Afghanistan

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McChrystal: There's Been Enough Fighting

General foresees settlement with weakened Taliban

(Newser) - Gen. Stanley McChrystal says he’s pushing towards a negotiated peace with the Taliban, using his newly-expanded forces to weaken their bargaining position. “As a soldier, my personal feeling is that there’s been enough fighting,” the NATO commander in Afghanistan tells the Financial Times . “What I...

Afghanistan Postpones May Elections
Afghanistan Postpones
May Elections
Jan 24, 2010 7:05 AM CST

Afghanistan Postpones May Elections

Panel pushes vote to Sept., cites need for reform, lack of funds

(Newser) - Afghanistan's independent election commission has confirmed it is postponing parliamentary elections until the fall due to a lack of funding, security concerns, and logistical challenges. Commissioner Fazel Ahmed Manawi also told reporters today the delay will allow time for electoral reforms—a move likely to please Western countries pressing for...

Stunning Kabul Attack Shows Taliban Moving Into Cities

'Nobody is ready to make any kind of deal'

(Newser) - Yesterday's militant assault in the heart of Kabul succeeded not only in paralyzing the city for hours—it also exposed the vulnerability of the US-backed Afghan government, demonstrated the resilience of the Taliban, and left the usually quiet city with a lingering sense of fear. The morning rush-hour attack offered...

'Jesus Rifles' Draw Fire
 'Jesus Rifles' Draw Fire 
Jan 18, 2010 6:20 PM CST

'Jesus Rifles' Draw Fire

US military firearms with coded messages raise issue of 'crusade'

(Newser) - A rifle scope commonly used by the US military is inscribed with references to the Bible. The scopes, made by Trijicon of Michigan, bear codes that refer to verses glorifying God and Jesus—even though the military, leery of being accused of waging a Crusade, bans proselytizing in Iraq and...

Gun Battle Erupts Near Afghan Prez Palace

Explosionw rock ministries, luxury hotel in central Kabul

(Newser) - A gun battle has erupted near Afghanistan's presidential palace between national security forces and the Taliban shortly after explosions rocked the central Kabul neighborhood. A huge plume of smoke was rising from the area near the Afghanistan Central Bank, government ministries and a luxury hotel popular with westerners, reports the...

Afghan Lawmakers Diss Karzai on Cabinet—Again

For the second week in a row, many of his picks are rejected

(Newser) - Afghanistan's parliament today rejected more than half of President Karzai's second list of Cabinet nominees—including two of three women—dealing him a fresh political blow as his government struggles to face the growing Taliban threat. Two weeks ago, parliament rejected 70% of Karzai's picks. The rejections leave his government...

Karzai Cabinet Picks Rejected for 2nd Time

Weak Afghan president still can't put together a government

(Newser) - The Afghan parliament rejected the majority of Hamid Karzai's second slate of cabinet choices today—10 of 17—in another vote of no confidence for the beleaguered Afghan president 2 weeks after the first set was rejected. This time he managed to get a foreign minister and a justice minister...

Army Charges Single Mom for Going AWOL

She faces prison time for refusing to deploy to Afghanistan

(Newser) - The Army has filed court-martial charges against Alexis Hutchinson, an Army cook who refused to deploy to Afghanistan because she couldn't find anyone to look after her 1-year-old son. Hutchinson, 21, is charged with "missing movement" and absence without leave, among other things, reports the Savannah Morning News . Missing...

70% of Afghan Civilian Deaths Caused by Taliban

Death caused by allied forces down 28%

(Newser) - The number of Afghan civilians who died in war-related violence last year soared to the highest annual level since the conflict began in 2001, with nearly 70% blamed on insurgents, according the the UN, and 25% to allied forces. The UN mission in Afghanistan said 2,412 civilians were killed...

US Kills 16 in Rare Afghanistan Drone Attacks

UAVs typically stick to neighboring Pakistan

(Newser) - Unmanned US drones killed 16 insurgents in a pair of airstrikes within Afghanistan yesterday, the military announced today, in an unusual case of the drones being used inside Afghan borders. The drones are typically used only for assaults over the border in Pakistan—and by the CIA, not the US...

