AFGHANISTAN / PAKISTAN ARCHIVE :

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Christian Science Monitor, 07 Dec 10, by Tom A. Peter
Petraeus comments on corruption went too far, say Afghans
'Gen. David Petraeus infuriated many Afghans after he said corruption has been a part of Afghan culture and history for "however long this country has probably been in existence."'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Dec 10, by Anna Mulrine
Afghanistan war: why IEDs are taking a mounting toll
'As US troop levels have surged in the Afghanistan war, so has the number of IEDs – and their effectiveness. Their simplicity is making them hard to detect.'

Washington Post, 19 Nov 10, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
U.S. deploying heavily armored battle tanks for first time in Afghan war
'The U.S. military is sending a contingent of heavily armored battle tanks to Afghanistan for the first time in the nine-year war, defense officials said, a shift that signals a further escalation in the aggressive tactics that have been employed by American forces this fall to attack the Taliban.'

Washington Post, 18 Nov 10, by Joshua Partlow
Despite friendly rhetoric, suspicion abounds between Afghan and U.S. troops
'One of the Afghan war's key assumptions is encapsulated by three endlessly repeated Dari words: "shohna ba shohna," or "shoulder to shoulder," the chosen metaphor of military brass to describe the American partnership with Afghan troops: two nations side by side in the long hard march against the Taliban. The reality is not so seamless.'

Washington Post, 18 Nov 10, by Josh Boak
Senators criticize performance of U.S. monitor in Afghan reconstruction
'During a confrontational congressional hearing Thursday, the lead U.S. official tracking U.S. expenditures on rebuilding Afghanistan was challenged for not doing more to uncover waste and fraud in government contracts.'

Washington Post, 17 Nov 10, by David Nakamura
Karzai criticism 'not helpful,' NATO envoy says, citing progress in war
'The top NATO civilian in Afghanistan said Wednesday that coalition forces have "regained the initiative" in the war, but he added that President Hamid Karzai's recent criticism of U.S. and NATO strategy is "not helpful" in the lead-up to a key summit in Lisbon this weekend.'

Washington Post/AP, 18 Nov 10, by Kathy Gannon
Analysis: Assertive Karzai bewilders allies
'With the war at a critical stage, Afghanistan's president is publicly berating his NATO allies, criticizing military tactics and occasionally reminding them that that they are not the only players in his country.'

New York Times, 18 Nov 10, by Jane Perlez
Karachi Turns Deadly Amid Pakistan’s Rivalries
'A recent report said that more than 1,350 people had been killed in Karachi in targeted political killings so far this year.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct 10, by Taylor Barnes
Suicide attack on UN begs the question: How safe is Herat, Afghanistan?
'Four militants attacked the United Nations compound in Herat, Afghanistan Saturday in the most serious incident on a UN facility since the Oct. 2009 attack on a Kabul guesthouse that killed several employees.'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 10, by Joshua Partlow
Despite successful U.S. attacks on Taliban leaders in Afghanistan's northwest, insurgency remains in control
'... what has happened here in Badghis province also shows how large a gap remains between killing commanders and dismantling an insurgency.'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 10, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Joshua Partlow
Gen. Petraeus says progress is faster than expected in Afghanistan operation
'... allied forces are in the "final stages" of a large operation to clear insurgent fighters from key regions just west of Kandahar, the country's second-largest city and principal focus of the coalition's military campaign against the Taliban.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct 10, by Issam Ahmed
What another $2 billion in US military aid means for Pakistan
'Despite recent tensions between Islamabad and Washington, Pakistan is set to receive another $2 billion in US military assistance over the next five years.'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 10, by David Nakamura
Pakistani security officials seek larger role in negotiations with Taliban
'Pakistani security officials are expressing frustration that they have not been included in Afghan President Hamid Karzai's recent overtures to the Taliban, warning that a sustainable peace agreement will not be possible without their support.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Oct 10, by David Francis
Want to know how the war in Afghanistan is going? Watch Kandahar.
'Progress on firming up security in Afghanistan depends on how US and Afghan troops secure Kandahar province – the nucleus of Taliban resistance.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Oct 10, by Tom A. Peter
Afghan peace council opens as Afghans assess nine years of war
'Nine years after US-led airstrikes on Afghanistan began, President Karzai on Thursday inaugurated a new peace council that is tasked with reconciling with the Taliban and other insurgents. Kabul residents say they see no end in sight to the war.'

New York Times, 06 Oct 10, by Jane Perlez and Waqar Gillani
Gunmen Attack More NATO Supply Trucks in Pakistan
'Dozens of tankers carrying fuel to Afghanistan for NATO troops were torched near Quetta in western Pakistan on Wednesday, the third major attack on supplies since Pakistan closed one border crossing to Afghanistan a week ago and the first at the only checkpoint that remained open.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Oct 10, by Dan Murphy
Pakistan keeps Khyber Pass closed as US strikes drone on
'Pakistan said it will keep the Khyber Pass - a crucial supply line for the US war effort in Afghanistan - closed because of security concerns, as a US drone strike pounded alleged militants inside Pakistan.'

New York Times, 05 Oct 10, by James Risen
Karzai’s Kin Use Ties to Gain Power in Afghanistan
'Dozens of relations and allies of President Hamid Karzai have taken positions in government and business, allowing them to shape policy or financially benefit.'

Washington Post, 29 Sep 10, by Greg Miller
CIA steps up drone attacks in Pakistan amid fear of al-Qaeda terror in Europe
'The intensified bombing of targets in North and South Waziristan represents an expansion of the secret drone program from its origins as a weapon used in a selective hunt for high-ranking operatives to one now delivering a barrage of strikes in the hopes of disrupting a still-murky plot.'

