Fighting in eastern Afghanistan Saturday left two U.S. soldiers and 30 suspected Taliban insurgents dead.Local authorities say the fighting began in Paktika province, when a truck exploded near a go...
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Big News Network
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Afghanistan Fighting Kills 2 US Soldiers, 30 Militants
4 Jul 2009 | 5:41 am -
Two GIs die in Afghan attack
4 Jul 2009 | 5:32 amKABUL (AP) - A truck bombing outside a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan has triggered a two-hour gunbattle that was ended with airstrikes. Two American soldiers are dead and seven wounded. An Afghan ... -
Two US troops die in attack on base in Afghanistan
4 Jul 2009 | 5:31 amMilitants attacked a US coalition base in eastern Afghanistan today, exploding a truck outside the gates, sparking a two-hour gunbattle and killing two American troops, officials said. US for... -
2 US soldiers killed in Afghanistan
4 Jul 2009 | 5:21 amKABUL: Two US soldiers were killed in a complex attack on a base in southeast Afghanistan that ended with air strikes on Saturday, the US military said, two days after a major operation against the ... -
Dutch 'success' in Afghan conflict
4 Jul 2009 | 5:14 amThe emphasis of the Dutch operation in Uruzgan is on restraint Parked on the tarmac at Kabul airport was the gleaming, freshly-painted Antonov plane. We climbed aboard the first ever commercial fligh...
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BBC World News: Afghanistan
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US soldiers killed in Afghanistan
4 Jul 2009 | 5:37 amThe US military says two of its soldiers have been killed in a sustained attack on a military base in eastern Afghanistan. -
UK forces 'encounter few Taliban'
3 Jul 2009 | 10:18 pmBritish forces on a major operation in Afghanistan say they have encountered little resistance from the Taliban. -
Killed soldiers to be repatriated
3 Jul 2009 | 6:50 pmTwo soldiers killed in Afghanistan, including the most senior Army officer to die in action since the Falklands, are to be repatriated. -
Armour v mobility: A fine balance
3 Jul 2009 | 6:33 pmThe BBC's Caroline Wyatt examines the debate around the Army's use of the Viking armoured vehicle in Afghanistan. -
Dutch 'success' in Afghan conflict
3 Jul 2009 | 4:52 pmDamian Grammaticas in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province reports on a rare example in combating insurgency set by the Dutch forces.
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Topix: Afghanistan
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Suicide attack, clash leave foreign soldier, 32 militants dead in E. Afghanistan
3 Jul 2009 | 11:38 pmA militants, riding an explosive- laden car, blew it up in Paktika province east of Afghanistan Saturday morning, killing one foreign soldier and injuring another Afghan trooper, spokesman of provincial administration Hamidullah Zhawak said, Xinhua reported. -
Next presidential elections in Afghanistan will take place transparently: Chief Electoral Officer
3 Jul 2009 | 10:52 pmAzerbaijan, Baku, July 3 / Trend News, T.Jafarov / Trend News Persian Desk's exclusive interview with the Chief Electoral Officer of the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan Daoud Ali Najafi -
Pak army will chase militants wherever needed
3 Jul 2009 | 10:51 pmPakistan's Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi says that Islamabad will chase terrorists to rid the country of the menace of terrorism, Press TV reported. -
Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan
3 Jul 2009 | 10:51 pmA Canadian soldier in Afghanistan's Kandahar province was killed Friday when his armored vehicle struck a roadside bomb seconds after the senior commander of coalition forces in the province narrowly missed the same explosive device, Associated Press reported. -
Al Qaeda threatens France for perceived anti-burqa stance
3 Jul 2009 | 12:52 amAl Qaeda threatened to "take revenge" on France "by every means and wherever we can reach them" because of a debate in France over whether the burqa, a traditional Islamic woman's covering, violates French law, according to a statement posted on radical Islamist Web sites, reported CNN.
