Saturday, July 31, 2010

Town Elbows Its Way Into Clinton Wedding - nytimes

RHINEBECK, N.Y. — Bill and Hillary Clinton have tried to shield their daughter, Chelsea, from the gaze of the public for most of her life. - Town Elbows Its Way Into Clinton Wedding
Chelsea Clinton’s Wedding: ‘Royalty’ in Rhinebeck

CBS News -- The Scoop on Chelsea Clinton's Wedding Gown

Is WikiLeaks An Editor-In-Chief Or Prolific Source?

Earlier this week, the site's posting of more than 90,000 classified documents about the war in Afghanistan prompted a criminal investigation and calls from some congressional Democrats to rethink American involvement there.

But its decision to give The New York Times, The Guardian in the U.K. and Der Spiegel in Germany an advance look — and thus inspire heavy coverage in three major Western powers — has sparked an intense debate inside the journalism profession. ... Listen to the Story
Is WikiLeaks An Editor-In-Chief Or Prolific Source?
http://wardiary.wikileaks.org/.

The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture - Time

Afghan Leaks: Is the U.S. Keeping Too Many Secrets? - Time

The leak of 91,000 secret documents about the Afghanistan war may not offer major new insights about that conflict. But the WikiLeaks drama does spotlight a vexing challenge for the military: how to secure sensitive national-security information in the 21st century. Read more: Afghan Leaks: Is the U.S. Keeping Too Many Secrets?

The Afghan War Leaks: Few Surprises, but Some Hard Truths
Time Magazine, U.S. Government Using Afghan Women to Sell War?

The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture - TIME

The Big Day: Chelsea Clinton’s Wedding - nytimes

The interfaith ceremony will be conducted by Rabbi James Ponet and Reverend William Shillady. Ms. Clinton is Methodist and the groom, Marc Mezvinsky, is Jewish.

A friend of the couple planned to read the poem, “The Life That I Have,” by Leo Marks. -- The Big Day: Chelsea Clinton's Wedding
Chelsea Clinton: wedding day stays under wraps

Small town is abuzz on Chelsea Clinton's big day - latimes
Clinton wedding frenzy begins in NY town - usatoday
CNN - msnbc.com

After Stroke Scans, Patients Face Serious Health Risks - nytimes

After Stroke Scans, Patients Face Serious Health Risks

Articles in this series examine issues arising from the increasing use of medical radiation and the new technologies that deliver it. - Previous Articles in the Series »

Death Toll Rises to 800 as Floods Hit Pakistan - nytimes

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Floods driven by record-breaking rainfall have killed least 800 people, many in the northwest, and destroyed thousands of homes in the past week, officials said Saturday, in the latest disaster to test Pakistan’s already strained federal government. -- Death Toll Rises to 800 as Floods Hit Pakistan

White House Urges WikiLeaks to Not Publish More Secrets
Time Magazine, U.S. Government Using Afghan Women to Sell War?

Al-Qaida 'planned 9/11 style attack on Kabul' - Guardian

Details of plot emerge in file among US military intelligence documents published by WikiLeaks website

The targets were to include Hamid Karzai's presidential palace, Nato headquarters, the British and US embassies and the Ariana hotel – the whole which the CIA rented and used as its station in Kabul. .... - Al-Qaida 'planned 9/11 style attack on Kabul'
Afghan war logs: Destroy insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan, says Karzai

Massive leak of secret files exposes truth of occupation
The 30-Year War in Afghanistan

جزئیات تازه از گزارش ویکی لیکس؛ هنوز ناگفته هایی هست

اولین بار وقتی ویکی لیکس از اسناد محرمانه نود هزار صفحه ای سخن گفت و مهم ترین نکات آن به رسانه های عمومی بازتاب یافت، چیز چندان جالبی شاید به چشم نمی خورد
هیچ یک از نکاتی که از میان این همه اسناد برجسته شده بود، تازه نبود، نه حمایت سازمان استخباراتی پاکستان از شورشیان و نه تلفات غیرنظامیان توسط نیروهای آمریکایی

اما به نظر می رسد این همه ماجرا نبود. شاید در لابلای این اسناد مواردی تازه و مهمی باشند که یا هنوز دیده نشده و یا دست کم از سوی رسانه هایی که ویکی لیکس اسناد را در اختیار آنها قرار داده منتشر نشده است
گاردین، نیویورک تایمز و مجله اشپیگل رسانه هایی است که اسناد جمع آوری شده توسط ویکی لیکس در اختیا آنها قرار دارد..... - جزئیات تازه از گزارش ویکی لیکس؛ هنوز ناگفته هایی هست
کرزی: 'مراکز اصلی تروریسم' هدف قرار نمی گیرند

W. House urges halt to spilling of war secrets - Washington Times

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Friday implored the website WikiLeaks to stop posting secret Afghanistan war documents and the Pentagon pressed its investigation of the leaks, bringing a soldier charged with handing over classified video back to the U.S. for trial. - W. House urges halt to spilling of war secrets - Washington Times

FOXNews.com - White House Urges Halt to Spilling of War Secrets
Hundreds dead in Pakistan flooding

Friday, July 30, 2010

Opinion: The Consequences of a 'Conceptual Withdrawal' in Afghanistan - Spiegel

After the WikiLeaks publication of classified military documents, the pressure on Western countries to withdraw from Afghanistan has become even greater. But unrealistic transition deadlines have damaging repercussions, argues Andrew Small of the German Marshall Fund. - Opinion: The Consequences of a 'Conceptual Withdrawal' in Afghanistan

The Afghanistan Protocol: Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It
Guardian -- New York Times

'War Logs Could Shatter Hopes of Success in Afghanistan'
SPIEGEL 360: Our Complete Afghanistan Coverage

Study links calcium pills to heart risk - Times of India

NEW DELHI: Beware of calcium pills! Popped by millions of women and senior citizens for strong bones, it apparently has a potentially dangerous side effect. The pills could increase chances of suffering a cardiac arrest, claims a new study.

An international panel of researchers -- many of them from New Zealand's Aberdeen and Auckland University -- claim those who take calcium supplements to improve bone density face a 30% higher risk of heart attacks. It could also increase the risk of minor episodes of stroke and mortality.