Asia Times, 29 Sep 10, by Syed Saleem Shahazad
War, and another peace plan
'The reported killing in a drone attack of Sheikh Fateh al-Misri, al-Qaeda's chief commander in Pakistan and Afghanistan, indicates the US's determination to go after foreign militants in tandem with pursuing peace talks with the Afghan resistance.'

Washington Post, 29 Sep 10, by Karin Brulliard and Karen DeYoung
Pakistan government on rocky ground amid flooding, terrorism, plummeting economy
'CIA Director Leon Panetta met in Islamabad with Pakistan's intelligence chief Wednesday amid a month-long escalation in U.S. air attacks against insurgent strongholds and new reports of Pakistan-based terror plots against the West.'

Washington Post, 30 Sep 10, by Peter Finn and Greg Miller
New focus on Europeans who have traveled to Pakistan to train at militant camps
'The detention in Afghanistan of a German citizen of Afghan descent has renewed focus on a stream of Europeans who have traveled to Pakistan in recent years for training at militant camps.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep 10, by Tom A. Peter
Afghanistan's President Karzai names Taliban outreach group
'Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai announced the creation of a council that he hopes will successfully convince members of the Taliban to lay down their arms.'

New York Times, 23 Sep 10, by Tyler Hicks
Under Attack in Afghanistan
[photos] 'American soldiers west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, came under attack by insurgents during an operation.'

Washington Post, 16 Sep 10, by David Nakamura
For Afghans, a further disconnect
'... among the estimated 1.5 million Afghans who have been effectively disenfranchised [by a decision by an independent commission to shutter more than 1,000 polling centers for Afghanistan's parliamentary elections], ... residents and candidates in these places, mostly remote villages in dangerous southern and eastern provinces, said they worry that the move will deepen ethnic rivalries by creating electoral imbalances and accelerate a growing disengagement from the Afghan central government that has fed the Taliban's resurgence.'

New York Times, 15 Sep 10, by C.J. Chivers
What’s Inside a Taliban Gun Locker?
'... the characteristics of individual weapons also provided clues to the Taliban’s behavior and state of equipment and supply, and to the nature of the infantry arms loose in the Afghan countryside.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Sep 10, by Anna Mulrine
Insurgents still using Quran burning furor to raise Afghans' ire
'To stoke opposition to US and Afghan troops, insurgents are taking advantage of outrage over the Quran burning threat, says the governor of a strategic Afghan province.'

Financial Times, 09 Sep 10, by James Lamont
Taliban chief says Afghanistan victory close
'Mullah Omar, the Afghan Taliban leader, has claimed that Islamist militants are close to victory over Nato forces in Afghanistan in a statement that challenges recent US claims of progress in a nine-year military campaign.'

Washington Post, 09 Sep 10, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Karzai seeks to limit role of U.S. corruption investigators
'Afghan President Hamid Karzai intends to impose rules restricting international involvement in anti-corruption investigations, a move that U.S. officials fear will hobble efforts to address the endemic graft that threatens support for his administration in Afghanistan and the United States.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Sep 10, by Issam Ahmed
Lahore blasts deepen threat to foreign aid workers in Pakistan
'The Lahore blasts – though sectarian in nature – may raise the level of threat felt by the hundreds of international aid workers who have come to help Pakistan after its worst flooding in 80 years.'

New York Times, 18 Aug 10, by Mark Landler
U.S. Strategy in Pakistan Is Upended by Floods
'The floods in Pakistan have upended the Obama administration’s carefully honed strategy there, confronting the United States with a vast humanitarian crisis and militant groups determined to exploit the misery, in a country that was already one of its thorniest problems.'

New York Times, 19 Aug 10, by Ismail Khan
Flood Brings Chaos Back to Pakistan’s Swat Valley
'Floods shattered hopes where residents had just began rebuilding after troops drove the Taliban into hiding.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug 10, by Issam Ahmed
Will slow response to Pakistan flood threaten democracy?
'The absence of politicians from the scene of the Pakistan flood -- the country's worst in 80 years -- is raising concerns about the future of democracy in Pakistan.'

New York Times/Reuters, 12 Aug 10
U.S. Braces For Kandahar Fight, Anti-Corruption Battle
'Targeted strikes by U.S. special forces against insurgents around Kandahar are yielding results, but war planners expect tough fighting ahead and more casualties, a U.S. military official said Wednesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug 10, by Ben Arnoldy
Afghanistan war: UN report blames insurgents for rise in civilian deaths
'According to a new UN report, the Taliban and other insurgents are largely responsible for the recent surge in civilian deaths, not coalition forces. Gen. David Petraeus has ordered a related PR offensive.'

New York Times, 12 Aug 10, by Alissa J. Rubin
Unrest Is Undermining Hopes for Afghan Vote
'Concern is growing about President Hamid Karzai’s ability to deliver a credible election in September, a crucial sign of security and a legitimate government.'

PBS NewsHour, 26 Jul 10, with Jeffrey Brown
WikiLeaks Revelations Raise Questions Over Pakistan's Role in Afghan War
'Whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks released thousands of U.S. military documents related to the Afghan war on Sunday, creating a major stir among government officials and raising questions about Pakistani involvement in the war.'

Reuters, 27 Jul 10
Afghanistan Questions U.S. Silence Over Pakistan's Role
'The United States has pursued a contradictory policy with regard to the Afghan war by ignoring Pakistan's role in the insurgency, the Afghan government said on Tuesday, following the leak of U.S. military documents.'

