Nato

Joe Scarborough Needs to Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Robert Amsterdam | Posted 10.26.2009 | World


Robert Amsterdam

The ungrateful chauvinism of U.S. foreign policy reaches far beyond a rant provided by Joe Scarborough, who at least has the excuse of being in the business of manufacturing polemics.

US Held Secret War Game To Test Afghan Troop Levels

Washington Post | Greg Jaffe and Karen DeYoung | Posted 10.26.2009 | World


The Pentagon's top military officer oversaw a secret war game this month to evaluate the two primary military options that have been put forward by th...

Western Export of the Ballot Box Elixir is Pure Hubris

Simon Jenkins | Posted 10.23.2009 | World


Simon Jenkins

It is insufferable that Afghanistan, a miserable statelet, can reject liberal democracy despite the efforts of 70,000 NATO and NGO staff kicking their heels in Kabul's dust for eight years.

It's a Runoff, Now What? Parsing the Impacts of the Presidential Rematch in Afghanistan

Vikrum Aiyer | Posted 10.23.2009 | World


Vikrum Aiyer

A coalition government in Afghanstan, while supposedly offering the best of both worlds, tacitly condones an illegitimate election and would require America to broker power among competing personalities.

Afghanistan: Fraud, Opium, and Taliban

Jamal Dajani | Posted 10.23.2009 | World


Jamal Dajani

Why isn't Mr. Karzai being held responsible for this blatant act of election fraud? And who can guarantee that a repeat of the fraud won't happen? Or that all hell won't break loose during the run-off?

Obama Shouldn't Ignore Eastern Europe: Commentary

nytimes.com | MIRCEA GEOANA | Posted 10.23.2009 | World


The decision by the Obama administration to reshape its missile shield deployment in Central and Eastern Europe has been seen by some in the region as...

Gates: NATO Moving Toward Sending More Troops For Afghan War

AP | LARA JAKES and SLOBODAN LEKIC | Posted 10.24.2009 | World


BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Top NATO and United Nations officials signaled Friday they may request more international troops to join American forces ...

Getting the Vietnam Analogy Right in Afghanistan

Leon T. Hadar | Posted 10.21.2009 | World


Leon T. Hadar

The ghosts of the Vietnam War seem to be hanging around the White House Situation Room as President Obama and his national security aides debate a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan.

New York Times: Military Establishment Frustrated With Pace Of Obama's Deliberations On Afghan War

New York Times | ELISABETH BUMILLER | Posted 10.19.2009 | World


After nearly a month of deliberations by Mr. Obama over whether to send more American troops to Afghanistan, frustrations and anxiety are on the rise ...

John Kerry On Afghanistan: Sending More Troops Is "Irresponsible" Until Afghan Election Is Settled

Reuters | Posted 10.17.2009 | World


In an interview with CNN's "State of the Union," Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the United States should not proceed ...

Counter-Factual History: McCain Is President and Bono Wins the Nobel Prize

Leon T. Hadar | Posted 10.14.2009 | World


Leon T. Hadar

"I have to admit that I'm beginning to miss George W. Bush," is the way former Republican Senator "Chuck" Hagel responded when being asked by CNN's Wolf Blitzer to assess the foreign policy record of the administration of Republican President John McCain.

Obama Quietly Authorized 13,000 Support Troops For Afghan War

Washington Post | Ann Scott Tyson | Posted 10.13.2009 | Politics


President Obama announced in March that he would be sending 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. But in an unannounced move, the White House has a...

Kai Eide: UN Official Defends Afghanistan Election Despite Widespread Fraud

Los Angeles Times | Laura King | Posted 10.12.2009 | World


Days before the outcome of Afghanistan's contentious presidential vote was expected to be announced, the head of the United Nations mission in the cou...

Mullah Omar Leading Afghan Insurgency In Extraordinary Military Comeback

New York Times | SCOTT SHANE | Posted 10.11.2009 | World


Eight years later, Mullah Omar leads an insurgency that has gained steady ground in much of Afghanistan against much better equipped American and NATO...

The United States Must Stay in Afghanistan

Sam Sedaei | Posted 10.08.2009 | World


Sam Sedaei

As President Obama is getting ready to live up to his promise, renew American efforts in Afghanistan and make a number of critical decisions regarding an increase of troops, an ever-growing chorus of liberals is pressuring him to abandon Afghanistan and withdraw without any regards to what will happen next.

Obama Must Heed McChrystal's Plea

Akbar Ahmed | Posted 10.07.2009 | World


Akbar Ahmed

The aim needs to be to build an administrative and judicial infrastructure in Afghanistan that will deliver security and stability to the population and, as a result, marginalize the Taliban.

Our Best Way Forward in Afghanistan is Out

Mary Ellen McNish | Posted 10.06.2009 | Politics


Mary Ellen McNish

Afghans and Americans deserve is a full, public discussion of the policy choices looming in the next weeks. We must choose to demonstrate a commitment to the rule of law, and not violence.

100 Militants Killed in Huge Afghan Battle, NATO Says

Reuters | Peter Graff & Nick Macfie | Posted 10.06.2009 | World


NATO forces said Tuesday they had killed more that 100 fighters in a huge weekend battle in eastern Afghanistan in which eight Americans died, the dea...

Push Into Helmand Triggered Severe Spike in Civilian Death Rate, Failed its Objectives

Derrick Crowe | Posted 10.06.2009 | World


Derrick Crowe

More troops are not the answer in Afghanistan. We need to lower the overall level of military conflict as quickly as possible, and the only way to do that is to sharply reduce the number of U.S. troops.

Robert Gates Wants War Advice To Obama Kept Private

The Washington Post | Ann Scott Tyson and Scott Wilson | Posted 10.05.2009 | Politics


Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stressed Monday that military and civilian leaders should keep their advice to President Obama on Afghanistan privat...

Gates: Advice To Obama On Afghan War Should Stay Private

google.com | Dan De Luce (AFP) – 5 Hours Ago | Posted 10.05.2009 | World


WASHINGTON US military officers and civilians advising President Barack Obama on Afghanistan should keep their views private, Defense Secretary Robert...

General Jones: General McChrystal's Call For More Troops Is McChrystal's "Opinion" (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post | Posted 10.05.2009 | World


President Obama's national security adviser Gen. James L. Jones appeared on CBS' Face The Nation Sunday and weighed in on comments made by Gen. Stanle...

8 Troops Killed In Afghanistan; Remote Outposts Attacked

AP | ROBERT H. REID and RAHIM FAIEZ | Posted 10.05.2009 | World


KABUL — Hundreds of insurgents armed with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades stormed a pair of remote outposts near the Pakistan bor...

Officials: Afghan Cop Shoots, Kills 2 U.S. Troops

AP | LORI HINNANT | Posted 10.04.2009 | World


KABUL — An Afghan policeman on patrol with U.S. soldiers opened fire on the Americans, killing two of them before fleeing, officials said Saturd...

Jumpin' Jack Verdi, It's a Gas, Gas, Gas: Iran and the Pipelineistan Opera

Pepe Escobar | Posted 10.01.2009 | World


Pepe Escobar

Whatever Washington thinks, the Europeans know that energy independence from Russia is, in reality, inconceivable. Bottom line when it comes to natural gas: Europe needs everything.