Interestingly, the study has been rubbished by Indian doctors, arguing such episodes of heart attacks could occurr in the West since calcium intake in diet is anyway optimum, thanks to the food habit. -- Dr Ambrish Mittal, president of Endocrine Society of India, said, "This study applies to the Westerners, who are calcium rich." .... -- Study links calcium pills to heart risk

Calcium Supplements Linked to Heart Attack Risk Food Consumer
Calcium Supplements Linked to Heart Attacks Los Angeles Times
BBC News - Reuters

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Obama, on 'The View,' Discusses the 'Roses' and 'Thorns' of the Presidency

Unlike most guests who come to ABC's "The View," President Obama does not have a new movie, album or reality show to promote. ... - WATCH: Obama on 'Roses and Thorns' of Office

WATCH: Obama on 'View' Appearance
Exclusive: Obama to 'The View'

WikiLeaks row puts Britain's David Cameron on defensive with Pakistan - CSM

WikiLeaks intelligence led Britain Prime Minister David Cameron to imply that Pakistan is 'exporting terror.' He is refusing to back down from the statement, despite Pakistan's quick rebuttal and criticism. ... - WikiLeaks row puts Britain's David Cameron on defensive with Pakistan

WikiLeaks fallout: US, UK, India criticize Pakistan as terror haven

The 30-Year War in Afghanistan - George Friedman

The U.S. obsession with Afghanistan, an on-again, off-again affair for 30 years, has entered a new phase in which the U.S. and allied militaries are directly carrying the war-fighting burden for the first time. Given the time frame grand strategy imposes, and given the capabilities of the Taliban, it is difficult to see how this strategy will work out, however. [more] .... - Geopolitical Weekly STRATFOR

The 30-Year War in Afghanistan
WikiLeaks and the Afghan War - George Friedman

Opinion: A de facto partition for Afghanistan - Robert D ...

Karzai calls WikiLeaks disclosures 'shocking' and dangerous to Afghan informants - washingtonpost

KABUL -- President Hamid Karzai said on Thursday that the disclosure of the names of Afghan informants in the trove of classified U.S. military documents posted online by the WikiLeaks Web site was "extremely irresponsible and shocking."

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has said that his organization chose not to publish 15,000 of the more than 90,000 documents in order to protect the names of Afghan informants. But such information is easily found in the documents that were posted online.

In his news conference on Thursday, Karzai also urged the U.S. to do more to confront insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan. ... - Karzai: Leaks are dangerous to Afghan informants

Pentagon assails document leak
For Petraeus, rooting out Afghan corruption is a priority
White House proposal would ease FBI access to records of Internet ...

U.S. Military Scrutinizes Leaks for Risks to Afghans - nytimes

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is reviewing tens of thousands of classified battlefield reports made public this week about the war in Afghanistan to determine whether Afghan informants were identified and could be at risk of reprisals, American officials said Wednesday.

Speaking in Kabul on Thursday, the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, called the disclosure of the names of Afghans who had cooperated with NATO and American forces "extremely irresponsible and shocking.".... -- U.S. Military Scrutinizes Leaks for Risks to Afghans

Gates Assails Document Disclosures by Wikileaks
War Logs: Full Coverage »

مقام پيشين "آي اس آي" دست به افشاگري ميزند؟

يک مقام پيشين سازمان استخبارات پاکستان (آي اس آي) که در اسارت طالبان به سر ميبرد، به دولت پاکستان هشدار داده است که اگر براي آزادي او اقدام نکند، رازهاي پاکستان در باره افغانستان، هند، امريکا و روسيه را افشا ميکند

خالد خواجه و کرنيل امام دو تن از مقامهاي پيشين سازمان استخبارات پاکستان بودند
براساس گزارشها، اين دو تن چهار ماه پيش براي مذاکره با طالبان به وزيرستان شمالي رفته بودند اما هر دوي آنها از سوي طالبان اسير گرديدند

طالبان در بدل رهايي اين دو مقام سابق "آي اس آي" خواستار رهايي چند تن از رهبران طالبان که در زندانهاي حکومت پاکستان به سر ميبرند شدند. پس از اين که حکومت پاکستان به خواست طالبان جواب مثبت نداد، خوالد خواجه کشته شد

اين مقام سابق استخبارات پاکستان در يک تصوير ويديويي که به تازگي منتشر شده، به دولت پاکستان هشدار ميدهد که اگر براي آزادي او خواست طالبان را قبول نکند، تمام رازها و پلانهاي مقامهاي پاکستاني را افشا ميکند..... - مقام پيشين "آي اس آي" دست به افشاگري ميزند؟
کرزي: چرا متحدان ما عليه پاکستان اقدام نميکنند؟
دستورالعمل 24 مادهای پتریوس در جنگ افغانستان

Opinion: Leaked documents should generate new Afghanistan debate
German ISAF general calls Wikileaks document release 'a crime'
ISAF spokesman: Leaking the material was irresponsible

Afghanistan war logs - The Guardian's full coverage

Barack Obama today claimed the disclosures about the mishandling of the Afghanistan war contained in leaked US military documents justified his decision to embark on a new strategy. - Obama uses leaks to support switch

Afghanistan war logs - The Guardian's full coverage
Massive leak of files exposes truth of occupation
Coalition tried to hide civilian deaths

'They show the true nature of the war'
Why WikiLeaks turned to the press - Wikileaks - New York Times - Der Spiegel

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Ruling Against Arizona Is a Warning for Other States - nytimes

Wednesday’s immigration ruling may halt, at least temporarily, a movement by states to make it a crime to be an immigrant without legal documents. ... - Ruling Against Arizona Is a Warning for Other States
Judge Blocks Disputed Parts of Immigration Law in Arizona
Arizona Immigration Law (SB 1070)

U.S. Military Scrutinizes Leaks for Risks to Afghans
Envoy Says Corruption Helps Taliban Win Recruits

Airspace to Be Closed Near Clinton Wedding

Swarms of photographers, reporters and plain old curious folk are expected to descend on the upstate New York town of Rhinebeck when Chelsea Clinton gets married there on Saturday. -- Airspace to Be Closed Near Clinton Wedding - nytimes

It's Official: Rhinebeck, New York Is Designated A No-fly Zone.
President Obama: I Wasn't Invited to Chelsea Clinton's Wedding
Chelsea Clinton wedding has Rhinebeck in the spotlight‎ - latimes

WikiLeaks 'Bastards' - The wall street journal

Julian Assange, the editor of the WikiLeaks website that on Monday released some 92,000 classified military documents, has told the German newsweekly Der Spiegel that he "loved crushing bastards." We wonder if the "bastards" he has in mind include the dozens of Afghan civilians named in the document dump as U.S. military informants. Their lives, as well as those of their entire families, are now at terrible risk of Taliban reprisal.