Washington Post, 15 Jul 10, by Karen DeYoung and Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Afghan President Karzai approves plan for local defense forces
'In a welcome step forward for the Obama administration's beleaguered war strategy, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has approved a U.S.-backed plan to create local defense forces across the country in an attempt to build grass-roots opposition to the Taliban, U.S. and Afghan officials said Wednesday.'

New York Times 'At War', 14 Jul 10, by Wesley Morgan
Elusive Game in Afghanistan
'... To the battalion’s officers, Company A’s encounters seemed to fit into a pattern of activity by full-time Afghan insurgents and a small number of foreign fighters they believe to be working with them.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jul 10, by Dan Murphy
What Kandahar residents say about the Afghanistan war: It's complicated
'Even before Tuesday's suicide attack in Kandahar killed three US soldiers and five Afghan civilians, the view from Kandahar was that the Afghanistan war wasn’t going well.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jul 10, by Dan Murphy
The other, powerful Karzai boss in Afghanistan
'To many Ahmed Wali Karzai, the half brother of Afghan president, is the key to taming the Taliban in the critical city of Kandahar. But to others he's a highly controversial figure.'

BBC News, 01 Jul 10, by John Simpson
Taliban rule out negotiations with Nato
'The Taliban statement is uncompromising, almost contemptuous. They believe they are winning the war, and cannot see why they should help Nato by talking to them.'

BBC News, 01 Jul 10
US General Petraeus vows to protect Afghan civilians
'Gen David Petraeus has been briefing allies and partners at Nato HQ in Brussels before heading to Kabul.'

New York Times, 30 Jun 10, by Mark Landler
After Afghan Shift, Top U.S. Civilians Face Tricky Future
'... privately, at least one senior White House official suggested using General McChrystal’s exit as an excuse for a housecleaning, according to senior officials. That was rejected as too disruptive during a military campaign that relies heavily on civilian support, these people said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jun 10, by Dan Murphy
Afghanistan war: Top three challenges facing General Petraeus
'Topping General Petraeus' to-do list in the Afghanistan war: Making his own counterinsurgency strategy work in Afghanistan where General McChrystal could not.'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 10, by Karin Brulliard and Karen DeYoung
Some Afghan officers to get training in Pakistan
'The move signals a significant policy shift as officials in both countries become increasingly convinced the U.S. war effort is faltering.'

New York Times, 24 Jun 10, by Jane Perlez, Eric Schmitt and Carlotta Gall
Pakistan Is Said to Pursue a Foothold in Afghanistan
'Pakistani officials say they can bring the network of Sirajuddin Haqqani, an Al Qaeda ally who runs a major part of the Afghan insurgency, into a power-sharing arrangement.'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by Karen DeYoung
U.S. indirectly paying Afghan warlords as part of security contract
'The U.S. military is funding a massive protection racket in Afghanistan, indirectly paying tens of millions of dollars to warlords, corrupt public officials and the Taliban to ensure safe passage of its supply convoys throughout the country, according to congressional investigators.'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by Karin Brulliard
Pakistan conflicted over targeting rising extremists in its heartland
'Even as its army battles insurgents on the mountainous western border, Pakistan's government remains deeply ambivalent about tackling extremist Sunnis it says are a rising menace within its populous heartland.'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by Ernesto Londoño
Nine NATO troops killed in helicopter crash, spate of attacks in Afghanistan
'... putting June on pace to become the deadliest month for the U.S.-led international force in the nearly nine-year war.'

Reuters, 23 Jun 10
Afghan Police Struggle Ahead Of U.S. Pullout
'Afghanistan's long term stability hinges on the performance of its army and police. NATO military officials say both have come a long way and are confident they will be able to keep the Taliban from returning to power, even though the insurgency is raging after nine years of conflict.'

Washington Post, 21 Jun 10, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
U.S. eager to replicate Afghan villagers' successful revolt against Taliban
'U.S. diplomats, military officials view rebellion as a milestone, but it is a turnabout U.S. and Afghan officials were not certain would ever occur.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 10, by Howard LaFranchi
Counterterrorism help from Pakistan is insufficient, report finds
'US officials recently praised Pakistan for taking the fight to extremist groups in its midst. Now, a report from the RAND Corp. says some official elements in Pakistan are still thwarting counterterrorism efforts – and that the US should withhold some aid as a result.'

New York Times, 13 Jun 10, by Dexter Filkins
In Visit to Kandahar, Karzai Outlines Anti-Taliban Plan
'The speech by Mr. Karzai was his most demonstrative effort to date to sell the people of Kandahar on the police and military operations planned for the area over the coming months.'

Washington Post, 13 Jun 10, by Joshua Partlow
Ahmed Wali Karzai, an ally and obstacle to the U.S. military in Afghanistan
'A summertime U.S. military offensive in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar has now been delayed, in what American officials said was an acknowledgment of opposition among local officials, without singling out [Ahmed Wali Karzai, the half-brother of Afghanistan's president] by name.'

The Times, 13 Jun 10, by Miles Amoore
Pakistan puppet masters guide the Taliban killers
'Pakistani support for the Taliban in Afghanistan runs far deeper than a few corrupt police officers, however. The Sunday Times can reveal that it is officially sanctioned at the highest levels of Pakistan’s government.'

New York Times, 12 Jun 10, by Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt
U.S. Military Intelligence Puts Focus on Afghan Graft
'Military intelligence officers in Afghanistan are scouring seized documents and interrogating captured fighters and facilitators — but not just to learn about insurgent networks that plan attacks, plant roadside explosives and send out suicide bombers.'

New York Times, 11 Jun 10, by Dexter Filkins
Karzai Is Said to Doubt West Can Defeat Taliban
'The Afghan president has been pressing to strike his own deal with the Taliban and Pakistan because he has lost confidence that the United States and NATO will win, officials said.'