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Institute for War and Peace Reporting
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Helmandis Braced for Taleban Battle
2 Jul 2009 | 4:00 pmLocal residents greet massive marine offensive with equal measures of hope and fear. By Mohammad Ilyas Dayee and Aziz Ahmad Tassak (ARR No. 324, 03-July-09) -
Candidates Controversy as Presidential Race Kicks Off
23 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pmIndependent electoral commission says few of those competing for the post are eligible to do so. By Sayed Yaqub Ibrahimi in Kabul (ARR No. 323, 24-June-09) -
Women Reporters Under Threat in Herat
23 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pmFemale journalists stay at home or change profession because of attacks. By Shapoor Saber in Herat (ARR No. 323, 24-June-09) -
Afghanistan: May ’09
21 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pmIWPR seeking to bridge gap between classroom studies and daily practice in Herat. By Abaceen Nasimi in Kabul (22-Jun-09) -
Herat Farmers Ditching Poppy for Saffron
18 Jun 2009 | 4:00 pmCould world’s most expensive spice be answer to search for alternative to poppy cultivation? By Farooq Faizi in Heart (ARR No. 322, 19-June-09)
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RAWA News
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News editor captures 'the real thing' in Afghanistan
3 Jul 2009 | 9:19 pmThe Age: FRIENDS said he must have a death wish, going to Afghanistan. But online news editor Gregor Salmon was sick of watching disjointed images of the place on CNN. He wanted to find the truth behind the labels: the Taliban, warlords, guns and opium. And he was up for an adventure. With the help of local translators and "fixers", he spent eight months criss-crossing Afghanistan, interviewing hundreds of ordinary Afghans. -
Afghan group slams Karzai’s ‘warlord’ vote ticket
30 Jun 2009 | 1:49 amAFP: An Afghan rights watchdog on Tuesday slammed President Hamid Karzai's choice of two "notorious warlords" for his August re-election bid and accused him of promising ministries to supporters. "Undemocratic forces that have constantly gained power and wealth over the past several years seem to be hijacking the election process to ensure their future interests and legitimise their grip on political and public institutions. These forces which include former and current warlords, militia commanders and human rights abusers have money, power and influence across the country which make them… -
Plight of Grana, the Sole Survivor of Coalition Bombing in Afghanistan
29 Jun 2009 | 10:08 amGuardian.co.uk: Grana is the sole survivor of a coalition bombing in southern Helmand province that took her arm and her leg, and killed nine members of her family. Grana is just 12 years old, she is lucky to be alive. Grana and her family were victims of a coalition bombing. Locals claim over 70 people lost their live along whole of her family. -
Judge: US Can Continue Detaining Suspect at Bagram Without Legal Recourse
29 Jun 2009 | 9:51 amAntiwar.com: In a ruling widely expected given the judge’s previous comments, US District Judge John Bates ruled that Haji Wazir, an Afghan citizen captured by the US in 2002 and held in detention at the Bagram internment facility in Afghanistan, has no legal right to challenge his detention in US courts. In the seven years he’s been held in US custody Wazir, who is reportedly a businessman, has never been charged with any offense, and US officials have declined to even publicly say what he is being charged with. -
Afghan women battle heavy odds in struggle for freedom, dignity
28 Jun 2009 | 9:02 pmWindsor Star: Afghan women - particularly in the volatile south, where the Taliban was born - rarely appear in public without burkas and often show deference to the opposite sex, lowering gazes to the floor, almost shrinking when a man approaches. Given that some hard-line Islamists believe the Koran decrees women to be subservient to men, improving conditions for women in a war-torn country with one of the world's lowest literacy levels requires more than education. It requires social engineering.
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AfghanCorner
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Dance of the Presidents (Obama, Karzai and Zardari)
2 Jul 2009 | 4:32 pmJust to bring a smile to your face!P.S. If you couldn't listen to the video's sound because of the song playing in background, please scroll down and find the Dizzler's music player (it's on the right bottom of your screen-under AfghanCorner Message) and hit the pause button. Sorry for the inconvenience.http://afghancorner.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default -
Afghan Presidential Elections
29 Jun 2009 | 11:21 amA Karzai Victory Is Just the Ticket for Regional CommandersBy Griff Witte, Washington PostPresident Hamid Karzai is considered a strong favorite to win reelection when Afghans go to the polls this summer. But here in northern Afghanistan, one of the country's most peaceful regions, there is little doubt who will be in control when the elections are over, and it's not Karzai.Rather, it is the same men who have ruled this territory off and on for decades, regional commanders who have divvied up the land into personal fiefdoms and transformed central government institutions, including the… -
ASHRAF GHANI CHALLENGES KARZAI TO DEBATES, KARZAI ACCEPTS
24 Jun 2009 | 5:28 pmAfghan Presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai challenged Hamid Karzai to a series of debates on Tuesday. His press office released this statement upon news that Karzai has agreed to participate in debates. It's not clear yet wether all 41 candidates will participate in the debates.“Afghans gave Karzai five years to prove himself as the right leader for Afghanistan. Instead of following a path of reform, he indulged corruption and traded government resources as favors to his political allies. As a result, Afghans today have fewer economic opportunities, fewer education opportunities… -
Britney Spears’ Ex for President
10 Jun 2009 | 7:35 amWhy could Adnan Ghalib win the Afghan presidential election?Adnan Ghalib, an ex-boyfriend of the messed-up US star Britney Spears, is facing the possibility of being deported to his home country, Afghanistan. And no, it’s not because of whipping his famous ex-girlfriend but because he has charged with assault with a deadly weapon, hit-and-run and battery.Mr. Ghalib is reluctant about going back to Afghanistan but I believe he should change his mind immediately and go for it. After all, back in his ancestral homeland of Afghanistan, a great opportunity is awaiting the former photographer. -
Zardari: Taliban are monsters created by Pakistan and America
12 May 2009 | 11:51 amAsif Ali Zardari: Osama Bin Laden is not alive...We need more money to fight terrorists. Hamid Karzai: US troops should avoid civilian casualties and Afghans should not be treated as terrorists. On MSNBC's Meeting The Press, in two separates and very interesting interviews, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari talk about Taliban, insurgency, and the threats their countries and international community face. Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economyhttp://afghancorner.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
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Rejuvenation of an Afghan Soul
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ARGHHH!!!