Perhaps the various countries that host WikiLeaks' servers can provide these informers and their entire families with refugee status now that their lives are in jeopardy. We'd say something similar about the New York Times, Britain's Guardian and Germany's Der Spiegel, which coordinated publication of the documents with Mr. Assange. The Times has made a show of seeking to corroborate the information it published, and to delete information the paper believed was especially sensitive (including the names of Afghan informants). It went so far as to urge Mr. Assange not to publish certain documents. .... - WikiLeaks 'Bastards'
Publication of Afghan informant details worth the risk: WikiLeaks ... - The Australian

WikiLeaks: Facing 90000 documents, US officials take go-slow approach - CSM

U.S. Says Pakistan Ties Have Strengthened - WSJ

The U.S. military field reports released by WikiLeaks paint a picture of Pakistan from 2004 to 2009 in which the country's chief spy agency undermines and even inflames the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. ... - Wall Street Journal
Pakistan must not be allowed to promote export of terror, says David Cameron
TIME - Washington Post - AFP

Pakistan plane crash kills 152; 2 Americans among the dead - latimes

Document leak part of U.S. plot, says Pakistani ex-general with ties to Taliban - washingtonpost

RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN -- From the deluge of leaked military documents published Sunday, a former Pakistani spy chief emerged as a chilling personification of his nation's alleged duplicity in the Afghan war -- an erstwhile U.S. ally turned Taliban tutor.

In an interview Tuesday, Gul dismissed the accusations against him as "fiction" and described the documents' release as the start of a White House plot. It will end, he posited, with an early U.S. pullout from Afghanistan -- thus proving Gul, an unabashed advocate of the Afghan insurgency, right.

President Obama "is a very good chess player. . . . He says, 'I don't want to carry the historic blame of having orchestrated the defeat of America, their humiliation in Afghanistan,' " said Gul, 74, adding that the plot incorporates a troop surge that Obama knows will fail. "It doesn't sell to a professional man like me." ..... More - Leaked documents all part of U.S. plot, Pakistani says

Pakistan cannot play both sides forever - telegraph
A return to silence in a post-WikiLeaks world?
House backs $37 billion in additional war funding

Federal judge blocks key parts of Arizona immigration law SB 1070 - washingtonpost

A federal judge in Phoenix on Wednesday blocked key provisions of Arizona's controversial immigration law from taking effect as scheduled Thursday, granting in part an injunction requested by the Obama administration. -- Judge blocks sections of Arizona immigration law

WikiLeaks' Julian Assange on Afghanistan war documents
US att'y general: Probe seeking Afghan leak source

Pakistan must not be allowed to promote export of terror, says David Cameron- guardian

David Cameron risked provoking a diplomatic row with Pakistan today when he came close to accusing Islamabad of exporting terrorism.

Cameron said he had discussed the terror threat from Pakistan with the US president, Barack Obama last week. He will also discuss it tomorrow in Delhi with Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister.

"That is why this relationship is important. It should be a relationship based on a very clear message: that it is not right to have any relationship with groups that are promoting terror. Democratic states that want to be part of the developed world cannot do that. The message to Pakistan from the US and the UK is very clear on that point." -- Pakistan must not be allowed to promote export of terror, says David Cameron
بریتانیا به پاکستان در مورد "حمایت از طالبان" هشدار داد
Cameron sparks diplomatic row with Pakistan after 'export of terror' remarks
Afghanistan war logs: coalition tried to hide civilian deaths

بریتانیا به پاکستان در مورد "حمایت از طالبان" هشدار داد

دیوید کامرون، نخست وزیر بریتانیا به پاکستان هشدار داد که نمی تواند به صورت علنی علیه طالبان فعالیت کند اما درخفا به پیکارجویان آن کمک کند
آقای کامرون که به هند در همسایگی پاکستان سفر کرده، گفت هر نوع کمکی از پاکستان به گروه هایی که به صدور تروریسم مشغولند، غیر قابل قبول است
نخست وزیر بریتانیا گفت اسناد و مدارک در باره این نوع حمایت ها در گذشته وجود دارد

این اظهارات آقای کامرون چند روز پس از انتشار اسناد و مدارک نظامی آمریکا صورت می گیرد که در آن از این مساله که عواملی در پاکستان به طور محرمانه در حال کمک به طالبان هستند، ابراز نگرانی شده بود
طبق این اسناد و مدارک که توسط سایت ویکی لیکس افشا و برای اولین بار در روزنامه های گاردین و نیویورک تایمز و مجله اشپیگل منتشر شد، سازمان اطلاعات پاکستان (آی اس آی) متهم شده که به طور محرمانه از طالبان حمایت می کند

وزارت خارجه پاکستان در واکنش به اظهارات نخست وزیر بریتانیا گفته است آقای کامرون نباید از این اسناد و مدارک "قدیمی" که تائید آنها امکان پذیر نیست، برای تحلیل اوضاع استفاده کند.....- بریتانیا به پاکستان در مورد "حمایت از طالبان" هشدار داد
صفحه ویژه: هشدار بریتانیا به پاکستان
Pakistan must not be allowed to promote export of terror, says David Cameron

ویکی لیکس؛ افشاگری در مقیاس جهانی
با اینهمه، مارا به پاکستان وا گذار می کنید؟ - کابل پرس: خبری ...

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Kabul urges West to review Pakistan policy after leaks

KABUL — Afghanistan's national security adviser called on the West Tuesday to review policy towards Pakistan after leaked Pentagon documents pointed to Pakistani double-dealing in the Afghan war.

