US Recruits Allies for Afghan Surge

(NEWSER) - Nicolas Sarkozy and President Obama pledged cooperation today on a host of international issues, from Afghanistan to Iranian nukes, the AP reports. “It feels really good to work with a US president who wants to change the world,” said Sarkozy at their press conference. It’s a “'helluva’ good piece of news for 2009.” Obama, for his part, said, "We're looking forward to being partners with Europe." More»

Alliance struggles for meaning after end of Cold War

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama is in Strasbourg for a NATO summit, but on the 60th anniversary of the alliance's founding, its future seems increasingly muddy. Founded on a mutual defense pact against the Soviet Union and its satellite states, NATO now stretches as far as Turkey and provides most of the peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Kosovo. Yet these days, Time writes, NATO seems to be having an identity crisis. More»

Eyes regional strategy, talks with Taliban, Iran

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama is drastically rethinking the war effort in Afghanistan, his security advisers tell the Washington Post, including making the capture of Osama bin Laden a top priority. The administration’s fledgling plan calls for a more aggressive regional approach, possibly involving help from Iran. Obama also favors the ongoing negotiations between the Afghan government and the “reconcilable” portions of the Taliban. More»

But American, NATO troops will still have 'robust' advisory role

(NEWSER) - At some point next year, the US will no longer be fighting a war in Afghanistan for the first time in a decade. "Hopefully by mid to the latter part of 2013 we’ll be able to make a transition from a combat role to a training, advise, and assist role,” defense chief Leon Panetta told reporters today. That applies to NATO troops as well, and it's the first time the Obama administration has put a date on it, reports the New York Times and Washington Post . More»

ISI providing direct assistance, says secret NATO report viewed by the BBC

(NEWSER) - Big news from the BBC this morning: It says it has viewed a secret NATO report that suggests the Taliban will retake Afghanistan as soon as NATO exits the country, thanks in part to assistance it is receiving from Pakistan's ISI. The report was compiled following 27,000 interrogations of civilians and Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, and the BBC describes it as "painful reading." Among its claims: That Pakistan is aware of the whereabouts of a number of high-ranking Taliban leaders; that some of these Taliban members live near ISI's Islamabad headquarters; and that Pakistan is actually manipulating and controlling the Taliban. "The Taliban are not Islam. The Taliban are Islamabad," said an al-Qaeda detainee, according to the report. More»