Afghanistan

A special rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights has said hundreds of civilians have been unlawfully killed by the Afghan police, militias, international forces, foreign intelligence agents and Taliban insurgents in the past four months. Philip Alston - UN rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary execution, who visited different parts of Afghanistan and held extensive talks wit

Barack Obama spent yesterday trying not to think of West Virginia, making an appearance instead in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where Obama won the primary in February. He also forgot a couple of facts about Iraq and Afghanistan, making two large factual errors and setting off a dispute between his campaign and ABC News.......>>

The most interesting discovery during a visit to Jalalabad, where Osama bin Laden planted his flag in 1996, is that Al-Qaeda seems to have all but disappeared. The group is on the run, too, in Iraq, and that raises some interesting questions about how to pursue this terrorist enemy in the future."Al-Qaeda is not a topic of conversation here," says Colonel Mark Johnstone, the deputy commander of Ta

The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of new letter from Al-Qaida leader Mustafa Abu al-Yazid confirming the death of Al-Qaida lieutenant Abu Sulaiman al-Otaibi (a.k.a. Mohammed al-Thibaiti) during clashes with the "crusaders and apostates" in the Paktika province of Afghanistan. According to Saudi media, Abu Sulaiman was a former student at Imam Mohammed bin Saud University and had close contac

Les militaires canadiens se vantent de former une «police» compétente en Afghanistan qui sera chargée de la sécurité selon eux dans quelques temps. Par contre, ces chiens de garde du président de Kaboul sont loin d’être aussi «compétents» que veut le laisser croire les occupants. Dernièrement, un manifestant est mort et plusieurs autres ont été blessés [...]

No había bloqueado su teléfono y en mitad de una batalla en Afganistán, el soldado estadounidense Stephen Phillips, de 22 años, llamó accidentalmente a sus padres a Oregón. Disparos, gritos e insultos. Pero sobre todo fue el inconfundible sonido de la guerra lo que quedó grabado en el contestador de la familia del soldado, que escuchó el mensaje cuando regresó a casa de hacer la compra.Nadie resultó herido en el combate, aunque la madre de Stephen y su marido no lo supieron hasta que horas después pudieron hablar con su hijo, destinado en Afganistán desde hace un año. "Su amigo murió el año pasado en Irak y pensé, 'Oh, Dios mío, podría ser la última vez que escuche la voz de mi hijo por teléfono", explica Sandie Petee, la madre del militar. "Es algo que un pad

Al-Qaeda may pose a threat to the U.S. however, the rise of Islam in Europe means that the continent has at least as much to lose with the terror group gaining a safe haven in Afghanistan.In order to combat a resurgent Taliban and al-Qaeda, the United States recently announced plans to send an extra 7000 troops to Afghanistan, conversely pledges made by Europe remain disappointing, as NATO members remain reluctant to pursue the same course.The problems appear to stem from a difference of opinion in relation to the success or otherwise of operations in the country. In spite of some 50,000 troops already there, the Taliban is still a force to be reckoned with, fuelled by the advantage of being able to disappear within the local population between operations. While not a crises, the situation

<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> New Zealand Red Cross aid worker Bronwen Markhan recently returned home to Wellington following a seven month mission in Afghanistan. A long way from home, two Wellington nurses are making a difference in Kandahar, Afghanistan through their work with New Zealand Red Cross. Nurse Bronwen Markham has recently returned from her eight month mission as the

The BBC catches up, but not quite. Me in December of 2007: The war in Somalia is not some obscure "African tribal conflict" - it is a direct result of international political maneuvering, just like Afghanistan. The similarities between the two countries, in fact, are striking. Both fell apart during the Cold War endgame. Afghanistan, invaded by the Soviets in 1979, has seen near-continuous warfare ever since, with some participants funded by the US. Somalia, after switching its allegiance from one superpower to another in the 80s, found itself abandoned by both in the early 90s. A coup brought down the president in 1991, and the chaos that began then has lasted until now. In conditions of chaos and instability, Somalia and Afghanistan have both provided havens for terrorists at times (surp

This week’s editorial: I recently saw the film, “Charlie Wilson’s War’ which depicts efforts of Congressman Charlie Wilson of Texas in the 1980s to provide weapons for Afghan militants who were fighting the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Naturally, the film concludes with Russian troops exiting Afghanistan as Americans cheer their great triumph. There is a slight [...]

A good friend of mine Damir had spent one whole year in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was working there as a member of United Nation's Organization and they were in charge for monitoring the county's elections. The stories and photos that he had brought from this impressive and troubled country were vivid and breathtaking. With his permission I am publishing here some of the photos from the city of Kabul, Afghanistan.Jasmin's Heart

WASHINGTON: The Taliban in Afghanistan -- whose government was toppled by U.S.-led forces after the September 11, 2001, attacks -- has strengthened its military and technical capabilities even while suffering heavy combat losses, says a State Department report.The Taliban-led insurgency remained a capable, determined, and resilient threat to stability and to the expansion of government authority, particularly in the Pashtun south and east," according to the "Country Reports on Terrorism 2007."The report’s release the other day coincided with multiple attacks. A blast targeting a NATO patrol south of Kabul killed an alliance soldier and wounded four others, The Associated Press cited NATO as saying.The Taliban’s information operations have become "increasingly aggressive and sophisticat

A WOMAN who was trafficked across the border from Pakistan with her son, 3, was handed to an Afghan who raped her, then beat the toddler to death as she watched. He was jailed for 20 years for murder - but the woman, Rukhma, was jailed, too. She had put up with her mistreatment for three [...]