Kabul has consistently accused Pakistan's intelligence agency of supporting Taliban insurgents -- including masterminding attacks against Afghan and US-led targets in the country. Islamabad denies the claims. -- Kabul urges West to review Pakistan policy after leaks

WikiLeaks: For public, it confirms worst about Afghanistan
Leaked War Files Expose Identities of Afghan Informants

House Approves Money for Wars, but Rift Deepens - nytimes

WASHINGTON — In the House vote, 148 Democrats and 160 Republicans backed the war spending, but 102 Democrats joined 12 Republicans in opposing the measure. -- House Approves Money for Wars, but Rift Deepens
House lawmakers, citing corruption, may block $4 billion in aid to Afghanistan - latimes

Afghan informants at risk from WikiLeaks -The Australian
Washington Post - Los Angeles Times - ABC News - Wall Street Journal

Congress gives Obama long-delayed Afghan war funds

(Reuters) - In Kabul, the Afghan government accused the United States of ignoring Pakistan's role in the Taliban insurgency as the fallout continued from Sunday's unauthorized release of 91,000 classified U.S. military reports on the war. -- Congress gives Obama long-delayed Afghan war funds
Analysis: WikiLeaks unlikely to shake Pakistan-U.S. alliance

Washington Post - CBS News - The Australian
Barack Obama enlists Afghan war leaks in support of policy switch - Guardian

Documents show darker side of conflict‎ - The Financial Times

This commentary, published in the New York Times, is one of the most chilling strands in the torrent of 75,000 documents released by WikiLeaks, the whistle-blowing website, that give a raw, uncensored picture of six years in America’s longest war.

The documents also shine a light on a darker side of the conflict normally fought beyond public scrutiny, detailing the covert activities of US special forces and the growing role – and fallibility – of aerial drones.
Some of the most embarrassing revelations for the US military concern reports of civilian casualties that were never made public. -- Yet the documents reveal cases of Afghan civilians dying singly or in pairs in mistaken shootings at check-points or in cross-fire that have stirred deep alienation from US forces, once seen as liberators. .... More
Documents show darker side of conflict

Leaked files raise fresh doubts on war
WikiLeaks: hard facts and a hacker ethos
Opinion: Western policy in Afghanistan at a crossroads

Leaked Afghanistan files reveal corruption and drug-dealing‎ - guardian

The depths of crime and drug-dealing in Afghan society are highlighted in lurid terms by the US intelligence reports. -- One log claims to describe how a "notorious criminal" was recruited to spy for Iran. It says he returned to Afghanistan and then became a police chief, gaining power and wealth by drug-dealing. -- Leaked Afghanistan files reveal corruption and drug-dealing

Afghanistan war logs: Massive leak of secret files exposes truth ...
Wikileaks condemned by White House over war documents

Wikileaks Afghanistan: police chief doubled as Iranian spy

The man, described as a “notorious criminal” is said to have secured his position through the influence of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard over local warlords in southern Afghanistan. - Wikileaks Afghanistan: police chief doubled as Iranian spy - Telegraph

War logs suggest US tried to cover up civilian casualties
Reports Bolster Suspicion of Iranian Ties to Extremists‎ - WSJ

In Rhinebeck, N.Y., Sealed Lips about a Clinton Wedding - nytimes

RHINEBECK, N.Y. — This small town in the Hudson Valley is thrilled that the wedding of the year will be happening here on Saturday. Thrilled — even though no one can talk about it. -- In Rhinebeck, N.Y., Sealed Lips about a Clinton Wedding

Clinton Wedding Is Leaving Some Feeling Left Out
State Secret: Chelsea's Wedding Plans
On the Trail of Chelsea Clinton’s Wedding
WASHINGTON MEMO; A Real Fairy-Tale Wedding

Chelsea Clinton

موضوع انتشار اسناد محرمان ارتش آمریکا در باره جنگ افغانستان، در محور مطالب اصلی روزنامه های چاپ امروز کابل قرار دارد.

روز دوشنبه، ۴ اسد/مرداد یک سازمان غیردولتی موسوم به ویکی لیکس، حدود ۹۰ هزار سند سری ارتش آمریکا در ارتباط با جنگ افغانستان را در اختیار روزنامه های نیویورک تایمز آمریکا، گاردین بریتانیا و اشپیگل آلمان قرار داد

این اسناد جزئیات زیادی را در باره تلفات غیرنظامیان در افغانستان و ارتباط برخی نهادهای کشورهای همسایه، به ویژه پاکستان و ایران با گروه های شورشی در افغانستان، افشا کرده است. ..... - روزنامه های کابل: سه شنبه، ۵ اسد

دولت افغانستان: افشای اسناد محرمانه جنگ تکان‌دهنده است
'جزئیات پنهان' جنگ آمریکا در افغانستان به رسانه ها درز کرد
The new whistle-blowers

Obama says WikiLeaks disclosure is reason for concern but doesn't reveal new issues

President Obama said Tuesday that the disclosure of "sensitive information from the battlefield" is reason for concern, but that the documents leaked this week about the Afghanistan war do not fundamentally reveal new issues. -- His remarks came as the Pentagon announced it is launching a criminal probe -- led by the Army -- to discover the source of the leak, in which 92,000 documents were posted on WikiLeaks.org. - Obama says WikiLeaks disclosure is reason for concern but doesn't reveal new issues

Pentagon launches leak probe
Pentagon Papers, part two?

Best course for dealing with the Taliban: Win, then negotiate - washingtonpost

The Wikileaks document download -- illustrating Afghan corruption, Pakistani duplicity and Taliban toughness -- revealed little that is new. But it will intensify a popular kind of desperation. -- In Afghanistan, 'realism' as defeatism : Will women pay for the dealmakers' desperation?
واشنگتن پوست: اول باید جنگ را برنده شد و سپس مذاکره کرد
'بسیاری از افغانها خواهان بازگشت طالبان نیستند'

Afghan intelligence contracts apply some limits
US braces for blowback over Afghan war disclosures
Wikihype : The release of thousands of classified field reports...