Washington Post, 14 Jun 10, by Joby Warrick
U.S. adopts reintegration strategy to subdue Afghan insurgency
'In recent months, U.S.-run detention camps -- hated by many Afghans as symbols of occupation -- have undergone a transformation aimed at putting the more pliable detainees on a path toward reentering Afghan society.'

Washington Post, 05 Jun 10, by Ernesto Londoño
Delegates at Afghan peace conference back Karzai's plan to talk to Taliban
'Afghan leaders attending a national peace conference decided Friday to back President Hamid Karzai's plan to broker a truce with the Taliban but fell short of delivering a clear strategy for negotiating with the militant group.'

New York Times, 02 Jun 10, by Alissa J. Rubin and Rod Nordland
Taliban Attacks Shake Afghan Peace Gathering
'As rockets landed nearby and suicide attackers detonated explosives, President Hamid Karzai opened a national consultative peace assembly on Wednesday morning with the goal of winning popular backing for his plan to persuade Taliban and insurgent foot soldiers to stop fighting.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Jun 10, by Aunohita Mojumdar
Afghanistan peace jirga's unlikely critics: victims of war crimes
'Some 1,500 delegates at Afghanistan's peace jirga are debating how to reconcile with insurgents. But war crimes victims say their concerns are being buried.'

Washington Post, 23 May 10, by Karen DeYoung
Results of Kandahar offensive may affect future U.S. moves
'The Obama administration's campaign to drive the Taliban out of Afghanistan's second-largest city is a go-for-broke move that even its authors are unsure will succeed.'

Los Angeles Times, 23 May 10, by David Zucchino
U.S. troops, Afghan police sweep through Taliban stronghold
'Military and civilian teams search homes and offer reconstruction aid in a Kandahar district. The operation is a preview of a wider summer campaign.'

New York Times, 21 May 10, by John F. Burns
Into Kandahar, Yesterday and Tomorrow
'As American forces prepare for a pivotal engagement, a reporter remembers the failures of an earlier time.'

New York Times, 23 May 10, by Elisabeth Bumiller
U.S. Tries Luring Taliban Foot Soldiers Back to Society
'Even as Washington and Kabul debate their plans to reconcile with senior members of the Taliban, military commanders on the ground in Afghanistan are reintegrating insurgent foot soldiers on their own.'

New York Times 'At War', 26 May 10, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Commander Cites Progress and Frustration in Afghanistan
'A British major general in charge of NATO operations in southern Afghanistan said "we are not yet where we need to be'' in Marja, the site of a major offensive in February that sought to flush out the Taliban.'

New York Times, 25 May 10, by Sabrina Tavernise
U.S. Is a Top Villain in Pakistan’s Conspiracy Talk
'Conspiracy theory is a national sport in Pakistan, where the main players — the United States, India and Israel — change positions depending on the ebb and flow of history. Since 2001, the United States has taken center stage, looming so large in Pakistan’s collective imagination that it sometimes seems to be responsible for everything that goes wrong here.'

New York Times, 12 May 10, by Alissa J. Rubin
Distrust of Afghan Leaders Threatens U.S. War Strategy
'The fate of the new U.S. strategy may well depend on whether Afghans can overcome their corrosive distrust of President Hamid Karzai’s government.'

Washington Post, 12 May 10, by Greg Jaffe and Karen DeYoung
Afghanistan's Karzai to urge caution as U.S. pushes to empower local leaders
'In recent months, American officials have focused their plans in Afghanistan on pushing power and money down to district, tribal and village leaders. But those plans have not sat well with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has argued that any weakening in his position could fracture the central government and undermine his ability to woo Taliban fighters away from the insurgency.'

New York Times, 11 May 10, by Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah
Drone Strikes Pound West Pakistan
'The missiles struck a region known as Datta Khel on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border where Taliban and Qaeda fighters prepare for operations against United States and NATO troops in Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 May 10, by Ben Arnoldy
Faisal Shahzad case intensifies scrutiny of links between Pakistan militant groups
'Officials aren't saying which militants, if any, Faisal Shahzad may have met in Pakistan, but focus is intensifying on how interlinked Pakistan militants groups may be. Pakistan and US officials differ in their assessments.'

The Guardian, 05 May 10, by Jon Boone
Taliban leaders to be offered exile under Afghanistan peace plan
'The long-delayed Afghan Peace and Reintegration Programme has emerged just as Karzai prepares to go to Washington for talks with Barack Obama, where the issue is likely to be top of the agenda.'

New York Times, 12 May 10, by Richard A. Oppel Jr.
Mysterious Blight Destroys Afghan Poppy Harvest
'Up to one-third of Afghanistan’s poppy harvest this spring has been destroyed by a mysterious disease ... potentially complicating the American and NATO military offensives this summer in the country’s opium-producing heartland. ... in recent weeks Afghan farmers have started blaming the American and NATO militaries for spreading the disease ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr 10, by Ben Arnoldy
Precedent suggests Afghanistan Taliban could win: report
'A new study says the Afghanistan Taliban enjoy a slew of advantages that historically correlate with insurgent success, such as Pakistani sanctuary and a weak government in Kabul.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr 10, by Julius Cavendish
Afghanistan war: Taliban escalates violence with Kandahar blasts
'The Taliban appear to be making good on a promise to escalate violence in Kandahar, where NATO is planning to launch what it sees as the next major offensive of the Afghanistan war.'