26 Jun 2009 | 11:49 pmI just wrote up a WHOLE entry only for it to get deleted! Will write again later after I get over it! Posted in Uncategorized -
Entekhabaat 88*
16 Jun 2009 | 11:05 pm(* Entekhabaat is the Dari and Pashto word for ‘Elections’ and 88 is the Afghan calender year) Okay, Only 18 minutes left before I finish work, let’s see how much I can type. I’m done with my work work if that makes sense, and now I’m just kicking back waiting to go home. Nothing new is happening, I’m so over appearing ‘anonymous’. It really limits me revealing so much more. Like there was a Village Fete (V1) and it was so cool, it was a fun day for everyone. Of course the local Afghans thought ‘Family day’ meant showing up on their own *rolls eyes*. Only 2 brought… -
Afghanistan’s Elections
14 Jun 2009 | 3:50 amUpdate: Three unknown candidates have been kicked out by the ECC. The competition continues between the three biggies – Karzai, Ghani and Abdullah! Campaigning begins tomorrow… Posted in Uncategorized -
A new beginning
14 Jun 2009 | 3:44 amAshraf Ghani, offering ‘a new beginning’ for Afghanistan AFP By Sardar AHMAD June 13, 2009 KABUL Ashraf Ghani built an impressive international career during many years of exile and now he wants Afghanistan’s top job, emerging as one of President Hamid Karzai’s toughest rivals. Ghani, whose campaign is billed “A New Beginning”, says he has a moral obligation to stand in the August 20 elections and offer his country an alternative to years of misrule. “This is a government of corruption, violation of the human rights, continued violence, waste of… -
So you think you’re Afghan?
3 Jun 2009 | 3:17 amYou were born in Afghanistan, raised in the west, considered yourself ‘Afghan’ all your life. You decide to come to ‘Kabuljan’ for a holiday. You hang around, dressed in your peraan tomban thinking you fit in and that these people don’t know you’re from ‘khaarij’. Think again… Body of abducted Afghan-American found in well Pajhwok By Frozan Rahmani 06/02/2009 KABUL The dead body of an Afghan-American was found in a well in Paghman district five months after his abduction from Kabul City and his killers have been arrested, National…
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thruafghaneyes
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1 Jul 2009 | 6:14 am
1 Jul 2009 | 6:14 amIf need any kind of photograph about AfghanistanPlease feel free to contact us. Services we provide1- News images2- Photo stories3- Photo documentation4- Photo exhibitions & Print5- Professional photojournalism trainings6- Covering all parties, conference, tv shows Add: Shahr-e-Naw Kabul, AfghanistanCell Phone: 0093 0799 33 50 87 Email: fardin150@gmail.com & waezi9@gmail.com© Photos by FARDIN WAEZI, Thruafghaneyes Using photos for this Weblog without permission is not allowed Museum Notional museum of Afghanistan, 30 June 2009 2 3 45 -
Museum
1 Jul 2009 | 5:59 amMuseum Notional museum of Afghanistan, 30 June 2009 2 3 4 5 -
DIAG In Parwan
1 Jul 2009 | 5:49 amDIAG In Parwan (DIAG) in Parwan, Jabul Saraj District of Afghanistan, 01 July 2009 2 34 5 -
World Drugs Day
24 Jun 2009 | 11:37 pmWorld Drugs Day The Nejat Center World Drugs Day, Kabul Afghanistan, 24 June 20092 3 4 5 -
World Drugs Day
24 Jun 2009 | 11:31 pmWorld Drugs DayThe Nejat Center World Drugs Day, Kabul Afghanistan, 24 June 2009 23 4 5
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Afghan LORD
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Shifting Into Neutral and Risking
12 Jun 2009 | 6:29 amTired tired and badly tired. The engine has got a problem, it becomes hot so hot. It seems the fan in front of the engine is broken. It stopped in the middle of Sheebar Pass, thanks god; the shepherds helped me to reach the top of the mountain. I had no option but shifting into neutral and driving down to the bottom which was a big risk. If i was remained at that top of the mountain at night, probably the wolves would bite me.I am in Bamyian right now, if you have ever been in a dream to see a scene of paradise, come to Bamyian. The blue sky, the cool weather, the greenish nature, all these… -
My Insanity
10 Jun 2009 | 11:32 amI am excited and impatient as well. I bought a Kawasaki motorbike 250cc offroad just a few days ago. With this I am going to travel to Bamyan and in central Afghanistan. It is a Japanese used dirt bike which currently is in a good condition. I am going to do a tour, passing through several districts and province to reach my village. My mother is sick and i promised to see her weeks ago. This time I am doing a quick tour with this motorbike and I hope to do it again but with a friend of mine who is still trying to make his mind.In spite of everything i love to drive motorbike, it is my love… -