US Says Pakistan Ties Have Strengthened - WSJ

The U.S. military field reports released by WikiLeaks paint a picture of Pakistan between 2004 and 2009 where the country's chief spy agency undermines and even inflames the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. -- US Says Pakistan Ties Have Strengthened
War Leak Prompts Damage-Control Bid

Christian Science Monitor - BBC News - Washington Post - NPR
Top US senator: Don't 'overhype' Afghan war leak - AFP

Afghanistan war leak papers will take 'weeks to assess' - BBC

The US military has said it could take weeks to determine the impact of the leak of more than 90,000 classified military records. The huge cache of classified papers - posted by Wikileaks as the Afghan War Diary - is one of the biggest leaks in US history. -- 'Weeks to assess' Afghan war leak
Profile: Wikileaks

انتقاد شدید آمریکا از درز اسناد محرمانه جنگ افغانستان به رسانه ها
روزنامه های کابل: سه شنبه، ۵ اسد

Document Leak May Hurt Efforts to Build War Support - nytimes

WASHINGTON — The disclosure of a six-year archive of classified military documents increased pressure on President Obama to defend his military strategy as Congress prepares to deliberate financing of the Afghanistan war. -- Document Leak May Hurt Efforts to Build War Support
Full Coverage: War Logs »
US Braces for Blowback Over Afghan War Disclosures - AP

«رسیدن اسناد سری به دست مطبوعات،به امنیت ملی امریکا خطر بار می آورد»
عکس العمل ها درمورد هزاران سند ارایه شده از سوی «ویکی لیکس»

War Logs Cast Light on Dirty Side of Afghanistan Conflict - Der Spiegel

Secret reports show just how cheap life is in Afghanistan -- and how often mistakes happen during missions. -- War Logs Cast Light on Dirty Side of Afghanistan Conflict

WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange on the 'War Logs': 'I Enjoy Crushing Bastards' (07/26/2010)
The Afghanistan Protocol: Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It (07/25/2010)

Afghanistan war logs: tensions increase after revelation of more leaked files - Guardian

Tensions between the US, Afghanistan and Pakistan were further strained today after the leak of thousands of military documents about the Afghan war. -- Afghanistan war logs: tensions increase after revelation of more leaked files

Afghanistan war logs: whose side is Pakistan on?
Pakistan spy agency denies backing Afghan Taliban
Afghanistan war logs: Massive leak of secret files exposes truth of occupation

Monday, July 26, 2010

WikiLeaks disclosures unlikely to change course of Afghanistan war - washingtonpost

In the first 24 hours after the unauthorized release of more than 91,000 secret documents about the war in Afghanistan, a few things became clear to the officials, lawmakers and experts reading them: - Leak itself gains more attention than the contents

WikiLeaks: Read the documents
War Log vs. Pentagon Papers
Pentagon Papers, Part 2?

Pakistan decries release of material

Afghan War Diary, 2004-2010 -- WikiLeaks

25th July 2010 5:00 PM EST WikiLeaks has released a document set called the Afghan War Diary, an extraordinary compendium of over 91,000 reports covering the war in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2010. The document collection is available on a dedicated webpage.
Afghan War Diary, 2004-2010 -- Wikileaks
Wikileaks -- Guardian, -- New York Times -- Der Spiegel,

Afghanistan war logs: Massive leak of secret files exposes truth of occupation- guardian
Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert - nytimes
Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It - Spiegel

Leaks Add to Pressure on White House Over Strategy - nytimes

WASHINGTON — The White House sought to reassert control over the public debate on the Afghanistan war on Monday as political reaction to the disclosure of a six-year archive of classified military documents increased the pressure on President Obama to defend his war strategy. -- Leaks Add to Pressure on White House Over Strategy

Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert
The Fallout of the Afghanistan Files
View Is More Bleak Than Official Portrayal

Afghans and NATO Differ Over Civilian Deaths in Strike

WikiLeaks report harms national security in Afghanistan, says White House - CSM

The White House condemned the leak of a vast cache of on-the-ground reports from US military and intelligence personnel on the war in Afghanistan, saying the leak is “irresponsible” and harms national security. -- WikiLeaks report harms national security in Afghanistan, says White House
WikiLeaks report fictitious, says Pakistan's ex-spy chief Hamid Gul

Afghanistan war logs: live blog World news guardian.co.uk
Pakistan Spy Service Aids Insurgents, Reports Assert - nytimes
Click here to see the full investigation - Guardian

Wikileaks - New York Times - Der Spiegel
انتقاد شدید آمریکا از درز اسناد محرمانه جنگ افغانستان به رسانه ها
ویکی لیکس؛ افشاگری در مقیاس جهانی

ویکی لیکس افشا می‌کند؛ همه راه‌ها به پاکستان ختم می‌شود

ویکی لیکس یک نهاد غیردولتی، بیش از 90 هزار سند محرمانه از جنگ امریکا در افغانستان را به نشر رسانیده است. این گزارش‌ها از سوی نهاد یاد شده در اختیار رسانه‌هایی چون نیویورک تایمز امریکا، گاردین بریتانیا و مجله اشپیگل آلمان قرار داده شده است. هر چند رازهای جنگ برای مدت‌های زیاد و حتا تا نیم قرن در آرشیف‌ها، بایگانی می‌ماند، اما نشر زودهنگام رازهای جنگ می‌تواند در سمت و سو بخشیدن به جنگ، و افشای واقعیت پشت صحنه و آگاهی افکار عامه از آنچه می‌گذرد، بسیار مهم و باارزش باشد. نشر این اسناد با واکنش تند ایالات متحده امریکا همراه شده است. اما به نظر می‌رسد که افشای این اسناد در شرایط موجود برای بسیاری از جریان‌های تاثیرگذار خالی از فایده نمی‌باشد. یکی از نکته‌های بارزی که در این گزارش به آن اشاره شده است، نقش عریان پاکستان در حمایت از طالبان است. بر اساس این اسناد، پاکستان رابطه‌ی مستقیم با طالبان داشته و از گروه‌های تندرو چون جلال‌الدین حقانی حمایت کرده است. .... - ویکی لیکس افشا می‌کند؛ همه راه‌ها به پاکستان ختم می‌شود افشای رازهایی که چندان پنهان هم نبود
جنگ افغانستان و نقش پیچیده پاكستان
Afghan War Diary, 2004-2010 -- Wikileaks
Pakistan Spy Service Aids Insurgents, Reports Assert - nytimes
Afghanistan war logs: Massive leak of secret files exposes truth of occupation - Guardian
Wikileaks - New York Times - Der Spiegel
Click here to see the full investigation - Guardian

White House, foreign allies downplay impact of classified document leak - washingtonpost

White House officials and their allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan sought Monday to play down the political and military impact of the unauthorized release of thousands of classified Afghan war documents, saying they portray a reality on the ground that is already largely known. -- White House, allies aim to minimize significance
In leaked war documents, 'there is not a lot new'

Allegations could strain U.S.-Pakistan relations
Wikileaks: Read the documents - Battling the leaks dot.comments
SpyTalk: The audacity of Hamid Gul

Wikileaks flexes some muscle
Checkpoint Washington: Who is Julian Assange?

