Mills appeal calls for Berlusconi Oct 10, 2009
Eight years of US-led Afghan operation. Film that helped bring down Berlin Wall. (BBC News -- UK)
Focus on Taliban may ebb Oct 10, 2009
Sources say President's shift would put more emphasis on fighting al-Qaida in Afghanistan ... WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is prepared to accept some Taliban involvement in Afghanistan's political future and will determine how many more U.S. troops to send to the war based only on keeping al-Qaida at bay, a senior administration official said Thursday ... But the thinking emerging from the strategy formulation portion of the debate offers a clue that Obama would be unlikely to favor a... (Albany Times Union)
Obama Focusing on al Qaeda, not Taliban Oct 9, 2009
Officials Say President Is Prepared to Accept Some Taliban Involvement in Afghanistan's Future ... President Obama holds a meeting with national security advisers to discuss policy in Afghanistan, Oct. 7, 2009 ... CBS News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lara Logan spoke with Bob Orr on the road ahead in Afghanistan and Pakistan. (CBS News)
Pakistan's Pashtuns, looking for statehood, may look to Taliban Oct 9, 2009
Their lands straddling the Afghan-Pakistani border are a haven for the Taliban and top Al Qaeda figures like Osama bin Laden ... "But what could emerge, if the Taliban were to get control over large areas of the border districts in Afghanistan, is some sort of Islamic emirate which would in fact be a Pashtun state." ... US troops in Afghanistan and the Pakistani military would then be fighting Pashtun pride on top of other passions fueling the insurgencies. (Christian Science Monitor)
HINGHAM OPINION: Ready for protracted war in Afghanistan? Oct 9, 2009
HINGHAM OPINION: Ready for protracted war in Afghanistan ... HINGHAM OPINION: Ready for protracted war in Afghanistan ... ve and overly simplified polls aimed at the American public, asking questions such as, Should America stay in Afghanistan or running screen graphics with rhetorical questions such as, Waist deep: can the U.S. ever tame Afghanistan. (Hingham Journal, MA)
Source: Obamas Afghan focus is al-Qaida Oct 9, 2009
Source: Obamas Afghan focus is al-Qaida - Afghanistan- msnbc ... Official says president inclined against large buildup in Afghanistan ... President Barack Obama planned sessions with his war council on Thursday and Friday to discuss the strategy in the Afghan war. (MSNBC -- International)
Afghans Await Troop Plan, Election Result Oct 8, 2009
A worker of the Afghan Election Commission, right, checks the details of a suspicious ballot box during the recounting possess at the main election office in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 7, 2009 ... The latest news and analysis on the war in Afghanistan and the debate in Washington over its future ... (CBS) Wednesday marks the 8th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, and CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy reports it is a crucial time for the war-ravaged country. (CBS News -- Early Show)
Numbers Define Afghanistan as Harsh and Deadly Place$8 billion worth of opium, but the second poorest country in the world. Oct 8, 2009
Look At Afghanistan From Poppies to TVs - ABC News ... Numbers Define Afghanistan as Harsh and Deadly Place ... Rich in Opium and Violence, Afghanistan Is Impoverished Country. (ABC News)
Marines in Afghanistan: A Day in the Life Oct 7, 2009
Marines in Southern Afghanistan face harsh conditions while protecting civilians from insurgent attacks ... As U.S. military forces continue to fight in Afghanistan, CBS News takes an in-depth look at the covert operations of the Taliban, one of America's greatest enemies ... The latest news and analysis on the war in Afghanistan and the debate in Washington over its future. (CBS News)
Five's company? Oct 7, 2009
Obama 'not cutting' Afghan troops. Mantel named Booker prize winner. (BBC News -- Africa)
Looted Artifacts on Display at Afghan Museum Oct 7, 2009
Afghan Information and Culture Minister Abdul Karim Khurram, second right, is briefed regarding the rescued Afghanistan's artifacts at the National Museum in Kabul, Afghanistan on Oct. 6, 2009 Musadeq Sadeq / AP ... (KABUL) The National Museum of Afghanistan on Tuesday unveiled hundreds of looted artifacts, some dating back as far as the 11th century, seized from smugglers trying to sell them on Europe's black market ... A trade route between Europe and Asia for centuries, Afghanistan has long... (Time.com)
Click to read:Afghan Chances Lost, U.S. Faces Long Odds Oct 7, 2009
Afghan Chances Lost, U.S. Faces Long Odds - CBS Evening News - CBS News ... Afghan Chances Lost, U.S. Faces Long Odds ... As U.S. military forces continue to fight in Afghanistan, CBS News takes an in-depth look at the covert operations of the Taliban, one of America's greatest enemies. (CBS News)