New York Times, 20 Apr 10, by Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Taimoor Shah
A Killing Further Erodes Afghan Faith in Leaders
'As American and NATO troops prepare for a summer offensive in Kandahar — what could be their most critical push in more than eight years of war — any sense of safety in the area is being worn away by assassinations, bombings and other attacks on American and Western contractors, political officials and religious leaders.'

New York Times 'At War', 19 Apr 10, by C.J. Chivers
A Firsthand Look at Firefights in Marja
'... Marines in several companies encountered something unusual in the American experience of the Afghan war – insurgent snipers.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr 10, by Ben Arnoldy
Can Afghanistan President Karzai and Obama still work together?
'Angry words lately between Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and the administration of Barack Obama have raised questions about whether they can work together to stabilize the war torn country.'

Asia Times, 22 Apr 10, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
Pakistan, US undeterred by Afghan setback
'The recent withdrawal of United States troops from the strategic Korengal Valley in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar is a result of the Pakistan military not being able to defeat militants in the Bajaur and Mohmand tribal agencies, which serve as vital militant bases in support of the insurgency directly across the border. All the same, ties between the armed forces of the US and Pakistan have never been better.'

New York Times 'At War', 14 Apr 10, by Alissa J. Rubin and C.J. Chivers
Leaving the Korangal Valley
'A place iconic for its violence and breathtaking in its beauty, the outpost was at times during its four years in existence the deadliest place in Afghanistan for Americans and the Afghan soldiers who fought with them.'

Washington Post, 22 Apr 10, by Griff Witte and Karen DeYoung
Pakistan holding thousands in indefinite detention, officials say
'... arguing that the nation's dysfunctional civilian justice system cannot be trusted to prevent them from walking free, according to U.S. and Pakistani officials.'

New York Times, 09 Apr 10, by Helene Cooper and Mark Landler
U.S. Now Trying Softer Approach Toward Karzai
'After more than a year of watching America’s ability to influence President Hamid Karzai ebb, Obama administration officials now admit privately that the tough-love approach Mr. Obama adopted when he came to power may have been a big mistake.'

Washington Post, 10 Apr 10, by Joshua Partlow and Karen DeYoung
Afghan officials say Pakistan's arrest of Taliban leader threatens peace talks
'The episode offers a window into the mutual suspicions that still divide Afghanistan and Pakistan, mostly because of Pakistan's long history of support for the Taliban, as well as differences between Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States about how best to seek reconciliation between insurgents and the Afghan government.'

Los Angeles Times, 07 Apr 10, by Laura King
Afghan President Karzai's anti-Western remarks leave many guessing sincerity
'Some analysts wonder whether President Hamid Karzai is playing to a domestic audience. Others worry that his rhetoric may mean he won't back an impending campaign against the Taliban.'

Washington Post, 31 Mar 10, by Karen DeYoung and Craig Whitlock
U.S. forces set sights on Taliban bastion of Kandahar
'U.S. forces have begun the initial phases of a political-military offensive in this Taliban bastion and hope to control the city and surrounding areas by late summer, according to senior U.S. military officials.'

Washington Post, 29 Mar 10, by Karen DeYoung
Afghan corruption: How to follow the money?
'U.S. officials fear that some U.S. money is finding its way to the Taliban and lining officials' pockets.'

Washington Post, 29 Mar 10, by Joshua Partlow and Scott Wilson
Obama presses Karzai for cooperation
'In his first visit as commander in chief to the war zone he has remade, President Obama on Sunday pushed for greater cooperation from the government of his Afghan counterpart, a stagnant and corruption-laced administration that poses perhaps the biggest threat to U.S. success against the Taliban insurgency.'

Washington Post, 19 Mar 10, by Keith B. Richburg
As Taliban makes comeback in Kunduz province, war spreads to northern Afghanistan
'... the past year has brought such a dramatic Taliban comeback in Kunduz that Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, is planning to shift some of the ongoing troop reinforcements to the north of the country, the first significant American deployment to the region since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, U.S. officials say.'

New York Times, 15 Mar 10, by Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Rod Nordland
U.S. Is Reining In Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan
'Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan, has brought most American Special Operations forces under his direct control for the first time, out of concern over continued civilian casualties and disorganization among units in the field.'

Wall Street Journal, 22 Mar 10, by Matthew Rosenberg and Peter Spiegel
U.S. Sees Hope in Pakistan Requests for Help
'Pakistan sent a 56-page document to the U.S. ahead of strategic talks scheduled for Wednesday, seeking expanded military and economic aid in what some American officials believe is an implicit offer to crack down in return on the Afghan Taliban.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar 10, by Edward Girardet
Afghanistan war: lessons from the Soviet war
'In the Marjah offensive of the Afghanistan war, a reporter hears echoes of the Soviet war.'

Washington Post, 14 Mar 10, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
At Afghan outpost, Marines gone rogue or leading the fight against counterinsurgency?
'U.S. Marine commanders have a different view of the dusty, desolate landscape that surrounds Delaram. They see controlling this corner of remote Nimruz province as essential to promoting economic development and defending the more populated parts of southern Afghanistan.'

New York Times, 11 Mar 10, by Alissa J. Rubin
Afghan Tribal Rivalries Bedevil a U.S. Plan
'Fighting between Afghan subtribes raises questions about using tribes as part of a counterinsurgency strategy.'

Washington Post, 12 Mar 10, by Greg Jaffe
Program aims to rebuild Afghan police force, repair its image
'U.S. and Afghan officials are beginning a major overhaul of the Afghan police with the goal of cleaning up a force whose recent history of corruption has undermined confidence in the Kabul government and fueled the insurgency.'

The Times (London), 03 Mar 10, by Zahid Hussain
Pakistan's Army takes control of al-Qaeda cave network on Afghan border
'Pakistani forces have taken control of a warren of caves that served until recently as the nerve centre of the Taleban and al-Qaeda and sheltered Ayman al-Zawahiri, the second-in-command to Osama bin Laden.'

