Resolute Support Mission
{{Short description|2015–2021 NATO-led assistance mission in Afghanistan}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Resolute Support Mission
| image = Resolute Support.svg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Official logo of RSM
| start_date = 1 January 2015
| end_date = September 2021{{Cite web|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_113694.htm|title = Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan (2015-2021)}}
| country = Contributing states: see below
| allegiance = {{flag|NATO}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_113694.htm|title = Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan (2015-2021)}}
| size = Peak Strength:
17,178 (October 2019){{Cite web|url=https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_2019_10/20191022_2019-10-RSM-Placemat.pdf|title = RSM-Placemat}}
| command_structure = Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum {{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}
{{nowrap|American contingent responsible to:}}
{{nowrap|United States Central Command}}
{{nowrap|MacDill AFB, Florida, U.S.}} {{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}
| garrison = Kabul, Afghanistan{{Cite web|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_113694.htm|title = Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan (2015-2021)}}
| garrison_label = Headquarters
| motto = تعلیمات، کمک، مشورت (training, assistance, advice){{Cite web|url=https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/special-reports/resolute-support-light-natos-new-mission-versus-the-ansf-political-economy/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRS%20%E2%80%93%20ta'alimat%2C,NATO%20military%20mission%20in%20Afghanistan.|title=Resolute Support Light: NATO's New Mission versus the ANSF Political Economy|date=12 January 2015 }}
| battles = War in Afghanistan{{Cite web|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_113694.htm|title = Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan (2015-2021)}}
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| disbanded =
| commander1 = Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.
| commander1_label = Last Commander
| commander2 =
| commander2_label = Deputy Commander
| commander3 =
| commander3_label = Senior Enlisted Leader
| notable_commanders = Austin S. Miller
John W. Nicholson Jr.
John F. Campbell
| identification_symbol = File:Flag of the Resolute Support Mission.svg
| identification_symbol_label = Flag
| identification_symbol_2 =
| identification_symbol_2_label = Variant flag
}}
File:Presentation of the Resolute Support Colors.jpg
File:NATO badge for Operation Resolute Support.svg
Resolute Support Mission (RSM) or Operation Resolute Support was a NATO-led multinational mission in Afghanistan.{{cite web|url=http://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2021/2/pdf/2021-02-RSM-Placemat.pdf |title=Resolute Support Mission: Key Facts and Figures |publisher=NATO |date=February 2021}}{{cite news|title=NATO chief, Afghan president welcome "new phase" as combat role ends|url=http://www.dpa-international.com/news/asia/nato-afghan-president-ghani-tolaunch-new-2015-mission-a-43481490.html|access-date=7 February 2015|work=DPA|agency=DPA|date=2 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207185555/http://www.dpa-international.com/news/asia/nato-afghan-president-ghani-tolaunch-new-2015-mission-a-43481490.html|archive-date=7 February 2015}} It began on 1 January 2015 as the successor to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which was completed on 28 December 2014.{{cite news |title=NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan |url=http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_113694.htm |publisher=NATO |date=27 November 2014 |access-date=16 December 2014}}{{cite news |title=Afghanistan: Security Council backs agreement on new non-combat NATO mission |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2014/12/486192-afghanistan-security-council-backs-agreement-new-non-combat-nato-mission |publisher=United Nations News Centre |date=12 December 2014 |access-date=3 July 2021}} Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2189 of 2014,{{Cite web|url=https://undocs.org/S/RES/2189(2014)|title = S/RES/2189(2014) - e - S/RES/2189(2014) -Desktop}} RSM was a noncombat mission aimed at advising and training Afghan security forces to provide long-term security to the country, under the aegis of the Security and Defence Cooperation Agreement BSA between the United States and Afghanistan,{{cite news |title=Statement by the President on the Signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement in Afghanistan |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/30/statement-president-signing-bilateral-security-agreement-and-nato-status |agency=Office of the Press Secretary |publisher=The White House |date=30 September 2014}} which was originally supposed to run from 1 January 2015 and "shall remain in force until the end of 2024 and beyond" unless terminated with two years' advance notice.{{cite news|title=Pact May Extend U.S. Troops' Stay in Afghanistan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/world/asia/afghan-pact-kerry-apology-.html?hp&_r=1&pagewanted=all&|access-date=21 November 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=20 November 2013|author=Thom Shanker and Rod Nordland}}{{cite news |title=Senators Suggest Termination of US-Afghan Pact |url=https://ariananews.af/senators-suggest-termination-of-us-afghan-pact/ |publisher=Ariana News |date=8 January 2017}}