THE WAR LOGS: TimesCast: The WikiLeaks Documents - nytimes

Newly disclosed documents suggest that Pakistan’s spy service has aided Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. -- TimesCast Archive
Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert

Leaks Add Pressure on White House on Strategy
At War: More Reactions to the Disclosure
WikiLeaks Says It Seeks ‘Transparency’
A Note to Readers: Deciding What to Publish

Sunday, July 25, 2010

In Disclosing Secret Documents, WikiLeaks Seeks ‘Transparency’ - nytimes

WikiLeaks.org, the online organization that posted tens of thousands of classified military field reports about the Afghan war on Sunday, says its goal in disclosing secret documents is to reveal “unethical behavior” by governments and corporations. -- WikiLeaks Says It Seeks ‘Transparency’
Kerry Says ‘Serious Questions’ Raised
White House Offers Advice to Reporters

Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert
مایک مولن: اسامه بن لادن و ملاعمر در پاکستان هستند
هالبروک: گفتگوی کرزی با پاکستان به نفع منطقه است

THE WAR LOGS: Pakistan Spy Service Aids Insurgents, Reports Assert - nytimes

A six-year archive of classified military documents offers an unvarnished and grim picture of the Afghan war -- Pakistan Spy Service Aids Insurgents, Reports Assert

Afghanistan war logs: Massive leak of secret files exposes truth of occupation - Guardian
Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It - Der Spiegel
WikiLeaks Says It Seeks ‘Transparency’

The Afghanistan Protocol: Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It, Spiegel

In an unprecedented development, close to 92,000 classified documents pertaining to the war in Afghanistan have been leaked. SPIEGEL, the New York Times and the Guardian have analyzed the raft of mostly classified documents. The war logs expose the true scale of the Western military deployment -- and the problems beleaguering Germany's Bundeswehr in the Hindu Kush. -- Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It

Photo Gallery: 91,731 Documents, Five Serious Problems
The Helpless Germans: War Logs Illustrate Lack of Progress in Bundeswehr Deployment
Afghanistan war logs: How the Guardian got the story‎ - The Guardian

Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert - nytimes

A six-year archive of classified military documentsoffers an unvarnished and grim picture of the Afghan war

Americans fighting the war in Afghanistan have long harbored strong suspicions that Pakistan’s military spy service has guided the Afghan insurgency with a hidden hand, even as Pakistan receives more than $1 billion a year from Washington for its help combating the militants, according to a trove of secret military field reports made public Sunday.

The documents, made available by an organization called WikiLeaks, suggest that Pakistan, an ostensible ally of the United States, allows representatives of its spy service to meet directly with the Taliban in secret strategy sessions to organize networks of militant groups that fight against American soldiers in Afghanistan, and even hatch plots to assassinate Afghan leaders. -- Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert

Wikileaks takes new approach in latest release of documents
Secret files show true Afghanistan war Seattle Times
New York Times - The Guardian

White House decries WikiLeaks' release of Afghan war documents - latimes

The White House late Sunday condemned the leaking of what appear to be about 90,000 U.S. military records, as a handful of international media organizations that received access to the documents began to disclose their account of the war in Afghanistan.

White House decries WikiLeaks' release of Afghan war documents
Petraeus' risky militia maneuver for Afghanistan

Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert - nytimes
'جزئیات پنهان' جنگ آمریکا در افغانستان به رسانه ها درز کرد

Afghanistan war logs: Massive leak of secret files exposes truth of occupation - Guardian

A huge cache of secret US military files today provides a devastating portrait of the failing war in Afghanistan, revealing how coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents, Taliban attacks have soared and Nato commanders fear neighbouring Pakistan and Iran are fuelling the insurgency.

The disclosures come from more than 90,000 records of incidents and intelligence reports about the conflict obtained by the whistleblowers' website Wikileaks in one of the biggest leaks in US military history. The files, which were made available to the Guardian, the New York Times and the German weekly Der Spiegel, give a blow-by-blow account of the fighting over the last six years, which has so far cost the lives of more than 320 British and more than 1,000 US troops. .... -- Afghanistan war logs: Massive leak of secret files exposes truth of occupation

• Read the Guardian's full war logs investigation
Read the full war logs investigation
Watch Wikileaks' founder explain the logs
Explore the key events and incidents
Discover the story behind the leak
Editorial: the unvarnished picture

ژنرال رودریگز: دشمن ما، دشمن مردم افغانستان است

ژنرال دیوید رودریگز، فرمانده نیروهای مشترک ناتو در افغانستان و فرد شماره دو ارتش آمریکا در این کشور پس از ژنرال دیوید پترائوس است
ژنرال پترائوس در رده استراتژیک در افغانستان کار می کند و ژنرال رودریگز هم عملا فرمانده عملیات روزانه ناتو در افغانستان است. شاید هیچ کسی بیشتر از این ژنرال سه ستاره با شورشیان در افغانستان آشنا نباشد

دشمن ما، دشمن مردم افغانستان است. بنا بر این، دشمن ما کسانی اند که علیه ارزشهای افغانستان می جنگند. شورشیان، جنایتکاران، افراد بانفوذ مفسد و پلیسی که به مردم درست خدمت نکند، دشمن ما و دشمن دولت افغانستان اند که ما اراده داریم آنها را شکست بدهیم..... - ژنرال رودریگز: دشمن ما، دشمن مردم افغانستان است
عملیات ارتش آمریکا برای یافتن دو سرباز آمریکایی در افغانستان

مشکلات افغانستان و نگاه سرگردان اروپا
والی بلخ: به نتایج تلاشهای صلح کرزی شک دارم
احمد رشید: مذاکره با طالبان باید هرچه زودتر شروع شود
تصرف برگ‌متال، پاسخی به آشتی‌طلبی دولت

Is the intelligence community out of control? - Washingtonpost

The Post asked lawmakers, former officials and others whether the intelligence community, as depicted in the recent Post series Top Secret America, was out of control. Below, responses from John Farmer Jr., Michael V. Hayden, Jane Harman, Reuel Marc Gerecht, John McLaughlin, John D. Negroponte and Janine Wedel. -- Is the intelligence community out of control?

