U.S. forces handed over control of Camp Bucca in Basra, Iraq, to Iraqi authorities on July 11. Pentagon

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.

GEN Stanley McChrystal, U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, says U.S. and coalition forces are working to increase the Afghan population’s confidence in its own government.

Coalition forces continue their offensive against Taliban holdouts in Afghanistan’s South, as part of Operation Moshtarak.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen visits Israel to discuss Iran and the nuclear issue.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen visits Cairo, Egypt where he discusses Iran’s nuclear issues as well as the drawdown of US forces in Iraq.

Coast Guard helicopters and ground crews are supporting efforts to rescue a climber who fell into a crater Monday on Mount Saint Helens in Washington State.

Military leaders say Taliban resistance to the latest coalition offensive in southern Afghanistan has been lighter than expected.

As coalition forces continue their major offensive against insurgents in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, officials hope to gain the trust of the local population.

U.S. forces nab top Taliban leader in secret raid.

U.S. forces in the Marja region of Afghanistan are engaged in a series of missions to prime the Taliban stronghold before a massive assault that’s expected soon, defense officials said today.

According to AFPS’ John J. Kruzel, firefights have erupted with Taliban militants as American troops continue positioning equipment and forces in the central Helmand province area for what is likely to be the scene of significant fighting.

“They are expecting a fight. I don’t know that they’re expecting Fallujah,” said a defense official speaking on background, referring to a heavy U.S. assault against Iraq-based insurgents in 2004. “Insurgents have been there a long time. This is a Taliban stronghold.”

In a rare glimpse at their playbook, U.S. and NATO military officials for months have remarked publicly on the strategic importance of the southern Afghanistan region and the goal to clear the area of Taliban fighters. The rationale for such a declaration of intent was to allow low-level Taliban fighters the chance to flee, and to warn civilians of the impending attack, officials said.

Marja, like other areas of Helmand, is a source of income for Taliban fighters, who cultivate poppy to yield opium and heroin for the lucrative drug market, according to reports. The U.S. State Department cites Afghanistan as the world’s largest producer of opium, and money from the drug trade is said to help in bankrolling terrorism.

“Marja has to be cracked open,” Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway told Pentagon reporters in December. “The people there, I think, will welcome us when that happens, because the reports that we get is that there is a murder-intimidation campaign at work there — that people are being kept in, in many ways, against their will.”

Some 12,000 U.S. and NATO troops and 3,000 Afghan forces are expected to be involved once the larger-scale operation begins in earnest. Officials declined to reveal when the assault would start, saying only that it is expected to commence soon.

In the meantime, troops are conducting “shaping operations” to mold the battlefield in their favor before the offensive, said the defense official, who characterized the mission as a preparatory phase aimed at answering key tactical questions.

“When the operation begins, where do you want people stationed? Do you want Afghans here setting up roadblocks? Do you want Afghans on that hill with the proper overwatch authority on that particular valley? Do you have enough water set up? Food? Ammunition?” the official said.

Troops engaged in shaping the battlefield have encountered firefights as they prepare the area for more intense fighting, the official said.

“Some of it is tactical, some of it is logistical – it’s getting everything ready for the actual operation itself,” the official said, describing the ongoing operations. “That does sometimes entail small fire, firefights and even small battles, depending on where and how you’re doing it, and they’ve run into some firefights.”

President Barack Obama intends to end the war in Iraq and Afganistan.

President Obama renewed his pledge to have Afghan security forces take the lead by next year.

The Pentagon supports a full reform of the nation’s export control system.

NATO officials say they’ve reached an agreement with Kazakhstan on a new supply route for U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan.