Letter to General James R. Clapper, Director of National Intelligence

Letter

General James R. Clapper
Director of National Intelligence
Washington, DC 20511

Dear Director Clapper:

I write as Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security to request that you lead an interagency counterintelligence survey of the Afghan security forces, on an expedited basis, to address "green on blue" shootings.

As many as forty attacks have taken place against Coalition Forces by members of the Afghan security forces and local nationals employed by our forces this year, causing at least 13% of Coalition casualties, including 11 men killed in the last two weeks alone. This likely indicates serious vetting problems, including Taliban penetration of the Afghan security forces.

I am reliably informed that reporting on counterintelligence problems in Afghan units advised and trained by U.S. forces has been suppressed, out of a misplaced fear of reflecting badly upon those units' American advisers and trainers. Such concerns must now plainly come second to addressing a growing crisis for our mission in Afghanistan, posed by green on blue shootings.

The military need not undertake this task alone. The Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are well-placed to assist the Defense Intelligence Agency and the service components' intelligence branches in conducting such a counterintelligence survey.

I have also asked the Secretary of Defense to ascertain how many green on blue incidents have taken place, who has perpetrated them, which Coalition units have suffered these attacks, and under what circumstances.

If you have any questions regarding this letter, please have your staff contact my Committee staff at 202-226-8417. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter of national security.

Sincerely,

PETER T. KING

Chairman

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