Text repris du Réseau Voltaire: Dans un livre qui devait paraître lundi au Québec, un ancien membre de la « Joint Task Force 2 », une unité d’élite des services secrets militaires canadiens, Denis Morisset, relate huit années d’opérations secrètes. L’ouvrage, intitulé Nous étions invincibles, détaille des actions au Rwanda, en Bosnie et Afghanistan, mais aussi —et c’est [...]

A woman who was trafficked across the border from Pakistan with her son, 3, was handed to an Afghan who raped her, then beat the toddler to death as she watched. He was jailed for 20 years for murder - but the woman, Rukhma, was jailed, too. She had put up with her mistreatment for three months before going to authorities. But in December, Rukhma, who doesn't know her age but looks younger than 20, was given a four-year sentence for adultery and "escaping her house" in Pakistan. The Taliban's fall six years ago heralded new rights for women: to go to school or get a job. Their rights are now enshrined in the constitution. But except for a small urban elite, a woman fleeing domestic violence or accusing a man of rape herself often ends up seen as the guilty party. ~ mo

"We're dealing with a group of idealogues who use asymmetrical warfare-that means killing innocent people-to try to achieve their objectives!"Is he talking about the terrorist groups or his administration?It's great that he's talking about fighting an enemy in a battle that we abandoned long ago to accomplish the fuck-up that Iraq is.At this point, it's beginning to feel as if George Bush is not even trying to act presidential. He definitely looks like he's trying to run out the clock before he returns to his ranch in Crawford. Perhaps, he won't commit that one last big fuck-up like many people suspect he will, like starting a war with Iran.Video via Crooks and Liars.

Hundreds of Marines who have previously fought in Iraq, took part in an assault on Taliban positions in southern Afghanistan. This was the first major action for the 2,300 Marines who arrived in Afghanistan the past few weeks. US military officials said the Taliban had been expecting an assault and had planted homemade bombs. [...]

It is close to seven years since American forces led an invasion of Afghanistan that threw out Taliban leadership, but President Karzai’s attempt to preside over a ceremony resulted in attacks by suspected Taliban militants which forced him to flee for his life. The president was at a pageants that marked the sixteenth anniversary of [...]

This fashionshow was held in Holland, Eindhoven at the Effenaar. It was a fashionshow where you can buy the dresses and the money will go to charity. The Charity consist of helping women and children in Afghanistan. Would you like to see all of the dresses, you can visit: www.casabena.come2me.nl and you will find more [...]

Scientists said that they have proved the world’s first ever oil paintings were in caves near two destroyed giant statues of Buddha in Afghanistan, hundreds of years before oil paint was used in Europe. Samples from paintings, dating from the 7th century AD, were taken from caves behind two statues of Buddha in Bamiyan blown up [...]

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Anthony Cordesman, Afghanistan won't be solved by moving out of Iraq. “In math and science, for example, our fourth graders are among the top students globally. By roughly eighth grade, they’re in the middle of the pack. And by the 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring generally near the bottom of all industrialized countries.” America's schools are in trouble, yet education is receiving scant attention from the presidential hopefuls, writes Bob Herbert. Slowly, results are coming in from Zimbabwe's election recount. The state media are calling for a unity government and various heads of state from around the world — including Gordon Brown — are pushing for an arms embargo to keep weapons out of the country

Afghanistan government has regimented private TV stations in the country to stop broadcasting popular Indian soap operas by April 15, which in fact reflected the growing sway of hardliners who... This is just a summary of the real stuff ..click on the link to see the full post on :)

One of a pair of gold pendants with turquoise, garnet, lapis lazuli, carnelian and pearls showing the “Dragon Master,” from the second quarter of the first century A.D., found at Tillya Tepe in northern Afghanistan. This item will be on...

That's right, according to Pakistan Daily News, Afghanistan Legislature has proposed a bill that can ban all video games in the country if adopted as a law.The law is to introduce Taliban-style Islamic morality codes throughout Afghanistan…The proposals also demand an end to dog and bird-fighting, pigeon-flying, billiards and video games, all past times favoured by many Afghans… The plans mirror many of the laws introduced by the extremist Taliban regime, which ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 with strict Islamic Sharia law.While I donot approve of dog and bird-fighting, I just can not understand how pidgeon-flying, shooting pool and playing games would be against any religion, unless ofcourse they don't allow anything fun.

Hillary's attack on the hard left base of her party is very significant: "We have been less successful in caucuses because it brings out the activist base of the Democratic Party. MoveOn didn't even want us to go into...

Kabul, 18 April (AKI) - (by Syed Saleem Shahzad) - US presidential candidate Barack Obama has generated broad support in Afghanistan, while Somalis would prefer to work with his Democratic rival Senator Hillary Clinton.These are the findings of a survey conducted by the international think-tank, The Senlis Council, in Afghanistan and Somalia in March and April. According to the think-tank, the results of this year's US presidential elections are "critical to both countries," as they are both "strongly affected by US policy". When asked which of the presidential candidates they would back, 69 percent of those questioned in Afghanistan favoured Obama, while 26 percent were in favour of Clinton. In Somalia, 47 percent of civilians surveyed supported Clinton, while 44 percent backed Obama.

Nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan — 300,000 in all — report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slight more than half have sought treatment, according to a new RAND Corporation study. In addition, researchers found about 19 percent of returning service members report that they experienced a possible traumatic brain injury while deployed, with 7 percent reporting both a probable brain injury and current PTSD or major depression. Many service members said they do not seek treatment for psychological illnesses because they fear it will harm their careers. But even among those who do seek help for PTSD or major depression, only about half receive treatment that researchers consider "minimal

Greater international support is needed to secure and stabilize Afghanistan, a crucial front in the global war on terrorism. The February 18 Pakistani election provides an opportunity to isolate extremists along the border. The U.S. should work with NATO countries on a joint approach to Pakistan and consider appointing a high-level envoy to coordinate policies between Afghanistan and Pakistan....(read more)

It would be wrong to say that some vital information is ‘lost’ in the barrage of feel-sad stories the main stream media throws our way each night when it come to the ongoing struggle in Afghanistan. The term ‘lost’ would imply something was actually there to begin with. That doesn’t apply here.With no disrespect intended to the families of the fallen Heroes of all fighting nations, the MSM has proven to be far more interested in rushing to the airport so they can grab fresh footage of the latest casket to be carried out of a transport than they are with reporting anything about the progress being made because of those very Heroes.Frivolous arguments over when and if to lower the flag – why not let the family decide? – have eaten up valuable newsprint and television airtime,

    Two servicemen from the RAF Regiment were killed in a roadside blast in southern Afghanistan, according to the Ministry of Defence. The pair died during the explosion in Kandahar Province on Sunday 13 April at 1848 local time, the MoD said. Two other service personnel were injured in the incident, which took place during a routine patrol [...]

Two Indian engineers were killed and at least five others injured in April 12 suicide attack in Nimroz province, located in southwestern Afghanistan, when Taliban militants targeted a convoy of road construction workers involved in 218 km strategic Zaranj-Delaram highway project. The slain engineers were working for the Border Road Organization of India (BRO). Saturday’s blatant terror act came immediately after Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak visited India seeking counterterrorism...(read more)

The German government has repeatedly expressed misgivings regarding the conduct of the war in Afghanistan and has opposed requests by the American government to increase the number of German soldiers in the country. The slaying of six aid workers and three attacks against the German military underscores concern in the German army, the Bundeswehr, that [...]

French troops operating in Afghanistan will number about 3,000, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Friday.Kouchner is due to meet President Hamid Karzai and officials including his counterpart, Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta on Saturday. He will also hold meetings with non-governmental organizations and visit a hospital in Kabul. He will then go to Kandahar, in the south of the country, with Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier, despite Canada's disappointed at France's decision to send reinforcements to the east rather than help it fight the Taliban in the south. More...

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told reporters in Bucharest the United States was committed to extend its military presence in Afghanistan. He indicated President George Bush had told European nations attending the NATO meeting that more American soldiers would be dispatched to Afghanistan next year in addition to the 31,000 who presently serve. Gates [...]

By Andrew Gray EN ROUTE TO MUSCAT, April 4 (Reuters) - The United States expects to add a “significant” number of extra troops to NATO’s mission in Afghanistan next year, President George W. Bush has told fellow alliance leaders. Bush told the leaders about the expected troop boost when they discussed Afghanistan at a summit in the [...]

American officials for the past few months have been demanding greater enthusiasm and presence by European nations for the fight in Afghanistan. In public, NATO is asking its members to furnish additional troops for the war in that nation, but in private, there are strong desires for an end to participation in a war that [...]

Given the current daily news from Iraq and Afghanistan, I thought it would be interesting to look at the news headlines from the first week in April 1970 – one month before the Kent State National Guard shootings as well as the opening of MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL. Here are some news briefs from “Day by Day: The Seventies,” Volume 1, 1970-1975, by Thomas Leonard, Cynthia Crippen and Marc Aronson: April 1: Communists launch a major assault across South Vietnam, striking at military bases and bombing major cities. April 2: South Vietnamese and Communists delegates at the Paris Peace talks react with coolness to a French proposal for an international conference on Southeast Asia. April 4: Increased fighting in Vietnam is reflected by 138 U.S. fatalities for

Unsurprisingly, the U.S.'s NATO allies have just about turned down requests to deploy additional troops to Afghanistan: Afghanistan loomed as the summit's No. 1 topic, a point of contention between some Europeans who see the NATO mission as largely a humanitarian effort and the Bush administration and others who see it as a central front in the fight against terrorism. Canada had threatened to pull its troops from the front lines in southern Afghanistan unless other allies sent an additional 1,000 combat troops to help. NATO has about 47,000 troops in Afghanistan, but commanders are pleading for more troops in the south, where Taliban insurgents are wreaking the most havoc. With the Pentagon admitting it doesn't have enough troops to send to Afghanistan because it is refusing to draw down

NHRA Top Fueler Hillary Will makes memorable journey to Afghanistan and beyond YPSILANTI, Mich., (March 31, 2008) — Hillary Will is tough. She makes her living driving the quickest and fastest auto racing machines on the planet. She regularly drives her 8,000-horsepower KB racing, LLC Top Fuel dragster at speeds in excess of 330 mph down the quarter-mile drag strips of [...]