Walking into the Wind
28 Apr 2009 | 9:57 am----A man in Mazar-e Sharif (northern Afghanistan) who walks into the wind with his son, suddenly a powerful wind tugged him and fell down on the ground, then stood and started to spit blood on his son when he was suffering from pain. I took this picture when they were walking farther down the street.He is one of those warriors who lost one of his legs in war against Soviet Invasion, today he is begging on the streets alongside of hundreds of others who are effected by war.The ANA soldiers in front of them shown, are taking care of security measurements of the Nawrooz festival, the fist day… -
The Bush Legacy - Afghanistan & Iraq war
5 Apr 2009 | 8:29 pmOn Thursday evening, March 26, while everyone was getting ready for watching Duke Basketball game at Duke Campus, in the social science building there was a very interesting discussion on US National Security in the 21st century with the former national security adviser Stephen Hadley. Hadley was working as national security adviser from 2005 to 2009 under Bush administration.More than 60 students and faculty member attended this discussion and sponsored by Duke and the Triangle institute for Security Studies. Peter Feaver, who worked under Hadley from 2005 to 2007 as special adviser for… -
Cycling and Exploring
31 Mar 2009 | 8:39 amI made this video for my Farsi blog readers but i thought posting this video would be interesting in afghanlord too. The pink bicycle helped me to explore the Duke Campus, the city and do some shopping but at the end of the day both my knees feel stiff when i bend or walking.
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Afghan LORD
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Shifting Into Neutral and Risking
12 Jun 2009 | 6:29 amTired tired and badly tired. The engine has got a problem, it becomes hot so hot. It seems the fan in front of the engine is broken. It stopped in the middle of Sheebar Pass, thanks god; the shepherds helped me to reach the top of the mountain. I had no option but shifting into neutral and driving down to the bottom which was a big risk. If i was remained at that top of the mountain at night, probably the wolves would bite me.I am in Bamyian right now, if you have ever been in a dream to see a scene of paradise, come to Bamyian. The blue sky, the cool weather, the greenish nature, all these… -
My Insanity
10 Jun 2009 | 11:32 amI am excited and impatient as well. I bought a Kawasaki motorbike 250cc offroad just a few days ago. With this I am going to travel to Bamyan and in central Afghanistan. It is a Japanese used dirt bike which currently is in a good condition. I am going to do a tour, passing through several districts and province to reach my village. My mother is sick and i promised to see her weeks ago. This time I am doing a quick tour with this motorbike and I hope to do it again but with a friend of mine who is still trying to make his mind.In spite of everything i love to drive motorbike, it is my love… -
Walking into the Wind
28 Apr 2009 | 9:57 am----A man in Mazar-e Sharif (northern Afghanistan) who walks into the wind with his son, suddenly a powerful wind tugged him and fell down on the ground, then stood and started to spit blood on his son when he was suffering from pain. I took this picture when they were walking farther down the street.He is one of those warriors who lost one of his legs in war against Soviet Invasion, today he is begging on the streets alongside of hundreds of others who are effected by war.The ANA soldiers in front of them shown, are taking care of security measurements of the Nawrooz festival, the fist day… -
The Bush Legacy - Afghanistan & Iraq war
5 Apr 2009 | 8:29 pmOn Thursday evening, March 26, while everyone was getting ready for watching Duke Basketball game at Duke Campus, in the social science building there was a very interesting discussion on US National Security in the 21st century with the former national security adviser Stephen Hadley. Hadley was working as national security adviser from 2005 to 2009 under Bush administration.More than 60 students and faculty member attended this discussion and sponsored by Duke and the Triangle institute for Security Studies. Peter Feaver, who worked under Hadley from 2005 to 2007 as special adviser for… -
Cycling and Exploring
31 Mar 2009 | 8:39 amI made this video for my Farsi blog readers but i thought posting this video would be interesting in afghanlord too. The pink bicycle helped me to explore the Duke Campus, the city and do some shopping but at the end of the day both my knees feel stiff when i bend or walking.
