Al Qaeda No. 2 insults Obama with racial slur in new video Nov 20, 2008
"It appears that you don't know anything about ... the history of Afghanistan and its free and defiant Muslim people," he said. "And be aware that the dogs of Afghanistan have found the flesh of your soldiers to be delicious, so send thousands after thousands to them.". (Christian Science Monitor -- USA)
Al-Qaeda No. 2 insults Obama Nov 20, 2008
"It appears that you don't know anything about the history of Afghanistan and its free and defiant Muslim people," it said. "If you still want to be stubborn about America's failure in Afghanistan, then remember the fate of [President George W.] Bush and [former Pakistani military dictator] Pervez Musharraf, and the fate of the Soviets and British before them.". (Globe and Mail)
Al Qaeda: Dont Be Fooled By Obama Nov 19, 2008
Zawahri began his remarks by congratulating Muslims on the election of Obama, describing it as, "the American peoples admission of defeat in Iraq, noting that the American people had voted for the candidate who wanted to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. He then addresses president-elect directly, warning him that President Bush was leaving a legacy of failure and crimes in his wake. Zawahiri tells Obama that his plan to re-concentrate military efforts in Afghanistan is doomed to failure. He... (CBS News -- 60 minutes II)
Ongoing wars must remain top priorities Nov 12, 2008
The history of Afghanistan reinforces the difficulty of achieving military and political objectives there. Obama has many promises on the table. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Opinion: Lay off Kashmir Nov 7, 2008
Obviously, Obama had not been adequately briefed on the history of Afghanistan and Pakistan during the Clinton years. Otherwise he would not have missed that the Taliban was established by the Benazir Bhutto's government, with the help of the Pakistani army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during 1994 when Clinton was in office. (India Times, India)
Military sees window to adjust Afghanistan plan Oct 3, 2008
"The history of Afghanistan has been that if the Afghan people see a foreigner that they believe is trying to help them, it works out OK; if they see a foreigner that they regard as an occupier, it hasn't ever worked.". Related Stories 09/18/2008 09/15/2008 09/04/2008. (Christian Science Monitor -- USA)
Echoes of '79 invasion reverberate in Georgia Aug 19, 2008
And I pray that we use the benefit of history to prevent further parallels between the tragic history of Afghanistan and the near future of the Republic of Georgia. Dr. Hogai Nassery is director of Grady Health System s Department of Community Medicine and an assistant professor at Emory University s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Mike Baker: Election Nears, Adults Believe in Fairy... Jul 13, 2008
We don t have enough space to fully recount the history of Afghanistan and its people, but suffice it to say it s got a turbulent history mostly involving foreign nations arriving to exert influence and ultimately leaving in defeat. Somehow, according to the fairy tale, we could ve bucked historical trends if only Iraq hadn t happened. (Fox News)
Afghan Wireless is First to 2 Million Subscriber Mark Jun 23, 2008
A very high capacity link has been established to Pakistan, Paris and New York with microwave over land and an undersea fiber route -- once again, a first in the history of Afghanistan. This link has provided the high Internet capacity, enabling the customer to use GPRS-EDGE while they are on the move. (Canada Newswire)
China strategy stampedon Afghan deal Jun 5, 2008
5 billion deal last month to develop Afghanistan's Aynak copper field, the largest foreign direct investment project in the history of Afghanistan. The size of the agreement was almost double the expected amount. (Asia Times Online)
China: Afghan Investment Reveals Larger Strategy Jun 4, 2008
5 billion contract to develop Afghanistan s Aynak copper field, the largest foreign direct investment project in the history of Afghanistan. The size of the bid -- almost double the expected amount -- surprised other potential foreign investors. (EurasiaNet.org)
Afghanistan's Lost Treasure On Display At National Gallery May 23, 2008
That is the history of Afghanistan. A history nearly lost to the violence of the the Soviet invasion. (W-USA News, DC)
Fatal flower the poppy problem May 3, 2008
I had found myself in the midst of the largest opium harvest in the history of Afghanistan, possibly the largest in the history of the world. Some of it would be exported directly through Iran and Pakistan to the globe's drug dealers, some of it processed into heroin in laboratories located right beside these fields. (Globe and Mail)
Readers' picks Apr 22, 2008
What terrific insights into the recent history of Afghanistan drawn from the lives of two boys. Kristin Shewfelt, Lafayette, Colo. (Christian Science Monitor)
Producer bears good news for young exile Jan 9, 2008
"I read it right away in one sitting and felt so profoundly moved. It felt like the kind of movie I wanted to make," Yeldham said of the book that tells the story of a friendship between two boys set against the turbulent history of Afghanistan. Yeldham spent three months filming in western China, on the border of Afghanistan, including one month sleeping in a yurt and two months with her husband and young son in tow. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