Obama urges liberals to 'keep up the fight'
Minority leaders leaving Karzai's side over leader's overtures to ...
Gen. McChrystal retires in military ceremony

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Security Council voices support for Afghan-led transition to stability

The statement followed a closed-door meeting during which Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon briefed the Council on his visit to Afghanistan earlier this week and his participation in the Kabul Conference held on 20 July. -- Security Council voices support for Afghan-led transition to stability

In Kabul, Ban urges full support for Afghan peace and development efforts
UN chief to appeal for Afghan unity at major international conference

UN advocate welcomes formation of committee to protect Afghan children in conflict

Have we made Afghanistan a better place? Telegraph

Tony Blair sent British troops into Afghanistan in 2001, only weeks after the passengered bombs flew into the World Trade Centre. His response to that mind-boggling, televised atrocity was shockingly rapid: I remember well that the nuclear submarines HMS Triumph and HMS Trafalgar started shooting cruise missiles into "the Taliban frontline" which was vaguely "up country", or "near Kabul", in early October, because it was the same week that Jo Moore was having to apologise on camera for that very crass email about September 11 being a good day to bury bad news.

"The world" may not be listening. Everybody wants to leave Afghanistan. Obama, Denmark, us, everybody in the Nato mission. Canada is leaving in 2011, which is in about five minutes' in miltary terms; Cameron is promising 2015. It would have been better if we – and by "we" I mean you, Tony, obviously – had passed by on the other side of that conflict, frankly. -- Have we made Afghanistan a better place?

David Cameron in Washington: Time to stop being junior to Uncle ...

انتقاد شدید مارشال فهیم از مخالفان سیاسی دولت افغانستان

مارشال قسیم فهیم برای نخستین بار از مخالفان سیاسی دولت افغانستان انتقاد کرده و گفته است که "سنگ اندازی" آنها دولت را با فروپاشی مواجه نخواهد کرد
معاون اول حامد کرزی، رئیس جمهوری افغانستان گفت که گروه های سیاسی مخالف دولت، پایه های دولت را لرزان و در حال فروپاشی نشان می دهند

آقای فهیم گفت: "نظام امروزی افغانستان متزلزل نیست - - آن گونه که اپوزیسیون تحلیل می کند. هر قدر که سنگ اندازی شود، هر قدر که ترور صورت بگیرد، هر قدر که تحریکات (علیه دولت) صورت بگیرد، من به شما اطمینان می دهم که نظام گسترش می یابد، قانونمندی در جامعه حاکم می شود و خس و خاشاک امروز یا فردا از بین می رود و روسیاهی برای شان می ماند.".... - انتقاد شدید مارشال فهیم از مخالفان سیاسی دولت افغانستان
عبدالله سخنان کرزی را غیر مسئولانه خواند
مولن: زۀ باوري يم چې اسامه پاکستان کې دی'
قومي ګوندونه بايد منحل شي
Afghan manhunt for US servicemen

Neurons to inspire future computers - BBC

The way neurons communicate could inspire the next generation of computers. Researchers are developing novel computers by mimicking the way that neurons are built and how they talk to each other. -- BBC News - Neurons to inspire future computers

Tetris, trauma and the brain
More Technology stories
Neurons 'show way for computers'

Gen. McChrystal retires in military ceremony - washingtonpost

WASHINGTON -- After 34 years in the Army, Gen. Stanley McChrystal left behind legions of admirers and the prospect his reputation as a ferocious fighter would one day eclipse the costly comments that appeared in Rolling Stone. -- Gen. McChrystal retires in military ceremony

Afghanistan Shows Gratitude To Retiring General Stanley A. McChrystal (Read More...)
www.embassyofafghanistan.org

نگرانی‌های امریکا از ارتباط پاکستان با افراطیون تروریست
گروه حقانی مستحق تحریم یا مجازات؟‌
بازی دوگانه امریکا با پاکستان

Friday, July 23, 2010

Afghan MPs worry over race for exit

KABUL // As the dust settles on the biggest international conference in Afghanistan for decades, politicians here are convinced that the ground is being prepared for foreign troops to make a quick and chaotic withdrawal from the country.

Officially, the message at Tuesday’s summit in Kabul was that the US and Nato remain committed to the war effort and will leave behind a relatively strong government capable of defending itself when they do eventually pull out.

Reading between the lines, however, members of parliament believe a plan to hand over control of the nation’s security by the end 2014 is in fact confirmation that a race for the exit is under way. -- Shukria Barakzai said the international community had been trying to wash its hands off Afghanistan and the results of the conference were “like the last drop of the water just fell down”. -- Afghan MPs worry over race for exit - The National Newspaper

نشریات کابل: پنجشنبه 31 سرطان
کنفرانس کابل؛ دستاورد بزرگ برای دولت افغانستان؟
احمد رشید: مذاکره با طالبان باید هرچه زودتر شروع شود

U.S. Checks Afghan Cash Flow - WSJ

KABUL—U.S. and Afghan authorities are setting up a joint task force to monitor the billions of dollars in cash flown out of Afghanistan every year, officials said, as the U.S. announced debt-relief for the war-ravaged country.

U.S. and Afghan officials say they believe at least some of the money leaving the country comes from corruption and opium trafficking. Afghanistan's Finance Ministry and border police will contribute to the task force, working with officials from the U.S. Treasury Department and other agencies, said the U.S. ambassador in Kabul, Karl Eikenberry. -- U.S. Helps Monitor Afghan Cash Flow, Forgives Debt - WSJ.com

امریکا د افغان طالبانو پر درو مشرانو بندیزونه ولګول
آمریکا سه عضو 'شبکه حقانی' و طالبان را تحریم کرد
سنای امریکا مصارف افزایش نیروهای تازه در افغانستان را تصویب کرد

How Obama's Afghan War Plan Is Falling Apart

Obama's war plan falling apart. With little military progress to show for his Afghan surge, U.S. President Barack Obama is quickly losing allies at home and abroad, writes the New York Times' David Sanger. Britain, Canada and the Netherlands have all set firm deadlines for withdrawal. Calls for an American withdrawal timetable from Congressional Democrats, and some Republicans, are rising. -- But what may be most damaging, Sanger says, is that even members of the foreign policy establishment, who were among the Afghan war's most ardent supporters, are also beginning to conclude the rising cost of Obama's surge is not worth it. [NYT]
How Obama's Afghan War Plan Is Falling Apart

Afghan Deadline Is Cutting Two Ways‎ - nytimes News Analysis
صحبت از خروج نیروها از افغانستان پیامدهای منفی به دنبال دارد