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Topix: Kabul
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Soldiers told to wait for clean shot
4 Jul 2009 | 3:22 amA U. S. Marine takes up a fighting position after arriving by helicopter yesterday in Main Poshteh, Afghanistan, for the start of Operation Khanjar. -
Kabul cuisine could conquer corner's curse
3 Jul 2009 | 11:11 pmThe southwest corner of Burlingame and California avenues has housed so many restaurants - Mijana, Fishalicious and Avenue Bar and Grill - that I was skeptical when I saw it turning over again. -
'Incorruptible' Commandos Sign of Hope f
3 Jul 2009 | 3:10 pmAt a former Soviet training base in the town of Rish Khvor, a few miles out of Kabul, American Green Berets are working to mentor and support Afghan Special Force soldiers code-named Commandos. -
U.S., Pakistan talk anti-terror policy as 26 killed in Kabul attacks
3 Jul 2009 | 11:02 amTaliban militants killed at least 26 people in a daring suicide attack on three Afghan government buildings in Kabul Wednesday, as U.S. President Barack Obama and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari agreed to embark on a policy of "active engagement" to turn the tide in the war on extremism in South Asia. -
Taliban may have captured soldier
3 Jul 2009 | 4:43 amA U.S. soldier discovered missing Thursday from a small outpost in eastern Afghanistan is believed to have been captured by Taliban militants when he walked away from his base, military officials said.
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Afghanistan Conflict Monitor
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Russia To Allow US Arms Shipments To Afghanistan
3 Jul 2009 | 1:02 pm'Russia To Allow US Arms Shipments To Afghanistan', The Associated Press, 3 July 2009 EXCERPT: "Russia said Friday it will allow the United States to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, a long-sought move that bolsters U.S. military operations but potentially gives the Kremlin leverage over critical American supplies. The announcement by a top Kremlin aide came ahead of President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow next week, when the deal is expected to be signed. Russia has been allowing the United States to ship non-lethal supplies across its territory for operations in… -
The Dynamics Of The "AfPak" Conflict: Metrics and Status Report
3 Jul 2009 | 1:00 pm'The Dynamics Of The "AfPak" Conflict: Metrics And Status Report', Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1 July 2009EXCERPT: "The Afghan-Pakistan conflict is a complex conflict that covers two countries and has ideological, political, governance, economic, military, and security dimensions that are extremely difficult to measure and portray in summary form. NATO/ISAF, the United Nations, the U.S Department of Defense, and various polls and nongovernmental organizations have, however, gradually developed summary metrics and maps of the conflict. These data provide a useful overview… -
Peoples Under Threat 2009: Afghanistan
3 Jul 2009 | 12:59 pm'Peoples Under Threat 2009: Afghanistan', Minority Rights Group International, 3 July 2009EXCERPT: "The American military response to violent extremism in recent years has resulted in a new generation of identity conflicts that have placed whole communities in peril. Since 2001, when after 9/11 the US pursued the Afghanistan Taleban and the al-Qaeda unit led by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri, the 'violent extremists' to which Obama referred have proliferated. They now operate in many countries in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, many under the al-Qaeda label. For the… -
Britain's War Costs In Iraq And Afghanistan Triple
3 Jul 2009 | 12:57 pm'Britain's War Costs In Iraq And Afghanistan Triple', Bloomberg, 3 July 2009EXCERPT: "The annual cost of U.K. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has more than tripled in the last four years as the extra troops deployed to fight the Taliban outweighed the drawdown of Britain's presence in Basra. Total spending for both wars will reach 4.37 billion pounds ($7.15 billion) in the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2010, compared with 1.56 in the year ended March 2006, according to Ministry of Defense figures published by the House of Commons Defense Committee. The cost of the wars… -
G8 Experts Meeting On Afghanistan And Regional Stabilisation
2 Jul 2009 | 2:00 pm'Experts Meeting on Afghanistan and Regional Stabilisation - Summary of Discussions and Recommendations to the Italian Presidency of the G8', IPALMO / ARGO / Carnegie Europe, 1 July 2009EXCERPT: "The success of international efforts to foster security and economic growth in Afghanistan is increasingly linked to wider stabilization and development in the states in its proximity. In order to elucidate the challenges in the region and draw recommendations for the Italian G8 Presidency, an Experts Meeting on Afghanistan and Regional Stabilization was organized by Ipalmo, ARGO and Carnegie Europe…
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The Canada-Afghanistan Blog
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Tragedy In Kandahar; The Push In Helmand
3 Jul 2009 | 9:02 pmOne of ours was killed today in Zhari district when an IED hit a Canadian armoured vehicle. Five of Cpl. Nick Bulger's fellow soldiers were injured, but are reported to be in good condition. Cpl. Bulger "attacked every challenge head-on, including the daily grind of providing some relief to this shattered country."In Helmand: an Associated Press story on the large Marine operation now underway. “We are not worried about the Taliban, we are not focused on them. We are focused on the people. It is important to engage with the key leaders, hear what they need most and what are their… -