Few in NATO, including U.S. leaders, appear willing to face the fact that the war in Afghanistan is growing to be one of the longest in our history and could be one of the costliest. Not just in economic terms, but because no one has been willing to commit the resources to win the war, despite the fact it was nearly won four years ago. The cost of not finishing the job is staggering. The Taliban, in a move the seemed inconceivable in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, is back, moving easily...(read more)

Throughout the world, even in places ravaged by conflict—such as Iraq, Afghanistan, as well as countries in the Middle East and the Africa—women are increasingly emerging as courageous leaders. The United States and our international partners have much to do, but we do have progress to build upon....(read more)

My forthcoming book MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL takes place in the spring of 1970, right after the Kent State National Guard shootings and during Nixon’s two-month incursion into Cambodia. The novel is told from the point of view of four women, one of whom is Sharon Gold. During the course of the novel Sharon reflects on certain events that took place a year or two earlier when she was Sharon Bloom and a student at Michigan State University. I graduated from MSU in journalism in 1969 and have not been back since then. Thus it was with anticipation that I looked forward this week to meeting Sarah Blom, the director of development and alumni relations for MSU’s College of Social Science. My husband Mitch (B.A. and M.A. from MSU) and I enjoyed hearing what’s ne

The NEFA Foundation has obtained footage documenting the first suicide attack carried out by a German national of Turkish origin in Afghanistan . The March 3rd attack targeted the Sebari military compound near Khost, along the restive Afghan-Pakistani border. Cuneyt Ciftci (a.k.a. Saad Abu Furqan)--a 28-year old German national born in Bavaria to a family of Turkish immigrants--drove an explosive-laden truck into a US guard post killing 2 soldiers. An Uzbek terror group, the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU),...(read more)

The snow hasn't even melted in the foothills of Afghanistan's rough and tumble Hindu Kush, but already bad news is flooding in from America's 6 1/2-year war there. And hardly anyone seems to be paying attention. One of the earliest - and grimmest - assessments this year came February 27 from the stone-faced commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, Army Maj. Gen. David Rodriguez, who is responsible for military operations along the jagged Durand Line (aka the Afghan-Pakistan border). The other dismal...(read more)

While the MSM, cable news yapping heads and so-called "progressive" blogs are busy hyperventilating over the latest Clinton/Obama gotcha moments in the never-ending circus known as the "race for the White House", what those candidates will have to deal with when one of them actually gets there (if they even manage to actually make it without being perilously wounded by incoming crapnel between now and Jan 2009) - has fallen off the radar.It was recently reported that the media only devotes a minimal amount of time reporting on what's happening in Iraq:However, the Project for Excellence in Journalism reports that Iraq consumed 24 percent of the airtime on cable news last year, but just 1 percent this year. All told, TV, Internet and newspapers gave Iraq 23 percent of their news hole in the

News the other day of the 4,000 American solider killed in battle in Iraq reminded me yet again of the tremendous sacrifice the soldiers, sailor and airmen that protect us face. This sacrifice is not measured in terms of explosive force or sniper accuracy on patrol, but also in taking financial fire back home. While I’ve [...]

Seems the Canadians think they can sneak out of the war that’s happening in Afghanistan buy 2011! At least that’s what the rumor seems to be anyways… See I didn’t know you could forecast peace in the Middle East like this. So what’s going to happen with this situation? 2011 will come soon and you [...]

Kabul - Afghanistan said Sunday it planned to sell up to 80 percent of its telecommunications arm in one of the most ambitious parts of the country`s ongoing privatisation programme. Bidders must register their interest in purchasing part of Afghan Telecom by April 4 and the tender process was expected to be completed in three months, Telecommunications Minister Amirzai Sangin told reporters.The fixed line and wireless system had about 100,000 clients, he said.This compares to about five million for the booming mobile phone sector, which includes four providers and had investment of nearly one billion dollars, Sangin said. Afghan Telecom would be worth about 190 million dollars after a network of fibre optic cables is put in place, an improvement which is due by year`s end, his ministry sa

At least three Marines who served in Anbar during that period said that their platoons carried "drop weapons" or tools that Iraqis were not permitted to possess, to plant on the bodies of Iraqi noncombatant corpses in case of a wrongful killing. Full story: Soldiers Testify at Second Winter Soldier Spread this if you are against the US's War on Terror.

The Bush administration apparently has decided to go on the offensive in the Middle East and Afghanistan, the verbal offensive, that is. Senator John McCain is flitting around the area and ensuring the world the United States has al-Qaeda on the run, Dick Cheney made a visit to Iraq and suddenly decided it was time [...]

The Canadian govenment is confronted with the reality it must require longer deployments for its soldiers in Kandahar province in Afghanistan as the military struggles to find sufficient bodies to cover the needs of fighting in that faraway land. The Canadian mission has been extended for at least two more years. At present there are [...]

