defense of his home and his guests whenever he perceives his home or honor is threatened. In a similar situation, most of us would do the same.”

That reaction is compounded when forces invade a home at night, particularly when women are present, the guidance points out. “Instinctive responses to defend his home and family are sometimes interpreted as insurgent acts, with tragic result,” it says. “Even when there is no damage or injuries, Afghans can feel deeply violated and dishonored, making winning their support that much more difficult.”

In the new guidance, McChrystal says that despite their effectiveness and value, night raids have a steep cost in perceptions. “The myths, distortions and propaganda arising out of night raids often have little to do with the reality — few Afghans have been directly affected by night raids, but nearly every Afghan I talk to mentions them as the single greatest irritant,” McChrystal says in the new directive. “Night raids must be conducted with even greater care, additional constraints, and standardization throughout Afghanistan.”

Under the new rules, commanders must first explore all other feasible options before conducting night raids on compounds and homes. Afghans must be in the lead wherever possible, and whenever possible, the operations must be coordinated with Afghan government officials, Afghan security forces and local elders.

“When properly executed, night raids remain a viable and advantageous option. But if we do not conduct ourselves appropriately during night raids, we cede credibility to insurgents who can exploit our insensitivities in a persuasion campaign,” the guidance says. “It would be a tragic irony if operations we conduct to protect the population by ridding villages of insurgents are distorted to convince Afghans that we are unfeeling intruders.”

Other requirements include:

– Afghan security forces must be included in all night raids, and must be in the operations planning process at the earliest possible time;

– Afghan government representatives must be notified before any night operation begins;

– Afghan security forces should be the first force seen and the first voices heard by the occupants of any compound entered;

– All searches will be led and accomplished primarily by Afghan forces and conducted with regard for the dignity of occupants, including searches of females by females; and,

– Property seized or damaged must be recorded, and detailed receipts with a point of contact must be provided to local elders or other leaders within the compound, and instructions on how to claim compensation must be provided if damage occurs.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is calling for a better balance between military and non-military approaches in Afghanistan.

Five crew members of a Coast Guard helicopter are safe following a crash in the Rocky Mountains.

The 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade commander talks about gains in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.

Testimony on Capitol Hill concerning the upcoming policy review on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

Combined Afghan and international patrols discovered several drug caches in Afghanistan’s Nimroz province over the past two days.

Yesterday, a combined patrol discovered 60 pounds of poppy, 892 pounds of white soda ash used in the production of heroin, 300 pounds of ammonium chloride, 3 pounds of ammonium nitrate and various drug- processing equipment, including precision scales and grinders.

A patrol found a cache March 2 containing 55 pounds of wet opium, 100 gallons of liquid morphine, 30 gallons of chemical precursors, 220 pounds of heroin and 110 pounds of heroin waste products.

In separate find March 2, a patrol discovered a cache containing 88 pounds of opium gum, 88 pounds of morphine base, 88 pounds of precursor chemicals for opium processing, and various drug-processing equipment.

In another operation, a patrol found a drug cache containing 4 pounds of amphetamines, a pound of opium and 5 gallons of acid.

“All of these finds were within [four miles] of each other and point to the success of operating jointly and with the support of the local population,” said Navy Capt. Jane Campbell, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command spokeswoman.

In other operations:

– A security force searched a rural compound and detained two suspected insurgents in Helmand province today after intelligence information indicated militant activity.

– An Afghan and international team captured a Taliban commander during a joint operation in Helmand province yesterday. He is known to have planned and coordinated attacks leading to the deaths of civilians and Afghan forces. Two other suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

– Afghan soldiers on patrol with international forces in Kabul province found a significant weapons cache March 2. The combined force found six machine guns, 30 homemade bombs and more than 1,000 explosive fuses.