To Honor Troops, Stop Playing the National Anthem

Instead, read names of fallen service members

(Newser) - If you don't know anyone in the military, it can be shockingly easy to forget that the US has been at war for almost an entire decade. A good remedy would be making the cost, particularly in human terms, more visible, writes John Baldoni. He suggests that the national anthem...

Military Can't Keep Up With Drone Intel

Predators produce too much video for analysts to digest

(Newser) - The military is rushing to get more spy drones into Afghanistan’s sky, but they’ve already got more video streaming in than they can handle. All of the footage is watched live for any potential threat troops should be aware of—roughly 24 years' worth of footage was recorded...

3 US Troops Killed in Afghan Fighting

At least 10 have died this month

(Newser) - Three US servicemembers were killed in battle in southern Afghanistan today, the latest casualties of the escalated fighting in the region that's accompanied President Obama's troop surge. NATO said the men died in an engagement with the enemy, but gave no further details. Earlier today, authorities said another servicemember and...

'Vaccination Diplomacy': Taliban Helps UN, Karzai

In 'pact with the devil,' group helps get polio vaccine to far-flung regions

(Newser) - The Taliban may be pariahs to much of the world, but the group's indisputable hold on vast swaths of Afghanistan has produced an unusual arrangement: It's working with UN health officials and the Afghan government to wipe out polio. Volunteers travel to normally dangerous regions to vaccinate children, armed with...

Karzai Presents New List of Cabinet Nominees

Announces 15 candidates to replaces those rejected the first time

(Newser) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai presented a second slate of nominees to fill his Cabinet today after parliament rejected 70% of his first picks. Second Vice President Karim Khalili announced 16 ministerial candidates, including 15 to replace those rejected the first time. Some political analysts had expected Karzai to resubmit the...

Double Agent Far Scarier Than Underwear Bomber
Double Agent Far Scarier Than Underwear Bomber
Joe Klein
Jan 8, 2010 11:11 AM CST

Double Agent Far Scarier Than Underwear Bomber

Detroit incident gets the headlines, but Afghan attack is worse for US

(Newser) - Public reaction to the two recent terrorist attacks has Joe Klein puzzled. The underwear bomber failed but is getting all the attention. The successful suicide attack against CIA agents in Afghanistan has far more profound implications, but it's slipping off the radar. "Make no mistake: it has to be...

Blackwater Guards Indicted in Afghan Killings

Contractors face murder charges in Kabul shootings

(Newser) - A Virginia jury has indicted two former Blackwater guards on second-degree murder charges for their actions during confrontation in Kabul last year that left two Afghans dead and another wounded. The men, both employed as trainers by Blackwater subsidiary Paravant, opened fire on a vehicle at an intersection after their...

Blackwater Settles Iraqi Civil Suits

But two former contractors arrested in Afghanistan

(Newser) - Blackwater—now known as Xe—has settled a group of civil lawsuits with Iraqis that accused the firm of creating a cowboy culture that led to civilian deaths. The firm will pay $30,000 to injured victims and $100,000 to families of people who died in a number of...

Al-Qaeda Claims Afghan CIA Attack

7 Americans killed included 2 Blackwater contractors

(Newser) - Al-Qaeda became the latest terrorist organization to claim responsibility for the blast that killed eight operatives at a CIA base in Afghanistan last week, with a statement on the al-Qaeda website identifying the bomber as Abu Dujana, a prominent Islamist author and staple on jihadi websites, CNN reports. US intelligence...

CIA Thought Double Agent Was Key to al-Qaeda

Balawi was agency's best hope in years

(Newser) - The CIA was more optimistic than they had been in years about finding al-Qaeda's leaders—until their Jordanian double agent turned out to be a triple agent, officials say. Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi—who killed seven CIA operatives and one Jordanian when he blew up himself up last week—established...

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