The number of troops and contributing nations would fluctuate throughout RSM's period of activity.{{Cite web |last=NATO |date=23 May 2017 |title=NATO AND AFGHANISTAN: RSM Placemats Archive |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/107995.htm}} In October 2019, RSM had its largest size of troops, which was 17,178.{{Cite web|title=Resolute Support Mission (RSM): Key Facts and Figures for October 2019|url=https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_2019_10/20191022_2019-10-RSM-Placemat.pdf}}{{Cite web|last=NATO|title=Archive ISAF Placemats|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/107995.htm|access-date=2022-01-29|website=NATO|language=en}} Moreover, throughout 2015, the RSM had its peak of contributing nations, which was 42. The US accounted for the largest contingent, while Italy, Germany, and Turkey served leading roles.{{Cite web|last=NATO|title=Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_113694.htm|access-date=2022-01-08|website=NATO|language=en}} Intended to play a temporary and transitionary role, the mission gradually withdrew its forces, which numbered around 10,000 at the start of 2021. On 14 April 2021 via a North Atlantic Council Ministerial Statement, NATO announced a drawdown of RSM troops by 1 May,{{Cite web|url=https://www.joint-forces.com/world-news/42637-nato-resolute-support-mission-is-ending|title=NATO RESOLUTE SUPPORT Mission Is Ending|date=April 14, 2021}} and the mission was terminated early September 2021.{{Cite web |last=NATO |title=Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan (2015-2021) |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_113694.htm |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=NATO |language=en}} The last remaining RSM troops to leave was a U.S. military unit commanded by Major General Christopher T. Donahue, which were withdrawn on August 30, 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-30 |title=Last troops exit Afghanistan, ending America's longest war |url=https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81 |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lubold |first=Nancy A. Youssef and Gordon |title=Last U.S. Troops Leave Afghanistan After Nearly 20 Years |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/last-u-s-troops-leave-afghanistan-after-nearly-20-years-11630355853 |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}
Legal basis
The operation plan for the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) was approved by foreign ministers of the NATO members in late June 2014 and the corresponding status of forces agreement was signed by President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani and NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Maurits Jochems in Kabul on 30 September 2014. The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 2189 in support of the new international mission in Afghanistan.
Objectives and deployment
The objective of the mission was to provide training, advice and assistance for Afghan security forces and institutions in their conflict with extremist groups such as the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and ISIS-K.{{cite news |last1=Rosenberg|first1=Matthew|title=In Reversal, Obama Says U.S. Soldiers Will Stay in Afghanistan to 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/16/world/asia/obama-troop-withdrawal-afghanistan.html|access-date=1 September 2017|work=The New York Times|date=October 15, 2015}}{{Cite web|last=Velloso|first=Sophie|date=2020-06-07|title=US launches airstrikes against Taliban in Afghanistan|url=https://internationalinsider.org/us-launches-airstrikes-against-taliban-in-afghanistan/|access-date=2020-06-07|website=International Insider|language=en-GB|archive-date=2022-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707073950/https://internationalinsider.org/us-launches-airstrikes-against-taliban-in-afghanistan/|url-status=dead}}
The Resolute Support Mission consisted of approximately 17,000 personnel from NATO and partner nations in Afghanistan. The leader of the operation was at all times identical with the commander of United States Forces - Afghanistan.
Forces were distributed between the central hub at Kabul and Bagram Airfield and four supporting spokes. The spokes were formed by Train Advise Assist Commands (TAACs), which directly supported four of the six Afghan National Army Corps. Train Advise Assist Command - Capital replaced the former Regional Command Capital. TAAC East assisted the 201st Corps from FOB Gamberi in Laghman, TAAC South assists the 205th Corps from Kandahar International Airport, TAAC West assisted the 207th Corps in Herat and TAAC North covered the 209th Corps from Mazar-i-Sharif.Operation Resolute Support, [http://www.rs.nato.int/subordinate-commands/rc-north/index.php TAAC North] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101105845/http://www.rs.nato.int/subordinate-commands/rc-north/index.php |date=2015-01-01}}
The 203rd Corps located in the south-eastern part of the country saw advisers from time to time from TAAC East (one source described this as "fly to advise").{{cite web|title=Resolute Support|url=http://www.afghanwarnews.info/resolute-support.htm|website=Afghan War News|access-date=7 February 2015}} The 215th Corps in the south-west is supported by TAAC South.
U.S. President Barack Obama, in an update given from the White House on 6 July 2016, stated that, following General John W. Nicholson's, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford's, and U.S. Defense Department Secretary Ashton Carter's mutual recommendations, the U.S. would have about 8,400 troops remaining in Afghanistan through the end of his administration in December 2016.{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/07/06/update-our-mission-afghanistan|title=An Update On Our Mission in Afghanistan|date=6 July 2016|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|access-date=18 July 2016}}
The residual force of 9,800 troops was withdrawn on 31 December 2016, leaving 8,400 troops stationed at four garrisons (Kabul, Kandahar, Bagram, and Jalalabad).
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) was appointed by the US Congress to oversee the $117.26 billion that Congress had provided to implement reconstruction programs in Afghanistan. The SIGAR's "April 30, 2018 Quarterly Report to Congress" says, "[As of January 31, 2018,] 14.5% of the country's total districts [were] under insurgent control or influence [& an additional 29.2% were] contested[.]"{{Cite web|url=https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2018-04-30qr.pdf|title=April 30, 2018 Quarterly Report to Congress}}
Collapse and dissection
{{main|Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (2020–2021)}}
Intended to play a temporary and transitionary role, the mission gradually withdrew its forces, which numbered around 10,000 at the start of 2021. On 14 April 2021 via a North Atlantic Council Ministerial Statement, NATO announced a drawdown of RSM troops by 1 May, and the mission was terminated early September 2021.
The US Forces Afghanistan Forward was the name given by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and it continued to have a military presence in the country until all US forces were withdrawn by August 30, 2021.
In November 2021 NATO published a factsheet on its 'Afghanistan Lessons Learned Process'. Seven meetings of a committee of NATO civil servants were held and the result was termed a "comprehensive review". John Manza, the committee's chair and the contemporary Assistant Secretary General for Operations, presented a summary that was reviewed and discussed by the NAC Permanent Representatives and the NAC Foreign Ministers. NATO HQ felt it "should consider mechanisms to improve the timeliness and relevance of reporting from the field and for more interactive discussions in the Council."{{cite news |title=Afghanistan Lessons Learned Process |url=https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2021/12/pdf/2112-factsheet-afgh-lessons-en.pdf |publisher=NATO |date=November 2021}}{{cite journal |title=Operationally Agile but Strategically Lacking: NATO's Bruising Years in Afghanistan |journal=LSE Public Policy Review |date=2022 |volume=2 |issue=3 |doi=10.31389/lseppr.55 |last1=Rynning |first1=Sten |last2=Hilde |first2=Paal Sigurd |last3=Cox |first3=Michael |s2cid=248622315 |doi-access=free |url=https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/202919334/55_306_1_PB.pdf }}
SIGAR reported to Congress with the title "Collapse of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces: An Assessment of the Factors That Led to Its Demise" in May 2022.{{cite news |title=Collapse of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces |language=en |url=https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/evaluations/SIGAR-22-22-IP.pdf |last=Sopko |first=John F. |agency=Office of Inspector General (United States) |publisher=Office of the Special Inspector G |date=12 May 2022}}{{cite news |title=US withdrawal prompted collapse of Afghan army: Report |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/18/us-withdrawal-prompted-collapse-of-afghan-army-report |publisher=Al Jazeera Media Network |date=18 May 2022}}
General David Petraeus, who had commanded for a time around 2010 the precursor ISAF mission to Afghanistan, described the end of the mission as "heart-breaking, tragic and disastrous" as he said "Afghanistan's gone back to the dark ages" in an interview on the release of the UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee report on the matter.{{cite news |last1=Mee |first1=Sarah-Jane |title='Afghanistan's gone back to the dark ages,' says General Petraeus |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBcDMq29B8w |agency=YouTube |publisher=Sky News |date=24 May 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Nevett |first1=Joshua |title=Afghanistan: UK's withdrawal a disaster, inquiry concludes |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61555821 |publisher=BBC |date=24 May 2022}} The report said the fact that the then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, his Permanent Secretary Philip Barton and Prime Minister Boris Johnson were all on summertime leave when the Taliban took Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, "marks a fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership at a time of [British] national emergency", especially in light of the vacuum left by the flight of President Ashraf Ghani, his cabinet and vaporous government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
As of June 2022 the Afghanistan War Commission had yet to report.{{cite news |title=Research expert disagrees with recent SIGAR report on Afghanistan |url=https://govmatters.tv/military-united-states-biden-trump-withdrawal-forces-afghanistan-afghan-security-terrorist-taliban-equipment-dogs-cna-jonathan-schroden/ |agency=GOVERNMENT MATTERS |publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group |date=5 June 2022 |access-date=14 June 2022 |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706015554/https://govmatters.tv/military-united-states-biden-trump-withdrawal-forces-afghanistan-afghan-security-terrorist-taliban-equipment-dogs-cna-jonathan-schroden/ |url-status=dead }}
Contributing nations
File:Resolute Support Map.jpg, TAAC – North, TAAC – South, TAAC – East, TAAC – West]]
File:Secretary Kerry Speaks to Troops at Camp Resolute Support Headquarters (26325577455).jpg speaks to soldiers at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, 9 April 2016]]
File:Panzerfaust 3 Afghanistan.jpg in Afghanistan, 30 September 2020. Over 100 Netherlands Armed Forces personnel participated in the Resolute Support Mission.]]