Today marked the shameful and depressing anniversary of the War in Iraq, an occasion which was commemorated in news outlets and protests around the world. But in the background, as always, violence continues in Afghanistan as well. I hope this reminder only confirms the urgent need for a refocusing of American foreign policy. Yesterday, prisoners took control of parts of a prison compound during a riot. A suicide bomber killed seven in Helmand. Early this morning, a US raid killed six civilians, leading to more charges of unnecessary heavy-handedness. And the Economist reminds us that Afghanistan has elections too - too many of them, in fact. According to the 2004 constitution, the country will go to the polls in 11 of the next 17 years, the result of holding presidential, parliamentary a

I was reminded today of one of the most dramatic differences between the Vietnam War and the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. This difference is the same thing that enables me to write this blog: The internet. In an article on the website milspouse.com, Nikki Lomax-Larson writes about a young wife – identified only as Emily -- who two years ago at age 22 became a widow after being married less than a year. Emily’s deployed husband had been on patrol handing out pamphlets to encourage Iraqis to vote when a sniper’s bullet killed him. The new widow posted a thread titled “My DH was just killed,” and the other members of the military spouse board responded online with comfort. Some of these other wives drove or flew in to attend the funeral. Back in 1970 this onli

Dozens of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans publicly testified this weekend about crimes they committed during the course of battle, many of which were prompted by the orders or policies laid down by superior officers. The weekend gathering, called the Winter Soldier Event demonstrated that well-publicized incidents of U.S. brutality, including the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and the massacre of an entire family of Iraqis in the town of Haditha, are not isolated incidents perpetrated by "a few bad apples," as many politicians and military leaders have claimed. They are part of a pattern, the organizers said, of "an increasingly bloody occupation." One testimony:"Apr. 18, 2006 was the date of my first confirmed kill. He was innocent, I called him the fat man. He was walking back to his house

From Winter Soldier hearings at Democracy Now : ...JON MICHAEL TURNER: On April 18, 2006, I had my first confirmed killed. This man was innocent. I don't know his name. I called him “the fat man.” He was walking back to his house, and I shot him in front of his friend and his father. The first round didn't kill him, after I had hit him up here in his neck area. And afterwards he started

Seorang profesor di Afghanistan memilih cara berpuasa sebagai ungkapan rasa cintanya pada Rasulullah saw dan sebagai bentuk protesnya terhadap pihak-pihak yang telah melecehkan Rasulullah Muhammad Saw. Ia menyatakan tidak akan berhenti berpuasa sampai pihak-pihak yang melecehkan Rasulullah dan Islam menyampaikan permohonan maafnya. Muhammad Sediq Afghan, nama profesor itu, melakukan aksi puasa dengan membuka tenda di kota Kabul, ibukota Afghanistan. Profesor di lembaga World Philosophical Mathematics Research Center yang berbasis di Kabul ini sudah seminggu menjalankan aksinya. "Orang lain membakar bendera dan berbuat kerusuhan. Kami tidak suka ini, kami ingin melakukan segala sesuatunya dengan cara damai. Saya akan tetap berpuasa sampai si pembuatnya minta maaf, " kata Afghan seperti dila

These are the times that try men’s souls, the summer soldier and the summer patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. — Thomas Paine, The Crisis (1776) The original winter soldier investigations were held in Detroit, MI, in 1971. They were meant to publicize atrocities committed in Vietnam, with discharged soldiers providing testimony on their first-hand experiences. This weekend, in D.C., veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars will do the same. Get details on how to watch and listen here. Learn about the toll of these wars from those who’ve served in them. Here’s a clip from the original Winter Soldier Investigation:

Belgium has answered the U.S. call for more troops in Afghanistan. In February, Brussels committed to sending four F-16 fighter planes and 100 more soldiers to the south of Afghanistan. It's not exactly a cushy assignment. The region is in turmoil because of the Taliban's resurgence. In contrast to Belgium's enthusiasm, Germany has rejected the U.S. request for more NATO troops to “secure”

From 911Truth.org : From March 13-16th, U.S. veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan will testify to what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground in these occupations. To provide a preview, we've created this short film. The film features three members who will be testifying at Winter Soldier and includes videos and photographs of Iraq from their deployments. This video

Iraq Veterans Against the War is organizing the "Winter Soldier" conference outside of Washington, DC, to share their experiences from the front lines. The conference, which begins Thursday and will continue through the weekend, aims to build on a 1971 gathering in which Vietnam veterans gathered in Detroit to share their view of atrocities they wi

Almost seven years have passed since American and local Afghan forces swept the country clean of its Taliban leaders. The vast majority of people welcomed a respite from the onerous and medieval thinking Taliban leadership which endeavored to control all aspects of daily life. Yesterday, as NATO forces battled miliants, British soldiers called in an [...]

CBC News reports that a Canadian soldier was found dead at a base on Tuesday:A 22-year-old Canadian soldier was found dead in Afghanistan on Tuesday, but a top military commander said the death was not related to combat.Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told reporters that Bombardier Jérémie Ouellet was found at 2:15 p.m. local time in the sleeping quarters at Kandahar airfield, the main NATO military base in southern Afghanistan.Laroche said the Canadian military is investigating the circumstances surrounding Ouellet's death. He said more details would be provided once the investigation is complete.May he rest in peace.And this just in via the AP:KANDAHAR, Afghanistan–A suicide car bomber blew himself up next to a convoy of Canadian troops Wednesday in the southern Afghan city Kandahar, killing

Peter Van Loan in the house on Tuesday answering an NDP question about Afghanistan: "the security situation continues to improve".That's what the Conservatives would like Canadians to believe, even when contradicted by a NATO commander and the facts on the ground: UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Militant attacks in Afghanistan increased dramatically last year, with civilians accounting for nearly a fifth of people killed, the U.N. secretary-general said in a new report.In a report to the U.N. Security Council made available on Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said there were an average of 566 "insurgent and terrorist" incidents per month last year compared with 425 per month in 2006."Of the over 8,000 conflict-related fatalities in 2007, over 1,500 were civilians," Ban said in the re

Bangladesh will play their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying round opening game against Afghanistan at the Bishkek Central Stadium in Kyrgyzstan on May 5.Laos and hosts Kyrgyzstan are the other teams pitted in Group C along with Bangladesh.In the remaining group matches, Bangladesh will play Laos on May 7 and Kyrgyzstan on May 9 at the same venue.Bangladesh hosted the 16-team inaugural AFC Challenge Cup, a tournament for the emerging Asian nations, in 2006 and made an early exit by losing to champions Tajikistan 1-6 in the quarterfinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Prince Harry has left behind his duties in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan. His tour was cut short by a media leak and he returned to the UK on Saturday.Harry, a second lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, was initially sent to an important but isolated British outpost. But he moved to work nearer the front line at Garmsir.Everyday life began with army rations - his breakfast recipe for jam, butter and biscuits was garnered from Fijian troopers.The prince also lived and worked with a unit of Gurkhas. He felt that with them, there was "no safer place to be", despite being in sight of front-line Taleban positions.During the 10 weeks before the prince's cover was blown, he was a tactical air controller - calling up allied air cover in support of ground forces - and went out on foot pat

The Liberal Conservative Government of Canada will be holding a vote on continuing the Harper War in Afghanistan for another three years.Vote on Afghanistan motion set for March 13Or maybe four years or heck lets make it five.A WHOLE post-Cold War European generation has grown up in peace, give or take "some Balkan horror on television," which makes it hard to explain that "it's a political and moral imperative to fight for our core values in the Hindu Kush."The words are those of Jaap de Hoop Scheffer of the Netherlands, the NATO secretary general. As he utters them, he leans forward, insisting that he doesn't think "Europe is becoming pacifist." But Afghanistan is testing European military resolve. It's the long war. It's Europe's Iraq.Just back from Afghanistan, where NATO now has some

Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo is one of three NFL players embarking on a week-long journey to Afghanistan to visit and encourage U.S. troops through the NFL-USO program. Castillo will provide regular updates on Chargers.com throughout his journey.

Barack Obama via the Times Online:“You can’t have a situation where the United States and Britain are called on to do the dirty work and nobody else wants to engage in actual fire-fights with the Taliban.”Apparently, Canadian soldiers don't count for anything.The fact that 79 of our soldiers have died in that useless war - the latest one just this weekend - means absolutely nothing to Senator Obama. They are invisible.This, coming from a politician who didn't even attend all of the Foreign Relations committee hearings on Afghanistan....since joining Foreign Relations, Obama has missed three meetings on a "new strategy" in Afghanistan, a country he has never visited.Obama was absent from a January 31 meeting this year, and also was not present for a hearing on Sept. 21, 2006. He did

Via The Independent - some sorely-needed truth:So if the Army is blinkered in its lust for action, and lied to by its government, surely the media are there to point out unpleasant truths. At this point the images of Prince Harry blasting away on a machine gun seem dangerously close to propaganda. While his bravery and commitment are beyond doubt, his 10-week stint in Helmand has revealed itself as a PR recruiting stunt, cooked up by the MoD and facilitated by the media's collusion.Rather than highlighting the appalling truths about the war in Helmand, the media, dazzled by the heroic ideal that Prince Harry so perfectly embodies, perpetuate the myth that this is a just war fit for heroes. The frenzy of coverage in Friday's papers (with the conspicuous exception of this newspaper) was faci

Prince Harry: Prince Harry Fighting in Afghanistan - Prince Harry Video Harry was forced to return to Britain after word leaked out that Prince Harry was secretly fighting on the front line in Afghanistan. You have to admite a leader such as Prince Harry who isn't afraid to join the troops on the front line.Prince Harry had to cut his combat duty short when the word got out that he was firing away on the front lines in Afghanistan making him a huge target and increasing his risk beyond that of normal combat.

Prince Harry, who has been secretly serving in Afghanistan for the last 10 weeks, was withdrawn immediately by the British Ministry of Defence after a worldwide media leak. Chief of the Defence Staff said that the worldwide media coverage of Prince Harry deployment could put him and his fellow soldiers life at risk. Prince Harry [...]

Prince Harry is to be pulled out of Afghanistan after news of his secret deployment leaked out. View Original Article What has made me laugh about the press coverage are those arguing that the UK Media should never have kept it quiet because "the people" have a right to know. A right to know what? This is not just Harry's life we are talking about here, what about those around him who would be put in danger. And what possible reasons could "the UK public" have for wanting to know where he is and what he is doing 24/7 365 days of the year. Give me a break.  He's human, just like the rest of us. He leads a different life to pretty much everyone else, but why should he be denied his privacy.  (Obviously because of who he is and what he does there will b

Prince Harry is to be pulled out of Afghanistan after news of his secret deployment leaked out. View Original Article What has made me laugh about the press coverage are those arguing that the UK Media should never have kept it quiet because "the people" have a right to know. A right to know what? This is not just Harry's life we are talking about here, what about those around him who would be put in danger. And what possible reasons could "the UK public" have for wanting to know where he is and what he is doing 24/7 365 days of the year. Give me a break.  He's human, just like the rest of us. He leads a different life to pretty much everyone else, but why should he be denied his privacy.  (Obviously because of who he is and what he does there will b

While Peter MacKay and Bev Oda are busy telling happy war stories in committee today, what they will predictably leave out are real indicators of the failed efforts over the past 6 years in Afghanistan.As IRIN notes, the focus on military expenditures is basically handing poor, young Afghan men and children to the Taliban:"In our district many young guys join Taliban ranks for pocket money, a mobile phone or other financial incentives," said Safiullah, a resident of Sangeen District in Helmand.They don't want much, yet they are being deprived by the mishandling of foreign aid and so-called development funds. And they are willing to risk their very lives to get what they need.High levels of rural poverty or unemployment are probably helping to drive young people like Malik to join the Tali

From Monday's Hansard, our so-called "honourable" minister of Veterans Affairs:Hon. Greg Thompson: Missing in action, Mr. Speaker, hiding under the furniture. The member from Sackville is always on his hind legs in here ranting about what he would do, I guess, but his record speaks for itself. Those members have done absolutely nothing. For them to suggest that we are doing nothing is just fundamentally wrong, because we were asking for their support on the floor of the House of Commons in a minority Parliament. We were asking for their support to make this happen and they denied us that support. They voted against our veterans. An hon. member: They scurried out.Hon. Greg Thompson: They did scurry out, Mr. Speaker, and they will continue to do that because they do not believe in the

If you've had the chance to listen to various Conservatives on the floor on Monday speaking to their government's motion to extend the mission until 2011, you would assume that Canada wields a tremendous amount of power over the future of that country and that, as the Veterans Affair minister, Greg Thompson, stated (vilely) that those who oppose the extension are friends of the Taliban and enemies of our Canadian troops. Yes, he even repeated the smear (in the guise of hearing it from soldiers who live in his riding) that the NDP leader, Jack Layton, has been nicknamed "Taliban Jack". Speaking not long after that, Peter MacKay backed up Thompson's insults, feigning outrage to the point where he almost needed a fainting couch and a cold compress for his forehead. MacKay continued to hurl h

Today in parliament, the debate is on over the Conservatives' motion to extend Canada's mission in Afghanistan until 2011. Since the Liberals are already on board, there won't be any surprises once it comes to the vote. Dion has said he'll whip it. At least the NDP and BQ are set to vote against the continuation of this madness.You can watch the debate online here or here. (There will be a break for question period).Peter MacKay finished off his fearmongering remarks today with a plea to think about the children!!. As if on cue, CBC Newsworld showed pictures of them. Quite bizarre."How will history judge us if Canada walked away from Afghanistan?", MacKay asked, speaking to his party's motion that actually sets an end date to walk away in 2011. So, just how will history judge you, Mr Mac

Tired of the endless talking points? Want to hear from someone who actually lives in Afghanistan about what life is really like there?Watch Bill Moyers' interview with Sarah Chayes. Anyone who's read this blog won't find her perspective on what's happening there as being earth-shatteringly new, but Ms Chayes puts it all together very succinctly. If Canadians are going to have an honest debate about what's going on in Afghanistan, we need to face the facts and stop buying into the west's political rhetoric about what's possible in Afghanistan according to how we want to shape it. This western imposition of "freedom" and "democracy" through military means is unworkable. 

Editorial ReviewsFrom Publishers WeeklyAfghanistan only uncovers itself with intimacy, and intimacy takes time," writes Chayes, a skilled but increasingly frustrated journalist, whose determination "to grasp the underlying pattern" during and after the toppling of the Taliban in late 2001 chafes against her editors' post-9/11 comfort zone. With keen sympathy for Afghanistan's indomitable people, Chayes eventually swaps NPR and its four-and-a-half-minute slots for an NGO, becoming "field director" of Afghans for Civil Society, spearheaded by Qayum Karzai, the president's brother. ACS's humanitarian work, which includes rebuilding a bombed-out village, brings Chayes into direct conflict with the warlords with whom U.S. policy remains disastrously entangled. This is the point of her engrossin

Keeping Canadian troops in Afghanistan until 2011 is pretty much a done deal now that Harper has revised the government's previous motion to compromise with the Liberals' position.Here's where things stand now:- the newly proposed end date for Canada's mission is July, 2011. The Conservative motion had originally stated the mission would conclude at the end of 2011 while the Liberals had suggested February, 2011 (with troops withdrawn by July, 2011). Technically, in terms of the completion of troop withdrawals from Kandahar, that is now projected to be completed by December, 2011.- "It also says the mission will focus on training and reconstruction, as the Liberals have demanded." However, avoiding combat in a place like Kandahar seems virtually impossible. During Harper's press conferenc

Our troops are fighting in Afghanistan to defend abuse of women, children and now animals.Assignment Kandahar: Dog Fights, then a BloodbathA suicide bomber killed scores of Afghans attending a dog fighting "festival" being held just outside the city.There is no official word if the suicide bomber was a member of PETA.No report on the number of dogs killed. And apparently the bodyguards were responsible for as many deaths as the suicide bomber.Men and boys were enjoying picnics or watching dog and cock fights when the blast happened. Six children and thirteen auxiliary policemen were among the dead. Many of the wounded were critically injured and the death toll was expected to rise. Witnesses claimed panicking bodyguards fired wildly after the explosion, hitting dazed survivors.Faizullah

Photo: Ruby Washington/The New York TimesThe New York Times wrote an article earlier this week on Shamila Kohestani, the captain of Afghanistan’s national women’s soccer team. She's currently studying in the US at the Blair Academy in NJ. She had little formal education under Taliban rule in Afghanistan and strives to make a better life for herself and serve as a role model for other young women in her country. It continues to amaze me at how much of a role soccer plays in helping women express themselves and their limited freedoms in the many countries where women don't have the rights we in the US take for granted. In case you missed it, read the article here: NY Times: Soccer as an Escape to Hope for Afghan Teenager

Major western leaders headed to Afghanistan this weekend to meet with Karzai, NATO commanders, and their own troops. Rudd. Australian PM Kevin Rudd has told Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a visit to Kabul he is committed to the “long haul” in Afghanistan. Mr Rudd also visited some of the 1,000 Australian troops in Uruzgan province. Mr Rudd, who has said he will pull out combat troops from Iraq, stressed he was committed to reconstruction and stability in Afghanistan. Sarkozy. Sarkozy’s visit was the first to Afghanistan by any French president, and he discussed the political and military situation before meeting some of the 1,300 French troops who are part of NATO’s military force in the country. France announced its decision a year ago to withdraw 200 elite Special Forces, raising questions about whether the pullout would precede a larger withdrawal from Afghanistan. Sarkozy, who became president in May, told Karzai that France has a long-term political a

How your tax money is being spent - WASHINGTON - The Senate on Tuesday night passed a spending bill combining funding for 14 Cabinet departments with $70 billion for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yahoo News Current Events, news

In the infamous 'War on Terror', Afghanistan is almost a sad footnote. Troop levels were never adequate, poor planning and coordination, soaring drug production and the incompetence of Karzai and the government in Kabul have all contributed to a sense that this war could be lost. The New York Times has a good editorial this morning which looks at this issue.One of the biggest problems is that when NATO took command in Afghanistan, many members expected that most of the fighting would be over and their troops would focus on development and stabilization. Instead, they are increasingly taking casualties, and European leaders have still failed to tell their citizens why Afghanistan matters — and why a major effort must be made to deny the Taliban and Al Qaeda a safe haven.We understand Mr. Gates's frustration. He might do better with the Europeans if he told another truth: Before NATO got involved, Washington never had enough troops in Afghanistan, nor did it have a coherent strateg

One of my favorite parts of the Best American Travel Writing anthology each year is series editor Jason Wilson’s foreword. With each new edition he finds a seemingly unrelated anecdote that somehow, unexpectedly, illustrates the point he is trying to make about the value of good travel writing. This year is no exception: he begins with a report about a shark attack in New Jersey, an exceedingly rare event that led to the almost-instantaneous publication of helpful sidebars and advice boxes on How To Survive A Shark Attack in the local papers. This leads Wilson to a discussion of the “If You Go” boxes that accompany most travel content: “Presumably, this information is there in case you want to duplicate the writer’s trip on your own.” But the stories in his anthology - and, I think, the stories I’ve selected here today - come without any practical sidebars, because they can’t be replicated. And in Wilson’s words, “That&r

Hon. Stephane Dion: "We are not in Afghanistan in retribution for 9/11. Never! Canada is not that kind of a country"by Wayne PranteDecember 7th, 2007Edmonton, Alberta - Prior to the attacks in New York and Washington, DC on September 11th, 2001, Canada was widely known and respected as a UN Peacekeeping force in conflicts around the world.Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, NATO invoked, for the first time in history (at US request) Article 5 of the NATO Charter, claiming an attack by a foreign nation. President George W. Bush declared some days later, during an internationally televised speech, and in a direct challenge to other nations "you are either with us or you are with the terrorists". Canada, under Liberal Jean Chretien, like other NATO allies, quickly announced that it would participate in Bush's global "War on Terror" and sent troops to Afghanistan. Popular support for that decision was very high.Canada has changed federal governments since the war began, with the Conserva

Almost half of Afghanistan is now too dangerous for aid workers to operate in, a leaked UN map seen by The Times shows.In the past two years most foreign and Afghan staff have withdrawn from the southern half of the country, abandoning or scaling back development projects in rural areas and confining themselves to the cities or the less risky north. The pullback compounds the problems of the Government in Kabul, which has struggled to extend its authority to the regions and provinces, which are increasingly lawless or Taleban controlled.Development has always been touted as a key factor in Western efforts to win over Afghans and bolster support for President Karzai but in the past six years little has been done on the ground in the critical south and east.The failure to help ordinary Afghans or to rebuild areas damaged by fighting in provinces such as Helmand has caused huge resentment and is exploited by Taleban propaganda. More...

Yesterday Secretary Rice, speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, called for more peacekeeping forces to bail out the Ethiopian troops in neighboring Somalia. Ms. Rice, however, has learned little from recent history: Ethiopian troops marched into Somalia a year ago to help Somalia’s UN-backed interim government oust Islamist forces. The US supported the intervention which has proven unpopular, with insurgents continuing to stage attacks. The UN says that one million Somalis have been displaced by the fighting, including 60% of the capital’s residents. The war in Somalia is not some obscure “African tribal conflict” - it is a direct result of international political maneuvering, just like Afghanistan. The similarities between the two countries, in fact, are striking. Both fell apart during the Cold War endgame. Afghanistan, invaded by the Soviets in 1979, has seen near-continuous warfare ever since, with some participants funded by the US. Somalia, after switching it

  In 1997 the Taliban landed in Houston (Texas, where Bush was governor) to make an agreement with the Americans of Unocal Corporation for a pipeline that could carry methane from the Caspian Sea through Afghanistan. On the same day that they concluded this agreement, a company (Hallyburton Corporation) of Dick Chaney (the future Vice President) [...]