These titles were also un-put-downable Dec 27, 2007
A heartbreaking novel about 30 years in the turbulent history of Afghanistan as seen through the eyes of oppressed women. Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee. (USA Today -- Life)
Review: The Kite Runner Dec 24, 2007
The archetypes of the story -- spoiled, cowardly rich boy; loyal, courageous servant; sadistic enemy who remains the face of evil throughout the years -- serve as convenient symbols both for the difficulties of childhood and the unhappy history of Afghanistan, but never persuasively as real people. That the movie works at all is mostly due to the natural performances of two newcomers, Zekeria Ebrahimi, who plays the young Amir, and especially Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada, a sweet-faced innocent who... (Canada.com)
2 countries, 2 films worth a closer look Dec 13, 2007
It would serve us well to gain an understanding of the people and history of Afghanistan (where our military has been committed to since late 2001) and Iran (which the Bush Administration may still invade). If you want to learn more about these places, a good place to start might be a movie theater near you. (MSNBC -- News)
Afghan women make call for peace Dec 13, 2007
"I don't think this has happened in the history of Afghanistan - first of all the fact that six different provinces organised themselves together, for no purpose other than peace. "They made the same loud cry - that women are sick and tired of killing and the deaths that come. " 'Risking their lives' Organisers say some Afghan women were clearly worried about getting involved in such events. The Kandahar mother whose idea sparked these meetings had asked that her name not be revealed because her... (BBC News -- South Asia)
'Kite' Takes Flight Dec 9, 2007
And yet what's extraordinary is that woven into the background is the recent history of Afghanistan. Q: You spent a month in Afghanistan preparing for the role. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
The Kite Runner:Best film of the year Dec 8, 2007
I am still stunned and shaken by this grab-you-by-the-throat emotional ride, a very personal story by novelist Khaled Hosseini that covers the history of Afghanistan from 1978 to 2000, inside one man's reach for redemption after a cowardly betrayal of a childhood friend many years earlier. It is a hard movie to sit through, because of its unflinching depiction of the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, but it is the sort of achievement that will renew your faith in filmmaking. (The Palm Beach Post)
Afghanistan: China’s Winning Bid For Copper Rights Includes Power Plant, Railroad Nov 27, 2007
"About $500 million will be invested in building an electrical power plant. And a large amount of money also will be invested in building a railroad. This is one of the biggest foreign investment projects in the history of Afghanistan.". Khozman Ulumi, a spokesman for the Afghan Mining Ministry, told RFE/RL s Radio Free Afghanistan that preliminary plans call for a railroad link from Tajikistan to the copper field and on to Pakistan. (EurasiaNet.org)
Afghan Wireless Again Creates History in Afghanistan! Nov 4, 2007
This is the first Microwave Ring across the country in the history of Afghanistan, covering a distance of 2,500 Kilometers and millions of dollars of investment. It passes through 18 provinces providing direct coverage and connectivity to the population residing in surrounding areas. (PR Newswire)
Protesters Interrupt Cheney's Dallas Speech Nov 3, 2007
He pointed to the history of Afghanistan, where the U.S. provided aid during the 1980s but left once the Soviet Union collapsed. The move allowed the Taliban to flourish, set up terrorist training camps and shelter Osama bin Laden. (CBS 11, TX)
New book club is an Open Book for enthusiasts Oct 11, 2007
The political history of Afghanistan from the Soviet Union invasion to post-Taliban rebuilding is seen through the eyes of the book s characters, and the reader, likewise, gets a hearty yet very engaging Afghani history and culture lesson. As much as I enjoyed and learned from this aspect of the book, it was the narrative of two women who find friendship and love despite the volatile world around them that will keep this book in the forefront of my mind for weeks to come. (Rolla Daily News, MO)
Deal reached for release of South Korean hostages Aug 29, 2007
JMBLOU: I suppose the "deaf ones" (and resulting stupid remarks) would be those who think this story is about the history of Afghanistan (or any country). You suggest people read the history of Afghanistan - I suggest you read the above story, which is about kidnappers making a deal to release hostages ... The history of kidnapping would be more relevant than the history of Afghanistan. (CTV.ca)
Chivalry Requested Of Taliban Jul 30, 2007
" But the Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, instead invoked the religious tenet of "an eye for an eye," alleging that Western militaries are holding Afghan women at bases in Bagram and Kandahar, and saying that the Taliban can do the same. He said the Taliban could detain and kill "women, men or children (Tampa Bay Online, FL -- News)