Washington Post, 03 Mar 10, by Karen DeYoung and Joshua Partlow
In Afghanistan, Karzai's invitation to Taliban creates discord and confusion
'... the Obama administration has argued that substantive talks should wait until the military balance has shifted more sharply in favor of the coalition.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Mar 10, by Dion Nissenbaum, McClatchy Newspapers
After the Taliban, what do Marjah residents want?
'Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal and President Hamid Karzai's deputy walked the streets of Marjah Monday. With US-led forces now in control of the former Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan, US and Afghan officials told Marjah residents that the Taliban were gone - and life would improve.'

New York Times, 02 Mar 10, by Alissa J. Rubin and Abdul Waheed Wafa
Afghanistan Aims to Ban Live Coverage of Attacks
'The government says live coverage is a security risk because attackers can see how the security forces are responding and send guidance to operatives.'

New York Times, 01 Mar 10, by Robert Mackey
Don’t Mention the Insurgency, Afghanistan Tells Reporters
'Afghanistan’s intelligence service, the National Directorate of Security, summoned reporters on Monday to tell them that they will no longer be allowed to report on attacks by Taliban insurgents while they are in progress ...'

Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb 10, by Mark Magnier and Aimal Yaqubi
Attack in Kabul points to shifting Taliban tactics
'Coordinated bombings that kill 16 in a rich residential district come early Friday as the Afghan weekend begins, helping the assailants set up the attack, while cutting the risk of civilian deaths.'

PBS NewsHour, 26 Feb 10, with Judy Woodruff
Army Sees Marjah Offensive as a Model for Afghan Military Strategy
'After Friday's deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, Judy Woodruff spoke with Gen. Ben Hodges in Kandahar about coalition strategies in the region.'

New York Times, 28 Feb 10, by C. J. Chivers
After Push in Marja, Marines Try to Win Trust
'After the declaration this weekend that the battle for the Taliban enclave of Marja had been won, for the Marines standing behind sandbags and walking patrols, the more complicated work has begun. With it will be a test of the strategy selected by President Obama and the generals now running the Afghan war.'

Washington Post, 20 Feb 10, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
In Marja, it's war the old-fashioned way
'The fight to pacify this Taliban stronghold in Helmand province is grim and grueling. For all the talk of a modern war -- of Predator drones and satellite-guided bombs and mine-resistant vehicles -- most Marines in this operation have been fighting the old-fashioned way: on foot, with rifle.'

Washington Post, 20 Feb 10, by Joshua Partlow
Military launches Afghanistan intelligence-gathering mission
'Last month, Maj. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, the top U.S. military intelligence officer in Afghanistan, published a scathing critique of the quality of information at his disposal.'

BBC News, 19 Feb 10, by Lyse Doucet
Pakistan's push for new role in Afghanistan
'Afghanistan's punishing war is entering a new phase and Pakistan has made it clear it can and must play a leading role. The sudden significant capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, second in charge in the Taliban hierarchy, comes at a crucial point. Talk of negotiation is now taking centre stage, a strategy in parallel to a powerful military assault against Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb 10, by Ben Arnoldy
Pakistan arrests more Afghan Taliban. Why the about-face?
'After years of deflecting US pressure to rein in the Afghan Taliban, Pakistan has arrested in rapid succession the group's No. 2 Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, two shadow provincial governors, and up to nine Al Qaeda-linked militants.'

New York Times, 18 Feb 10, by Scott Shane and Eric Schmitt
In Pakistan Raid, Taliban Chief Was an Extra Prize
'... the full impact of Mullah Baradar’s arrest will play out only in the weeks to come.'

New York Times, 19 Feb 10, by Thom Shanker
Afghan Push Went Beyond Traditional Military Goals
'Perhaps no other feature of the offensive now under way in and around the town, Marja, speaks so clearly to its central characteristic: it is a campaign meant to shift perceptions as much as to alter the military balance, crush an enemy army or seize some vital crossroads.'

New York Times, 19 Feb 10, by Christopher Drew
Drones Play a Growing Role in Afghanistan
'The use of the drones has expanded quickly and virtually unnoticed in Afghanistan, becoming an increasing part of a strategy to reduce civilian casualties.'

Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb 10, by Tony Perry
Marines meet with Afghans to explain offensive, seek support
'For the U.S., the meeting, called a shurra by Afghan custom, was part of a strategy to create a seamless transition between the coordinated attack to rid the community of Taliban fighters and the establishment of at least the beginnings of a branch of the national government from Kabul.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb 10, by Carol Huang
When things go boom in the night, Pakistanis blame Blackwater
'The US says it doesn't work with the security firm Blackwater in Pakistan, and the Pakistani government insists no Blackwater employees are working in the country. But many Pakistanis doubt those assertions, complicating US efforts to build trust.'

Washington Post, 10 Feb 10, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Marines plan joint mission to eject insurgents from last Helmand stronghold
'In the coming days, thousands of U.S. Marines will seek to transform Marja once again. Working in partnership with Afghan soldiers, the Marines are planning a major operation to flush out insurgents and allow the Afghan government to reassert control.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Feb 10, by Saeed Shah, McClatchy Newspapers
Afghanistan war: Marjah offensive targets opium capital
'The US offensive against the town of Marjah illustrates the link between the Taliban insurgency and the narcotics trade. The Taliban promote and tax the opium business and are allies with the drug lords who organize the distribution and export.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Feb 10, by Ben Arnoldy
Marjah offensive: Q&A on why it matters to Afghanistan war
'After weeks of publicizing, US troops are set to launch one of the biggest offensives of the Afghanistan war, against the Taliban stronghold of Marjah in Helmand Province. Here’s a briefing on just how important this town is and why NATO gave the Taliban so much advance warning.'