Mohseni And The Iranians
2 Jul 2009 | 10:21 pmTerry Glavin has an epic post on the Iranian interference in Afghanistan, starting with those students in Herat I posted about a few days ago. -
A New Phase
2 Jul 2009 | 12:21 amOn Canada Day--a good celebration post up at The Torch--the new phase of the fight for Afghanistan is beginning in Helmand.About 4,000 Marines have landed in the Helmand Valley to "to build and live in small outposts among the local population. The brigade's commander, Brig. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson, said his Marines will focus their efforts on protecting civilians from the Taliban and on restoring Afghan government services, instead of mounting a series of hunt-and-kill missions against the insurgents." Rajiv Chandrasekaran has the details in the Washington Post.There is interesting… -
The Big Snub
30 Jun 2009 | 11:26 pm"Let me be perfectly clear: Canada is abiding by the motion that was adopted in our Parliament," Cannon said at a news conference in New York. "Our position is perfectly clear — we are not going beyond 2011."Our Foreign Affairs Minister--or at least for the summer, given the rate we've gone through them lately--made that comment to the United Nations Security Council.Then CBC, as with all our media, does some reaching for conflict:Although he has not yet received any kind of pressure from the Americans, Cannon said it would be futile.Sources told The Canadian Press they were contacted by… -
"We Must Do What We Can"
30 Jun 2009 | 11:55 amMohammed Faqiri, history student at Herat University: "The Iranian government has finally exposed itself as a theocratic, totalitarian regime. Iranian leaders are hanging onto power by killing people and destroying their free media."Faqiri made these comments to McClatchy's Phillip Smucker after Herat University's student newspaper was shut down for airing news of the Iranian protesters. The crackdown came after the Iranian Consulate complained to the Afghan Ministry of Culture.Faqiri's colleague and fellow student at the university, Shabnam Simia: "We have a free government and a repressed…
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Ghosts of Alexander
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Kandahar Police Chief Killed and…
29 Jun 2009 | 4:04 am[Note: I'm following a breaking story over a one-day news cycle, to see how it breaks, and how good/bad a job is done doing so. I won't edit incorrect info as news comes in, as that is sort of the point: to see how incorrect the info is. I'll do an analysis later this week.] 6:00-8:00am- EST: …the only source reporting on it that I can find is Alex Strick van Linschoten’s twitter feed. Sounds super, super shady. Either US or Afghan SF messed up badly or the Kandahar Police Chief and associates were doing something really dirty. [update: not even close on my part.] Of course, later… -
US and Kyrgyzstan Settle on Price of Manas Air Base
23 Jun 2009 | 11:33 amOh yawn. The Moroccan carpet salesman versus the stingy western tourist dance has apparently ended. The United States government has reached a deal with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Bakiev’s extended patronage network government on the exact price of using the Manas air base to transit “goods” to Afghanistan. Reuters reports: The United States has agreed to pay $180 million to Kyrgyzstan to keep open the last remaining U.S. air base in Central Asia which is used to supply troops fighting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. The United States has been bargaining with Kyrgyzstan to… -
Summer Blogging Schedule
21 Jun 2009 | 3:09 pmBusy, busy, busy. I’m in an intensive language class for the next two months and finishing off another dissertation chapter and scanning as much material from American libraries as I can and trying to get my hands on a visa to a country that doesn’t really make that sort of thing easy and working on the next bibliography and…: blogging occasionally. How about I post on Tuesday evenings? That makes it predictable and you can avoid checking the blog for updates only to find nothing. Of course, if something inspires/annoys me I may just throw an entry on the blog randomly. -
Ashraf Ghani’s Presidential Election Ad
17 Jun 2009 | 2:08 pmWho’s the target of this presidential election ad? I was curious to see any local Ashraf Ghani TV ads that are actually aimed at Afghans. I went to his Dari page and found only a video message to the Oxford Research Group in English. Perhaps a local ad will eventually appear on his youtube page? For all the rest you can check out the English section of his website. If anyone sees a local TV ad in Afghanistan, please let me know. I would love to see a transcript (I should be able to read through it slowly if in Dari) or a copy of it online. I’m curious as to how the phrasing will… -
Holbrooke to Pashtun father: “I would like to dishonor your daughter”
17 Jun 2009 | 10:14 amNice work Holbrooke. Via WaPo, h/t BruceR: U.S. envoy Richard C. Holbrooke, red-faced and sweaty, sat on the dirt floor of a stifling tent as Aslam Khan, a 38-year-old laborer, spoke haltingly of his family’s panicked flight from a Pakistani army offensive against Taliban forces in their mountain village, three hours north of here. Holbrooke asked some questions about the Taliban but got few answers. “Are these all your children?” he asked with a smile. Yes, Khan said, he had nine. “Your daughter is beautiful,” Holbrooke continued, nodding toward a young woman…
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WordPress Tag: Afghanistan
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Afghan Spice Girls...