Karzai 'doing best' for hostages Jul 30, 2007
"Even in the history of Afghanistan, in all its combat and fighting, Afghans respected women, children and elders," the council said. Pope Benedict XVI also used his Sunday message to condemn the kidnapping, which he said contradicted "the most basic rules of civilisation". (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Afghan president: Kidnappings of South Koreans shameful, un-Islamic Jul 29, 2007
"Even in the history of Afghanistan, in all its combat and fighting, Afghans respected women, children and elders," the council said. "Killing of women is against Islam, against the Afghan culture, and they shouldn't do it.". (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Zahir Shah: The last king of Afghanistan Jul 25, 2007
His life, of course, encompassed a familiar narrative of the 20th and early 21st centuries; exile amid the ambitions of others and then the resmption of colonial rule, first under the Russians and then after the overthrow of Mullah Omar (a man who at least understood the history of Afghanistan and acted a role in it, however perverse) under the Americans and British. As the poppy crop was reborn under Nato's gaze, the British found themselves fighting for their lives in Helmand and on the very... (Belfast Telegraph)
Last king of Afghanistan dead at 92 Jul 23, 2007
"The father of the nation was a known figure in the history of Afghanistan and enjoyed a lot of credibility," Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP in a telephone call from an unknown location. "Unfortunately, recently the Americans used him for their interests -- from his return to Afghanistan until the day he died, he served US interests and became a stooge in recent years," Ahmadi said. (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
* Mass graves lead to more questions in Afghanistan Jul 15, 2007
"Those innocent people should be remembered in the history of Afghanistan," he said. "More than 20 mass graves have been found in this country. Some of them are so shocking, like one in Kunar containing 1,200 victims," said Nader Nadery, from Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
GEORGE H. LESSER: Heading back to work May 7, 2007
He scrunched himself into a seat much too small for his long legs and pulled out a serious-looking book on the history of Afghanistan. When the exceptionally nasty meal arrived, he and his neighbor exchanged disparaging remarks about the joys of traveling these days. (Washington Times)
Five questions for 'Kite Runner' author May 3, 2007
3: The history of Afghanistan plays a larger role in A Thousand Splendid Sunsthan in The Kite Runner. Why. (USA Today)
Digging in all over again Apr 15, 2007
"But while I am very conscious of the history of Afghanistan, you can't see what is occurring there just as part of the historical continuity. There is another element and a very real element to the sort of world in which we now live," he said. For Howard the new player in the near 200-year-old great game is al-Qa'ida and the fanatical Taliban. (The Australian)
Jacobs: Iraq Veterans Conversation Apr 14, 2007
Go back and look at the history of Afghanistan, look at our policy decisions. Its about empire - money and power. (Zmag.org)
Australia to double Afghan forces Apr 11, 2007
"It is a very crucial phase in the modern history of Afghanistan," Howard said, pointing to renewed Taliban activity in the country. Australia withdrew its special forces from Afghanistan in September but kept about 500 soldiers to help with reconstruction work in Uruzgan province. (Aljazeera.Net)
More SAS to take on Taliban Apr 10, 2007
"George Bush should be sending the 300 extra soldiers to Afghanistan, not John Howard. We need our soldiers for our own domestic defence in our own region.'' Labor backs deployment Labor has backed the plan to increase the commitment to Afghanistan. Mr Howard told a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra that the new deployment would raise Australian troop numbers in Afghanistan to about 950 by the middle of this year and the number would peak at about 1000 by the middle of next year.... (Sydney Morning Herald)
Dutch urge Pakistan to seal Afghan border Feb 27, 2007
The USA and its allies left Pakistan and Afghanistan in the hands of warriors after completing their mission of destroying the USSR. If one sees the history of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Pushthoons in this area never surrender to anyone and they don't accept strangers and outsiders to rule them. The best option to solve the conflict and bring peace in Afghanistan is to hand over the power to the Pushthoons, who are in the majority and who know how to rule. (Yahoo News -- Afghanistan)
Iran threat to US over possibility of attack in nuclear row Feb 9, 2007
";What do you think Sandy? Is Ron Paul a self hating REpublican? Or will you admit that the administration tell porky pies? Steve Roberts / 2:27am 9 Feb 2007 #4 Are you seriously suggesting that the US should DESTROY Iran, killing how many 1000's of innocent civilians, just because your warmongering President thinks that maybe thay will develop an atomic weapon sometime in the future? Guga, Rockall / 2:44am 9 Feb 2007 #4 is obviously one of these rednecks. Not only does he seem to think that the... (Scotsman)