HSBC boss says banks owe apology Oct 7, 2009
Afghan bride wins 'maintenance ... Obama 'not cutting' Afghan troops. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Deadly Afghanistan attack: It wasn't just the Taliban Oct 6, 2009
During a lull in a firefight Sunday with taliban militants in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Afghan Army local commander Mohammed Hussein, left, stands with Marine squad leader Sgt. Matthew Duquette, of Warrenville, Ill ... The Taliban combined with an Al Qaeda-linked militant group and others to kill eight US soldiers in northeastern Afghanistan Sunday ... com's Pat Murphy about the forces that battled coalition troops over the weekend in northern Afghanistan, resulting in the death of eight... (Christian Science Monitor)
Corporate Greed a Bigger Problem Than Michael Moore Oct 6, 2009
Vice President Joe Biden sounds delusional when he says all's A-OK with Plan A and there is no need for Plan B. The Afghan War would seem to be ripe for Plan C. While "We are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism" by John Derbyshire is a bit of a stretch, "Culture of Corruption" by Michelle Malkin and "Exploiting Chaos" by Jeremy Gutsche have the ring of authenticity. "Catastrophe" by Dick Morris, a liberal-turned-conservative icon, gives all away on the cover. (Newsmax)
Boris Johnson on Blair as Europe president Oct 6, 2009
" But there isn't a constitution is there????? Geoff Turner on October 05, 2009 at 08:10 AM I watched what severely restricted sections of the Treaty were permitted to be debated by MPs in the house of commons before the treaty was rammed through just as so much bad legislation is rammed through. A pitifully small group of MPs bothered to turn up, making it clear they thought it a pointless waste of their time, and most just appeared in time to vote as ordered by the whips, despite this being an... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Oasis at risk Oct 6, 2009
Page last updated at 11:24 GMT, Monday, 5 October 2009 12:24 UK. Egypt oasis risks becoming mirage. (BBC News -- Africa)
Division over Tory welfare reforms Oct 5, 2009
Iran and Afghanistan feature prominently in the papers ... The Times and Guardian both quote a sacked UN official who says almost a third of the votes cast for Afghan President Hamid Karzai were. (BBC News -- UK)
Israeli police deploy around tense holy site Oct 5, 2009
Synagogue-dweller is Afghan Jewry's last gasp ... In the late 19th century, Afghanistan's Jews numbered about 40,000, many of them Persian Jews who had fled forced conversion in neighboring Iran ... Now Simentov is the caretaker and sole member of Afghanistan's only working synagogue. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
OBAMA DATE NIGHT: CELEBRATE WEDDING ANNI... Oct 5, 2009
Obamas' night out: First WH anniversary: The Swamp. Posted October 3, 2009 10:15 PM. (The Drudge Report)
Synagogue-dweller Is Afghan Jewry's Last Gasp Oct 4, 2009
Five Years Alone In His Synagogue, Afghan Jew Is His Community's Last Gasp ... In the late 19th century, Afghanistan's Jews numbered about 40,000, many of them Persian Jews who had fled forced conversion in neighboring Iran ... Now Simentov is the caretaker and sole member of Afghanistan's only working synagogue. (CBS News -- World)
Glastonbury tickets up for grabs Oct 4, 2009
Heavy US losses in Afghan battle. Japanese ex-minister found dead. (BBC News -- UK)
Diary from Swat Oct 3, 2009
Page last updated at 23:27 GMT, Friday, 2 October 2009 00:27 UK. Swat diary: 'Music from every corner. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Concussions, Cross-Promotions, and the Clinton Tapes Oct 3, 2009
Benchmarks might be the only way to regain the Afghan people's trust and restore legitimacy in the war. 4) ": How should Florida respond to Tim Tebow's concussive brain injury," by Josh Levin. (Slate)
RAHM MOCKED CRITICS: 'THEY'LL GET SOME GOOD SEATS'... Oct 3, 2009
Also, I am a Marine and a veteran of OEF and I do believe that the President should address the issue in Afghanistan immediately ... Also, I am a Marine and a veteran of OEF and I do believe that the President should address the issue in Afghanistan immediately ... With the Olympics going to Rio, the president is now free to focus on more pressing concerns, such as the war in Afghanistan. (The Drudge Report)
US commander spells out Afghan difficulties Oct 2, 2009
Search Type Choose a search type from the items below. Most Blogged - World. (Yahoo News -- Politics)
Search site aims to rival Google Oct 2, 2009
Marines under fire on Afghan front. FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS. (Yahoo News -- Internet and WWW)