Our Responsibility to Afghanistan - huffingtonpost

The great Western retreat from Afghanistan has begun. Although the results of Tuesday's Kabul conference will be presented a roadmap for the country's future, it is probably not a future which many countries expect to play a major role in. -- Our men and women in uniform are coming home. But the international community must remain engaged in Afghanistan beyond 2014. We can't just wash the country off our hands.- Our Responsibility to Afghanistan

Who Is Running Afghanistan?
Stumbling Into a Proxy War With Iran in Afghanistan
U.S. Money Wasted On Afghanistan Projects, Federal Auditor Says

Zahir Shah Late King of Afghanistan ظاهر شاه

دملت دبابا محمدظاهر دمړينې دريمې کاليزې درناوي وشو
از سومين سالروز وفات باباي ملت ياد به عمل آمد
Zahir Shah Late King of Afghanistan ظاهر شاه
یاد بود از مقام اعلیحضرت محمد ظاهر شاهپادشاه فقید افغانستان
YouTube - king zahir shah الملك الافغاني : محمد ظاهر شاه
king zahir shah: king of Afghansitan with Mr president John .F.Kennedy and wi...
Image results for King Zahir Shah - Report images

Mohammed Zahir Shah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mohammed Zahir Shah: Biography from Answers.com

Former Afghan King Mohammad Zahir Shah

Mohammad Zahir Shah, 92, the king of Afghanistan who emerged from forced exile in 2002 to become the ceremonial "father of the nation" after the Taliban's retreat, died July 23 in Kabul. He had been ill, but the cause of death was not disclosed.

His four-decade rule began in 1933, when he succeeded his slain father as leader of an isolated and desperately poor country. King Zahir enjoyed one of the longest periods on a world throne, but more-powerful uncles and cousins exerted military and political authority in his country.

Nevertheless, King Zahir used his stature as royalty to win development aid from both the United States and the Soviet Union -- a remarkable achievement during the Cold War struggle for influence at the strategic Asian crossroads. -- Former Afghan King Mohammad Zahir Shah - washingtonpost.com
king zahir shah الملك الافغاني : محمد ظاهر شاه

Mohammed Zahir Shah News - The New York Times
BBC News SOUTH ASIA Profile: Ex-king Zahir Shah

Tribute to King Zahir Shah....Baba e Millat... ...

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Afghanistan's Ex-Finance Minister On Aid, Graft - Renee Montagne

Ashraf Ghani, whom President Hamid Karzai appointed to coordinate the recent international conference in Kabul on Afghanistan's future, talks with Renee Montagne about corruption and the distribution of aid. -- Listen to the Story
Afghanistan Conference Coordinator Ashraf Ghani On Aid, Graft : NPR

Allies Pledge Support At Kabul Conference
Donors Meet On Afghanistan Aid
Karzai Reaffirms 2014 date For Afghan-Led Security
Expectations Low As Donors Meet In Afghanistan

DPP may get veto power over arrest warrants for war crime suspects - guardian

The government is proposing to give the director of public prosecutions the power to veto arrest warrants for suspected war criminals in the UK, it was announced today. - The move is an attempt to make it harder for arrests under the law of "universal jurisdiction" and comes after a series of high-profile cases in which Israeli politicians faced arrest in the UK. -- DPP may get veto power over arrest warrants for war crime suspects

'A Few Years Won't Be Enough' in Afghanistan - der Spiegel

Still, there is a growing domestic pressure for countries involved in Afghanistan to begin withdrawing their troops. US President Barack Obama pledged last year that he would begin looking for ways to reduce the US presence in Afghanistan. And pressure for withdrawal is becoming difficult to ignore in a number of European capitals as well.
The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: - "But Afghanistan's military and police forces are far, far away from being able to stand on their own two feet. It is unclear just what the military support, promised by NATO, is to look like. And nobody believes that the omnipresent corruption will disappear by 2014."

Conservative Die Welt writes:" - The specification of 2014 as the date by which Afghanistan will take over responsibility for its own security was first and foremost an effort to mollify the Western public who have become increasingly tired of the war. It has little to do with a realistic assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. -- The World from Berlin: 'A Few Years Won't Be Enough' in Afghanistan

Setting a Date for the Pullout: Kabul Conference to Herald End of NATO Mission
'The Price We Have to Pay Is Much Higher than Expected'

NATO Diplomats Tune Out the Bad News in Afghanistan - Der Spiegel

NATO foreign ministers heard only what they wanted to hear on Tuesday in Kabul as they sought to reassure the world that withdrawal can take place in 2014. The reality, however, is quite different. And in the end, Hamid Karzai, who is already looking for ways to cement his post-NATO power, will be the beneficiary. -- NATO Diplomats Tune Out the Bad News in Afghanistan

'The Price We Have to Pay Is Much Higher than Expected'
Kabul Conference to Herald End of NATO Mission
The Risk of Failure in Afghanistan and Iraq
'A Few Years Won't Be Enough' in Afghanistan

News Analysis: Obama Faces New Doubts on Pursuing Afghan War

WASHINGTON — When President Obama announced a new strategy for Afghanistan in December, he argued that by setting a deadline of next summer to begin drawing down troops he would create a sense of urgency for the Afghan government to take the lead in the fight, while acknowledging the limits of America’s patience with the longest war in its history. -- Obama Faces New Doubts on Pursuing Afghan War

Conflict Resurfaces With Lessons on Nation-Building
Obama Faces New Doubts on Pursuing Afghan War - Readers' Comments ...

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Western forces agree on potential timeline for Afghanistan exit - latimes

In a landmark conference in Kabul, nations with troops in Afghanistan endorse Hamid Karzai's plan for Afghan military and police forces to take over responsibility for safeguarding the nation by 2014. -- Western forces agree on potential timeline for Afghanistan exit

United Arab Emirates foreign minister
Congress' confidence in Obama's war

Gingrich Latest of Nat'l GOP to Oppose NYC Mosque

NEW YORK (AP) -- Former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich on Wednesday announced his opposition to a planned mosque near ground zero, becoming the latest Republican leader to place the project on the national political stage.

Disagreement over the mosque had, until recently, drawn political attention only from local officials. Republican-turned-independent New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg supports the mosque's construction, as does Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic candidate for governor. -- Gingrich Latest of Nat'l GOP to Oppose NYC Mosque

A Mosque Maligned - Robert Wright
Muslims in France feel the sting of discrimination - latimes