4 Jul 2009 | 5:52 amHELLO GENTLE READERS, In the tradition and spirit of the U.S.O. shows for American G.I.’s, t -
Les Talibans s'attaquent à une base militaire US
4 Jul 2009 | 5:27 amLes insurgés contre-attaquent …. Deux jours après le début de la grande offensive militaire des forces armées US dans la province de Helmand, les combattants Talibans (”étudiants en religion”) se sont pris à une base militaire US. L’attaque était précédé d’un attentat suicide pour ouvrir une brèche. 2 soldats américain et 10 combattants islamistes ont péris dans cette attaque. Des témoins se sont aperçu d’une détonation énorme suivi de lourds combats durant 4 heures consécutives. A découvrir sur… -
Afghanistan: 'NATO led troops per country'...
4 Jul 2009 | 5:11 amImage/Data Credit: International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)/Economist, July 2008. -
2 US troops die in attack on base in Afghanistan
4 Jul 2009 | 4:14 amThe Soviet Union had a heck of a time fighting in Afghanistan many years ago, and the United States will probably suffer the same fate now. Again, as I’ve stated in previous posts, why do the United States fight enemies with soldiers on the ground? At some point we need to stop worrying about political correctness and just blast these people into oblivion. The loss of just one American life is one life too many. We should only put soldiers on the ground to assess the damage. TGO Refer to story below. Source: Associated Press By FISNIK ABRASHI and RAHIM FAIEZ, Associated Press Writers… -
Støtte taleban???
4 Jul 2009 | 4:04 amTalebankrigere - nr. 2 fra højre er senere blevet statsminister i det fjerntliggende Danmark Jeg skrev i forgårs: “Støt afghanernes frihedskamp!” Hvad mente jeg? At vi skal støtte den samling af groft kvindeundertrykkende og direkte fascistiske grupper, som går under fællesbetegnelsen “taleban”? Farooq Ahmad fra Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) skriver: “Der er nogle venstrefløjskræfter, der siger: ‘Lad amerikanerne og hæren udrydde taleban’. [...] Men dette synspunkt må bekæmpes på alle niveaer. [...] Mobilisering er det rigtige svar: Folk vil…
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IPS Inter Press Service Afghan Divide
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US-AFGHANISTAN: Four Thousand Marines to "Drink Lots of Tea"
WASHINGTON, Jul 2 (IPS) - After months of planning and putting pieces in order, aspects of the new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan are beginning to be concretely implemented – including a surge of troops and attempts to curtail the poppy trade that allegedly funds insurgents. -
POLITICS: U.S. Uses False Taliban Aid Charge to Pressure Iran
WASHINGTON, Jul 2 (IPS) - The Barack Obama administration has given new prominence to a Bush administration charge that Iran is providing military training and assistance to the Taliban in Afghanistan, for which no evidence has ever been produced, and which has been discredited by data obtained by IPS from the Pentagon itself. -
PAKISTAN: Public Backs Army’s Push Against Taliban, Poll Finds
WASHINGTON, Jul 1 (IPS) - Pakistani public opinion remains supportive of the military’s fight against the Pakistani Taliban, said a new poll released Wednesday. However, Pakistanis roundly reject the U.S. military campaign in the region. -
POLITICS: U.N. Decries Aid Shortfall in Afghanistan
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 30 (IPS) - The United Nations, which has expressed disappointment over the slow disbursement of development aid to crisis-stricken Afghanistan, has hurled one of its biggest political insults at Western donors: threatening to turn to a U.S. philanthropist for financial assistance. -
US-AFGHANISTAN: Bagram Detainees Treated "Worse Than Animals"
NEW YORK, Jun 26 (IPS) - An investigation by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has revealed that former detainees at the U.S. Bagram airbase in Afghanistan were beaten, deprived of sleep and threatened with dogs.