Nigeria singer's joy at Mobo win Oct 2, 2009
Page last updated at 18:11 GMT, Thursday, 1 October 2009 19:11 UK. Nneka's gritty style, haunting voice and political lyrics have won her a worldwide audience. (BBC News -- Africa)
A tragic reminder of wars ultimate reality Oct 2, 2009
A Bibb County sheriff s deputy serving in the Georgia Army National Guard has been killed in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Alex French, 31, of Milledgeville, was a member of the National Guard s 48th Brigade, which deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year ... French was killed Sept. 30 in Kwhost, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit using an improvised-explosive device, the Department of Defense said. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Attention seeking Oct 2, 2009
Marines under fire on Afghan front. Fossil finds extend human story. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Full Story » Oct 2, 2009
US commander spells out Afghan difficulties - Yahoo ... US commander spells out Afghan difficulties. (Yahoo News -- Politics)
Man On 24-Hr Surveillance in Terror Case Denies Terrorist Connections Oct 1, 2009
Khan said Zazi, who he got to know when they were both growing up in Queens, NY, asked if he could stay at his apartment for the night on Sept. 10 and he obliged, something he said is common in their Afghan culture. Since Khan wanted to stay late at the mosque, another man staying at his apartment gave Zazi a lift to Khan's home. (ABC News)
Romans crushed Sep 30, 2009
Page last updated at 13:24 GMT, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 14:24 UK. Roman 'disaster' that shaped Europe. (BBC News -- Europe)
New Vegemite name puts Kraft Foods in a pickle Sep 30, 2009
Page last updated at 07:11 GMT, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 08:11 UK. New Vegemite puts Kraft in pickle. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
What crisis? Sep 30, 2009
Page last updated at 11:28 GMT, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 12:28 UK. Climate migration fears 'misplaced. (BBC News -- Africa)
Terror on the Prairie: Zazi's Life in Colorado Sep 30, 2009
Zazi was born in Afghanistan's war-torn border region, moving to Pakistan at age 7 and then to New York in 1999 ... Neighbors said the family kept to itself even before the arrests, and other Afghan-American families who came from southeastern Afghanistan said the Zazi family never interacted with Denver's tight-knit Muslim community ... "I used to see this guy Najibullah at the mosque from time to time," says Emanudin Ghiasi, an Afghan American and a founding member of the Colorado Muslim... (Time.com)
Waltzing McChrystal Sep 30, 2009
Gen. Stanley McChrystal s request for a buildup of American troops in Afghanistan is being waltzed around the Obama administration as it stalls and ponders in its hope of talking the American commander out of it. We know that from the fact that the administration has had McChrystal's main report for over a month, and has stalled his troop request while they prepare a new "strategy." If they were interested in anything other than a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan, the White House would have... (Human Events Online)
Graham: We're Walking a Road to Armageddon Sep 30, 2009
" He also pointed to U.S. and NATO activities in fighting Taliban militants as demonstrative. "What we do in Afghanistan will affect the ability of Iran to get the message ... Smith asked the senator whether President Obama should give General Stanley McChrystal the additional 40,000 troops he has asked for in Afghanistan ... After having made several trips to Afghanistan, the senator concluded that the situation there is deteriorating and that more combat power is needed "to take fight back to... (CBS News)
* World News Quick Take Sep 26, 2009
Osmanoglu moved to New York City in 1933, and was married to Zeynep Tarzi, an exiled member of the Afghan royal family. UNITED STATES Dog kicked out of Aspen. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Wildlife: Just a luxury? Sep 25, 2009
German Left urges Afghan pull-out. FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS. (BBC News -- Science)
HSBC bids farewell to dollar supremacy... Sep 25, 2009
The Afghan and Iraqi wars seem endless and we bleed endless debt into them ... This means Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, etc ... Would "protectionism enable us to use this now idle resource? And what would the effect be. Nowadays because of the depression even persons with skills cannot find jobs. What is awry? We have people with skills willing to work. We have the machinery, the infrastructure available in which they can do productive work. And we have people willing to consume goods.... (The Drudge Report)