PBS NewsHour, 10 Feb 10, by Larisa Epatko
Amid Violence, Governments Grapple With Taliban Talks
'... U.S. and Afghan officials are trying to develop ways to engage moderate elements of the Taliban to bring an end to the eight-year conflict there.'

Asia Times, 04 Feb 10, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
US fires off new warning in Pakistan
'With its biggest drone attack to date in Pakistan, the United States has sent a clear message of its renewed determination to destroy Taliban and al-Qaeda sanctuaries in the Pakistan and Afghanistan border areas.'

New York Times, 04 Feb 10, by Souad Mekhennet and Richard A. Oppel Jr.
Even Where Pakistani Law Exists, Taliban Find a Porous Border
'The way the Taliban use Pakistan’s tribal areas to launch cross-border attacks inside Afghanistan is perhaps the most contentious issue between Pakistan and the United States. But the problem is hardly contained to Pakistan’s lawless tribal areas.'

PBS NewsHour, 03 Feb 10
Deaths in Pakistan Unmask Once Quiet U.S. Role
'Three U.S. soldiers were killed in Pakistan on Wednesday when a bomb hit the convoy they were riding in. The deaths raised new questions about U.S. involvement in the country.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Feb 10, by Ben Arnoldy and Caryle Murphy
Why Karzai needs Saudi Arabia for Taliban talks
'Afghan President Hamid Karzai is visiting Saudi Arabia to seek help convincing the Taliban to join peace talks. Riyadh would lend credibility to the effort, but is wary of getting involved.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Feb 10, by Mian Ridge
Q&A: Who else could help in Afghanistan?
'The US and Europe play a leading role in working for Afghanistan's stability. Can the interests of China, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia also aid in the nation's success?'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Feb 10, by Issam Ahmed
Who’s who in the Pakistan Taliban
'New reports surfaced Sunday that Pakistan Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud died after a US drone attack Jan. 14. A look at other senior figures in the group.'

New York Times, 01 Feb 10, by C. J. Chivers
As Marines Move In, Taliban Fight a Shadowy War
'Marine operations like this one in mid-January, along with interviews with dozens of Marines, reveal the insurgents’ evolving means of waging an Afghan brand of war, even as more American troops arrive.'

Washington Post, 31 Jan 10, by Joshua Partlow
Afghanistan's corruption poses dilemma for U.S. military
'After eight years of dropping bombs and killing insurgents, the new American military strategy makes explicit the need to fight corruption to build a more legitimate Afghan government.'

New York Times, 28 Jan 10, by John F. Burns and Alan Cowell
Training Afghan Forces Will Take Years, Karzai Says
'As the one-day [international conference on Afghanistan] opened, Mr. Karzai also urged King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to play a prominent role in overseeing peace efforts. And, he said, peace talks should embrace “all our countrymen, especially our disenchanted brothers who are not part of Al Qaeda or other terrorist networks.”'

New York Times, 27 Jan 10, by Dexter Filkins
Afghan Tribe to Fight Taliban in Return for Aid
'The leaders of one of the largest Pashtun tribes in a Taliban stronghold said Wednesday that they had agreed to support the American-backed government, battle insurgents and burn down the home of any Afghan who harbored Taliban guerrillas.'

Washington Post, 25 Jan 10, by Pamela Constable
Pakistani government, military wary of U.S. overtures
'Despite a string of high-profile visits designed to reassure Pakistan of Washington's commitment, U.S. officials have failed to win over a military and civilian establishment here that remains suspicious of U.S. ties to India and reluctant to plunge into war with Afghan militants who may outlast the U.S. presence.'

BBC News, 28 Jan 10, by Caroline Wyatt
Restraint the new tactic for UK troops in Afghanistan
'As a key summit on the future of Afghanistan starts in London, a shift in emphasis towards protecting civilians has seen British troops employ a new strategy dubbed "courageous restraint".'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan 10, by Tom A. Peter
Afghanistan war: Good counterinsurgency, like good politics, is local
'In Afghanistan, US soldiers on second or third tours are returning to the same areas, where they already know key tribal leaders and the terrain. The new strategy aims to cultivate relationships within the tribal culture.'

The Times (London), 23 Jan 10, by Janine di Giovanni
Courage and comradeship keys to survival for British Army in Sangin
'Their role is changing, from defending themselves against the enemy to being “population-centric”. Which means opening schools — there are currently 41 open in the area, though no girls attend — and clinics. Building up the Government so that it is sustainable is also crucial.'

Financial Times, 22 Jan 10, by Daniel Dombey
Gates sees room for Taliban in Afghan government
'... Mr Gates emphasised that US strategy consisted of turning the tide in the Afghan war so as to convince Taliban leaders to sit down and negotiate.'

New York Times, 21 Jan 10, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Gates Says Pakistan Must Root Out Extremists
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Thursday that he expects to tell Pakistani military officials that they must root out all of the extremist groups on their border with Afghanistan and that ignoring “one part of this cancer” threatens their country’s stability.'

BBC News, 21 Jan 10
Pakistan snubs US over new Taliban offensive
'Pakistan's army has said it will launch no new offensives on militants in 2010, as the US defence secretary arrived for talks on combating Taliban fighters.'

Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan 10, by Alex Rodriguez
Daring Taliban attack in Kabul dispels any complacency
'"We used to think this kind of attack was no longer possible in Kabul," says a police official after militants kill five people in two suicide blasts and a lengthy gun battle in the Afghan capital.'