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Afghanistan Conflict Monitor
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Russia To Allow US Arms Shipments To Afghanistan
3 Jul 2009 | 1:02 pm'Russia To Allow US Arms Shipments To Afghanistan', The Associated Press, 3 July 2009 EXCERPT: "Russia said Friday it will allow the United States to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, a long-sought move that bolsters U.S. military operations but potentially gives the Kremlin leverage over critical American supplies. The announcement by a top Kremlin aide came ahead of President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow next week, when the deal is expected to be signed. Russia has been allowing the United States to ship non-lethal supplies across its territory for operations in… -
The Dynamics Of The "AfPak" Conflict: Metrics and Status Report
3 Jul 2009 | 1:00 pm'The Dynamics Of The "AfPak" Conflict: Metrics And Status Report', Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1 July 2009EXCERPT: "The Afghan-Pakistan conflict is a complex conflict that covers two countries and has ideological, political, governance, economic, military, and security dimensions that are extremely difficult to measure and portray in summary form. NATO/ISAF, the United Nations, the U.S Department of Defense, and various polls and nongovernmental organizations have, however, gradually developed summary metrics and maps of the conflict. These data provide a useful overview… -
Peoples Under Threat 2009: Afghanistan
3 Jul 2009 | 12:59 pm'Peoples Under Threat 2009: Afghanistan', Minority Rights Group International, 3 July 2009EXCERPT: "The American military response to violent extremism in recent years has resulted in a new generation of identity conflicts that have placed whole communities in peril. Since 2001, when after 9/11 the US pursued the Afghanistan Taleban and the al-Qaeda unit led by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri, the 'violent extremists' to which Obama referred have proliferated. They now operate in many countries in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, many under the al-Qaeda label. For the… -
Britain's War Costs In Iraq And Afghanistan Triple
3 Jul 2009 | 12:57 pm'Britain's War Costs In Iraq And Afghanistan Triple', Bloomberg, 3 July 2009EXCERPT: "The annual cost of U.K. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has more than tripled in the last four years as the extra troops deployed to fight the Taliban outweighed the drawdown of Britain's presence in Basra. Total spending for both wars will reach 4.37 billion pounds ($7.15 billion) in the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2010, compared with 1.56 in the year ended March 2006, according to Ministry of Defense figures published by the House of Commons Defense Committee. The cost of the wars… -
G8 Experts Meeting On Afghanistan And Regional Stabilisation
2 Jul 2009 | 2:00 pm'Experts Meeting on Afghanistan and Regional Stabilisation - Summary of Discussions and Recommendations to the Italian Presidency of the G8', IPALMO / ARGO / Carnegie Europe, 1 July 2009EXCERPT: "The success of international efforts to foster security and economic growth in Afghanistan is increasingly linked to wider stabilization and development in the states in its proximity. In order to elucidate the challenges in the region and draw recommendations for the Italian G8 Presidency, an Experts Meeting on Afghanistan and Regional Stabilization was organized by Ipalmo, ARGO and Carnegie Europe…
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Global Voices Online: Afghanistan
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Afghanistan: Local conflict is aggravating
20 Jun 2009 | 11:40 amNick Fielding reviews a new report from the “Cooperation for Peace and Unity” organisation, which notes that local conflict in Afghanistan is increasing at a faster rate than the insurgency and armed conflict. -
Afganistan: Is Iran Supporting the Taliban?
14 Jun 2009 | 10:08 amAs Iran faces deep unrest over its disputed election, a perhaps darker question haunts the country: Is the Iranian government funding the Afghan Taliban? If so, it would represent a dramatic reversal of course for the Iranian government, as in the late 1990s it very nearly invaded Afghanistan to toppled the Taliban government after Taliban fighters executed nine Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i Sharif. At the same time, it would also, in the minds of some, represent the continuation of its policies of arming anti-American fighters in Iraq. The blogosphere has been debating this issue for years,… -
Afghanistan: Iranian trace in taliban's armament
12 Jun 2009 | 9:48 amJoshua Foust analyzes the news about Iranian weapons for the Taliban in western Afghanistan, and reflects whether it is a deliberate policy or a coincidental or rogue activity within southeastern Iran. -
Afghanistan: Amnesty International's Report
6 Jun 2009 | 4:37 amColla reviews the annual report by Amnesty International on Afghanistan, calling it “shocking and shameful”, as it says that people are being terrorized both by the Taleban insurgents and by local militias. -
Afghanistan: Taliban's cartoons
6 Jun 2009 | 4:33 amA new YouTube character, the cartoon guy, reads out the usual list of highly imaginative battle reports in Afghanistan, literally quoting official press-releases of the Taliban, Colla says.