Head of the Former Ottoman Dynasty Dies Sep 25, 2009
Osmanoglu moved to New York City in 1933, and was married to Zeynep Tarzi, an exiled member of the Afghan royal family. He returned to Turkey in 1992 and was granted Turkish citizenship in 2004. (Time.com)
U.S. Commander Warns of 'Failure' in Afghanistan Sep 22, 2009
U.S. Commander Warns of lure Afghanistan ... U.S. Commander Warns of lure Afghanistan ... WASHINGTON/KABUL - The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan says in a confidential assessment of the war that without additional forces the mission "will likely result in failure.". (Newsmax)
US commander warns of "failure" in Afghanistan Sep 22, 2009
Reuters AlertNet - US commander warns of "failure" in Afghanistan ... US commander warns of "failure" in Afghanistan 21 Sep 2009 07:24:09 GMT Source: Reuters ... (For more Afghanistan news, click [IDnAFPAK]). (AlertNet)
No Answer On More Troops in Afghanistan Sep 21, 2009
(CBS) President Barack Obama would not tell CBS News' Bob Schieffer whether he would approve a potential recommendation from General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, to send tens of thousands of new American troops into that country ... Mr. Obama said that when he to 00004000 ok office he ordered a comprehensive review of the situation in Afghanistan, which was "adrift" after the Bush administration ... "Didn't you say on March 27th that you have announced a... (CBS News -- Politics)
Afghan Commandos Persuade Towns to Turn on Taliban Sep 20, 2009
Afghan Commandos Try to Persuade Countrymen to Turn Against Taliban ... Sept 8: The 6th Kandak Commandos of the Afghan National Army group ... GHOWS KALAY, Afghanistan The village is little more than a handful of mud huts surrounded by wheat fields, but the runway at NATO's main air base in Afghanistan's south is visible from the town center. (Fox News)
Addicts opens another front in Afghan war Sep 18, 2009
United Nations and Afghan officials say heroin use among Afghans is surging ... Afghanistan, besieged by decades of war, is fighting another battle a spiraling epidemic of heroin addiction in the country that is the world's largest producer of opium, which is used to make heroin ... Some Afghan officials worry these drug addicts could pose a threat to the country's security. (USA Today)
Is America Hooked on War? Sep 18, 2009
Last week, for instance, a New York Times front-page story by Eric Schmitt and David Sanger was "Obama Is Facing Doubts in Party on Afghanistan, Troop Buildup at Issue." It offered a modern version of journalistic Newspeak ... The conservative columnist George Will wrote a piece offering blunt advice to the Obama administration, summed up in its "Time to Get Out of Afghanistan." In our age of political and audience fragmentation and polarization, think of this as the Afghan version of Vietnam's... (CBS News -- Politics)
A veil of silence over murder Sep 17, 2009
Plus, James refers to the extremity of the Northern Alliance that were used to displace the Taliban and by implication, the continuing Islamic misgyny of the present Afghan regime ... doubtless you'll be coming out against the afghan govt, now theyve endorsed such laws, Clive. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Australia's ugly little secret Sep 17, 2009
Most of the asylum seekers are Iraqis, and Afghan Hazaras ... For more than a decade, the Taliban has terrorised the Afghan people ... Many of the people held at our expense in Indonesia have plausible ties to Australia: some were caught up in the Pacific Solution but were forced back to Afghanistan or Iraq; some have family here. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
As public wavers, Obama must weigh new options in Afghanistan Sep 16, 2009
Since the inauguration, Obama has been weighing both sides of the issue concerning the Afghan War ... Majority opinion supports pulling out of Afghanistan in the near future while the other side, nearly half, believe that it is important to remain in Afghanistan to finish off the war with the possibly of another "surge." ... At this point, completely pulling out of Afghanistan does not even seem like the most logical option if you are able to see all factors that contributed to the Afghan War. (The Loyola Greyhound, MD)
LEONARD PITTS JR.: Culture war, quite literally Sep 16, 2009
On the day to remember the terror of 9/11, the war it spawned in Afghanistan sowed fresh divisions ... But his call for an increased war effort in Afghanistan, birthplace of the 9/11 plot, is rejected by some who fear a Vietnam-style quagmire as the battle against Taliban insurgents bogs down in faraway, hostile terrain ... He is seeking more training for Afghan forces before committing more U.S. troops to the battle. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Steve Walt: Why Is Osama Reading My Book? Sep 16, 2009