New York Times, 19 Jan 10, by Alissa J. Rubin
After Attack, Afghans Question Motives or See Conspiracies
'Stoic about the assault, convinced that it would happen again and lacking faith in the government’s ability to stop such attacks, those who work near the sites that were attacked were most interested in the question of why the insurgents had not killed more civilians.'

New York Times, 18 Jan 10, by Dexter Filkins
Kabul Attack Shows Resilience of Afghan Militants
'A team of militants launched a spectacular assault at the heart of the Afghan government on Monday, with two men detonating suicide bombs and the rest fighting to the death only 50 yards from the gates of the presidential palace.'

New York Times, 20 Jan 10, by Alissa J. Rubin
Taliban Overhaul Image in Bid to Win Allies
'The Taliban have embarked on a sophisticated information war, using modern media tools as well as some old-fashioned ones, to soften their image and win favor with local Afghans as they try to counter the Americans’ new campaign to win Afghan hearts and minds.'

New York Times, 17 Jan 10, by Rod Nordland and Alissa J. Rubin
Karzai Closing In on Taliban Reconciliation Plan
'The Afghan government will soon unveil a major new plan offering jobs, security, education and other social benefits to Taliban followers who defect, according to the spokesman for President Hamid Karzai.'

New York Times, 18 Jan 10, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Taliban Leaders Unlikely to Accept Offer, Gates Says
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that there could be a surge of Taliban followers willing to reintegrate with the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai, but that for now an Afghan government reconciliation with the Taliban leadership was unlikely.'

Washington Post, 19 Jan 10, by Joshua Partlow
Congested border crossing may affect U.S. buildup in Afghanistan
'The pace of President Obama's troop buildup in Afghanistan hinges in part on a narrow, pothole-riddled dirt track that is controlled by a 33-year-old suspected drug lord and by the whims of the Pakistani military.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan 10, by Tom A. Peter
Afghanistan war: gap grows between US efforts, Afghan expectations
'Many Afghans say the pace of development has not matched the amount of investment. Since 2001, the US has spent more than $39 billion on humanitarian and development projects.'

Washington Post, 20 Jan 10, by Keith B. Richburg
U.S. aid workers find few trained Afghan partners
'... like their military counterparts, the civilian technicians are finding the lack of trained Afghan partners their most difficult challenge. The problem is particularly acute in the remote rural areas, where the Afghan government's presence is virtually nonexistent.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jan 10, by Tom A. Peter
Drone targets Pakistan Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud. Is he dead?
'A US drone strike killed at least 10 militants in Pakistan Thursday. A Pakistani security official says Pakistan Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud was 'probably' killed.'

New York Times, 13 Jan 10, by Dexter Filkins
U.N. Blames Taliban for Afghan Toll
'Last year was the most lethal for Afghan civilians since the American-led war began here in late 2001, with the Taliban and other insurgent groups causing the vast majority of noncombatant deaths, according to a United Nations survey released Wednesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Jan 10, by Ben Arnoldy
Afghanistan war worsening but optimism is up, says new poll
'The Afghanistan war has intensified and a fraudulently elected president retaken power, but 70 percent of respondents say the country is moving in the right direction, up 30 points from last year. Some analysts question the jump in positivity.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Jan 10, by Ben Arnoldy
How US is tackling opium trade in Afghanistan poppy heartland
'A key plank of the US strategy in Afghanistan is breaking up the opium trade in Helmand Province, as underscored by US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s visit to the region Monday.'

Washington Post, 07 Jan 10, by Colum Lynch
U.N. envoy Eide warns U.S., allies not to ignore civilian goals in Afghanistan
'The top U.N. envoy to Afghanistan on Wednesday delivered a gloomy assessment of the U.S.-led effort to restore stability in the country and warned "we will fail" if the strategy there relies too heavily on military force.'

Washington Post, 05 Jan 10, by Karin Brulliard
Pakistan worried U.S. buildup in Afghanistan will send militants across border
'As 30,000 U.S. troops begin to deploy to Afghanistan, fears are rising in Pakistan that a stepped-up war just over the border could worsen the increasingly bloody struggle with militancy here.'

Washington Post, 05 Jan 10, by Walter Pincus
Attack shows risk of infiltration in Afghanistan
'The deadly incident highlights the risk of infiltration of U.S. facilities and military in Afghanistan as local troops partner with American and coalition forces, and as local contractors are hired to provide security at U.S. forward operating bases.'

New York Times, 04 Jan 10, by Richard A. Oppel Jr., Mark Mazzetti and Souad Mekhennet
Behind Afghan Bombing, an Agent With Many Loyalties
'The suicide bomber who killed seven C.I.A. officers and a Jordanian spy last week was a double agent who was taken onto the base in Afghanistan because the Americans hoped he might be able to deliver top members of Al Qaeda’s network, according to Western government officials.'

Washington Post, 06 Jan 10, by Joby Warrick and Peter Finn
Man who bombed CIA post provided useful intelligence about al-Qaeda
'The Jordanian double agent who staged a suicide attack on a CIA base last week had supplied intelligence agencies with credible leads about al-Qaeda plans to attack targets in Jordan and in Western countries, Jordanian government officials said Tuesday.'

Daily Times (Pakistan), 06 Jan 10
US ‘spy work’ lacking in Afghanistan: NATO official
'Eight years into the war in Afghanistan, the US intelligence community is only “marginally relevant” to the overall mission, focusing too much on the enemy and not enough on civilian life, NATO’s top intelligence official said, calling the US spies ignorant and out of touch with the Afghan people.'

2009 Afghanistan and Pakistan archive