In 2019, the forces that contributed to the mission were 8,475 Americans that trained and helped Afghan forces, approximately 5,500 Americans engaged in counter-terrorism missions, 8,673 allied soldiers and 27,000 military contractors.{{cite web|url=https://media.defense.gov/2019/Aug/21/2002173538/-1/-1/1/Q3FY2019_LEADIG_OFS_REPORT.PDF|title=Operation Freedom's Sentinel: Lead Inspector General Report to the United States Congress, April 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019|website=Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General|date=20 August 2019|access-date=12 October 2019|pages=47–48}}
A new type of U.S. unit, the Security Force Assistance Brigades, deployed to Afghanistan in February 2018 to support the mission.{{Cite web| title = First troops among new front-line adviser brigade arrive in Afghanistan| work = Stars and Stripes| access-date = 2018-09-06| url = https://www.stripes.com/news/first-troops-among-new-front-line-adviser-brigade-arrive-in-afghanistan-1.513060}}
The United Kingdom announced in July 2018 that it sent 440 more British personnel to Afghanistan. Around half of the additional personnel were deployed in August 2018 and the other half followed by February 2019. This increased the total number of British personnel in the country from 650 to 1,090 by early 2019.{{Cite news| title = Afghanistan: UK to send 440 more non-combat troops| work = BBC News| date = 10 July 2018| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44787636}}
The countries that had personnel in Afghanistan as of February 2021 (with complete statistics last published prior to withdrawal) are as follows. The mission was terminated on 12 July 2021, and several countries had personnel in place, before all were withdrawn before 31 August 2021.
List of commanders
The USFOR-A Commander reports to the Commander, United States Central Command (CENTCOM), who reports directly to the Secretary of Defense. This reporting relationship is prescribed in 10 USC Section 164(d)(1). The Resolute Support Mission Commander (COMRS) does not have a direct reporting relationship with the Secretary of Defense. Rather, he reports through the Commander, U.S. CENTCOM. COMRS reports to the NATO chain of command through the Commander of Joint Forces Command – Brunssum, who reports to the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).{{cite news |title=Advance Policy Questions for Lieutenant General Austin Miller, U.S. Army Nominee for Commander, Resolute Support Mission and Commander, United States Forces-Afghanistan |url=https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Miller_APQs_06-19-18.pdf |publisher=Senate Armed Services Committee |date=19 June 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903232809/https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Miller_APQs_06-19-18.pdf |archive-date= Sep 3, 2023 }}
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan=2| {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! colspan=2| Commander ! colspan=3| Term |
|---|
| Portrait
! Name ! Took office ! Left office ! Duration |
| {{Officeholder table
| order = 1 | military_rank = General | image = CampbellRS2015.png | officeholder = John F. Campbell | born_year = 1957 | died_year = | term_start = December 28, 2014 | term_end = March 2, 2016 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|December 28, 2014|March 2, 2016}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = 2 | military_rank = General | image = General John W. Nicholson, Jr. (cropped).jpg | officeholder = John W. Nicholson Jr. | born_year = 1957 | died_year = | term_start = March 2, 2016 | term_end = September 2, 2018 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|March 2, 2016|September 2, 2018}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = 3 | military_rank = General | image = General Austin S. Miller.jpg | officeholder = Austin S. Miller | born_year = 1961 | died_year = | term_start = September 2, 2018 | term_end = July 12, 2021 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|September 2, 2018|July 12, 2021}} }} {{Officeholder table | order = 4 | military_rank = General | image = General Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr (USCENTCOM).jpg | officeholder = Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. | born_year = 1956 or 1957 | died_year = | term_start = July 12, 2021 | term_end = August 31, 2021 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|July 12, 2021|August 31, 2021}} }} |
See also
- Operation Freedom's Sentinel – American mission in Afghanistan (2015–2021)
- Operation Allies Refuge – part of the evacuation from Afghanistan (summer 2021)
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{Cite journal |last=Rynning |first=Sten |last2=Hilde |first2=Paal Sigurd |date=2022-05-02 |title=Operationally Agile but Strategically Lacking: NATO's Bruising Years in Afghanistan |url=https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/202919334/55_306_1_PB.pdf |language=en-US |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=8 |doi=10.31389/lseppr.55 |journal=LSE Public Policy Review |doi-access=free |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= }}
External links
- {{Official website|https://rs.nato.int/}} {{Dead link|date=September 2022}}
{{War in Afghanistan}}
{{Afghan National Security Forces}}
{{War on Terrorism}}
Category:NATO operations in Afghanistan
Category:Military units and formations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Category:Military units and formations established in 2014
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2021
Category:2014 establishments in Afghanistan
Category:Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving the United States
Category:Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving Australia
Category:Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving Germany
Category:Military operations involving Georgia (country)
Category:Non-combat military operations involving Australia
Category:Non-combat military operations involving Germany