It should be obvious that Americans shouldn't avoid having a debate about Israel or about Afghan policy just because bin Laden says we should ... " list at Amazon shows that W&M's book resonates with people of a certain mindset. Probably if the book was a bit more scholarly and a bit less polemical that wouldn't be as much the case. As it is, W&M start with a conclusion, present the evidence that supports their conclusion while omitting the evidence that contradicts it. Obviously they are trying... (Slate)
The Best from Sunday Sep 14, 2009
KABUL - About 50 civilians, security forces and militants were killed in a wave of violence around Afghanistan, including a bomb that left 14 Afghan travelers dead in one of the country's most dangerous regions. Five American soldiers died in two attacks using roadside bombs. (Athens Banner-Herald)
5 U.S. Troops Among 50 Dead in Afghanistan Sep 13, 2009
Members of the 3rd Platoon, Able Company 3-509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 4th BDE -25th Infantry Division from Fort Richardson, Alaska, patrol in East Paktika province, Afghanistan, Friday, Sept. 11, 2009 ... About 50 civilians, security forces and militants were killed in a wave of violence around Afghanistan, including a bomb that left 14 Afghan travelers dead in one of the country's most dangerous regions ... A roadside bomb and gunfire attack in western Afghanistan killed three... (CBS News)
TMZ earns respect Sep 13, 2009
Page last updated at 08:56 GMT, Saturday, 12 September 2009 09:56 UK. By Peter Bowes BBC News, Los Angeles. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Getting out of the quagmire that is Afghanistan Sep 13, 2009
Yes, Afghanistan is a quagmire ... But this rising anti-war sentiment presumes a false choice: that America must either make war in Afghanistan or quit the country altogether ... It's true that many Afghans in Afghanistan want to see Americans gone, but others still stake their very lives on America's presence. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Opinion)
The Endless Aftermath of 9/11 Sep 12, 2009
In the aftermath of 9/11, I spent a month in Afghanistan, covering life in Kabul shortly after the fall of the Taliban ... Afghanistan was no safer ... It was a stark contrast to what Id encountered in Afghanistan, where Id been shocked to find Afghanis who told me they were thrilled when the U.S. started bombing Kabul. (Slate)
2 Slain, Including Abortion Activist Sep 12, 2009
President Obama's Own Party Balks at Sending More Deployments, Prefers Training Afghan Army and Police. Defense Witnesses for U.S. Student Amanda Knox Expected to Challenge Evidence from Crime Scene. (CBS News)
Why the US is afraid of 'Afghanization' Sep 12, 2009
The war in Afghanistan has not been lost yet, although a great deal has gone wrong ... The weakest link in the United States' Afghan strategy has been its handling of the calculus of power in Kabul ... But then, as the Afghan situation deteriorated in 2006, Washington. (Asia Times Online)
On the road to gentle heroism Sep 12, 2009
Only when we encounter a herd of wild camels ; with their wonderful, superior expressions and their zig-zag hind legs ; does it dawn on me that the Ghan was named for the Afghan cameleers who did so much to make central Australia a going concern but are now largely forgotten. Mostly Afghan or Sikh but known universally as Ghans, the cameleers earned less than a quarter of the (mostly white) teamsters' wage. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
UK City of Culture list unveiled Sep 11, 2009
The Afghan civil servants fighting for the Taliban. Low production and high prices create sugar crisis in India. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Dunne eulogized in NY as great dad, friend, gossip Sep 11, 2009
US commander confirms Afghan civilians among the wounded at site of NATO airstrike. KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (AP) - The top NATO commander in Afghanistan said Saturday that local villagers were among those wounded at the site of an airstrike on hijacked fuel tankers, declaring his resolve to limit civilian casualties that threaten to undermine the war against the Taliban. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Love me don't Sep 11, 2009
Page last updated at 11:49 GMT, Thursday, 10 September 2009 12:49 UK. By Stephen Robb BBC News. (BBC News -- UK)
Scots project extended in Malawi Sep 11, 2009
Afghan 'Indiana Jones' hunts lost Buddha ... The Afghan civil servants fighting for the Taliban. (BBC News -- UK)