|
Maintaining security in ISAF
The Chief of Staff of the Norwegian National Joint Headquarters, Brigadier General Gunnar Eugen Gustavsen is satisfied with how the security of the Norwegian contribution to ISAF in Afghanistan is being maintained.
By Marita Isaksen Wangberg, FMS
CIMIC: The Norwegians have, among other things, provided equipment for a hospital in the city of Mir Bacha Kot. Photo: Torbjørn Stray-Pedersen, Norwegian CIMIC.
The Norwegian contribution to the ISAF-force in Afghanistan is focused towards Civilian-Military Co-operation, or CIMIC. The 16 Norwegian officers exclusively take part in such tasks, and have therefor not brought along an escorting or security force. Security measures for the Norwegians are provided by the Dutch-German led ISAF (International Security and Assistance Force).
A political decision
The Norwegian national commander (NCC) is tasked with evaluating whether or not this system is sufficient to maintain the necessary level of protection for the Norwegian personnel. He also has the prerogative of refusing to deploy the Norwegian officers if he feels their security is not at a high enough level.
- The Norwegian Parliament has decided that our contribution is to remain exclusively in a CIMIC role. If we were to bring along an additional security force to escort our personnel, the directives issued by Parliament would have to be altered, said Brigadier Gustavsen.
If Norway was to supply an additional security force, Parliament would have had to have made one of the following decisions: Either reduce the size of the CIMIC contribution in order to include a security element in an equally large force; or increase the size of the budgets in order to provide a security force in addition to the current CIMIC force.
- Any such decision would have to be made on the political level, though, adds Gustavsen.
Unstable situation
The Chief of Staff also said the National Joint Headquarters is comfortable with the fact that ISAF provides security for the Norwegians, and that they have nothing negative to say about how ISAF fulfils its obligations. The situation in Afghanistan is, however, still considered unstable, and the security situation in the country is constantly being evaluated.
The Norwegian CIMIC-contribution is planned to remain in Afghanistan out the year, and deployed to Afghanistan in the beginning of the year. Their efforts are aimed at rebuilding Afghan infrastructure, like schools, medical services, roads and water supplies. Norway is one of eight nations to provide CIMIC-personnel within ISAF.
Nato taking charge
As of August 18th, Nato will be taking over command of ISAF. This will be a historic event, as it is the first time Nato leads an operation, or deploys a force, outside Europe.
In September the Norwegian contribution to ISAF will be strengthened, as the Military-Medical Education and Competence Centre deploys a surgical unit to Kabul. The unit is to establish a hospital next to Kabul airport, providing an intensive care capability for ISAF personnel over a six-month period.
- This will not be a complete field hospital, but a separate lifesaving surgical unit. We will be performing stabilising procedures aimed at making it possible for the patients to be transported to civilian hospitals, or repatriated, for further treatment, said Lieutenant Colonel Sven Svensson, the commander of the surgical unit.
HIGH-TECH: The surgical unit consists of expanding containers that can easily be merged into a fully operational surgical room. The containers are already fully equipped on arrival. Photo: MUKS.
The 40 personnel strong surgical unit will be under command of the German ISAF field hospital. Most of the personnel will be medical staff, but it will also include an administrative and leadership component.
|
|
