14 April 2008

Rory Stewart, 'Stabilizing Afghanistan', Council on Foreign Relations, 14 April 2008

EXCERPT: "The state of affairs in Afghanistan is often seen from the top down, but Rory Stewart, an Oxford-educated author, former British soldier, and one-time coalition deputy governor in Iraq, has a different perspective. For nearly a decade Stewart has maintained an intimate relationship with Afghanistan and its people. He now runs a non-government...

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14 April 2008

'Marines Immobile In Afghan Red Tape', Baltimore Sun, 11 April 2008

EXCERPT: "Disagreements and coordination problems high within the international military command are delaying combat operations for 2,500 Marines who arrived here last month to help root out Taliban forces, according to military officers here. For weeks the Marines -- with their light armor, infantry, artillery and a squadron of transport and attack helicopters and Harrier...

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14 April 2008

'ANSO Quarterly Data Report (January 1st 2008 - March 31st 2008)', Afghanistan Non-Government Organization Safety Office (ANSO), 14 April 2008

EXCERPT: "NGO have been directly targeted for attack on 29 occasions in the first quarter of this year with 16 of those attacks associated to Armed Opposition Groups (AOG) and 13 to criminals. Although comparable to last years figures in volume (30), the attacks of this year have resulted in...

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14 April 2008

'', CBC News: In Depth Afghanistan, 10 April 2008

EXCERPT: "There were sighs of relief in government circles earlier this month when the United States agreed to provide at least an additional 1,000 marines to the Canada-led mission in Kandahar. Finding an extra 1,000 combat soldiers to help the 2,500-strong Canadian military mission in troubled southern Afghanistan...

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14 April 2008

'Factors Influencing Decisions to Use Child Labour: A Case Study of Poor Households in Kabul', Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, April 2008

EXCERPT: "This case study is the first of three to explore the processes through which poor households make decisions about whether or not to put children into work. By focusing on poor households, which both do and do not use child labour as part of their livelihood portfolios, the study...

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14 April 2008

'Foreign minister questions effectiveness of Kandahar governor', Global TV Canada, 14 April 2008

EXCERPT: "The governor of Kandahar province needs to be replaced to curb corruption in the region, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier said Monday [14 April 2008]. Bernier said Afghan President Hamid Karzai will have to decide 'as soon as possible' if the current governor, Asadullah Khalid, is the right man for the job. Bernier...

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14 April 2008

'No Food Price Relief Seen For Poor Afghans', Reuters, 14 April 2008

EXCERPT: "Impoverished Afghans struggling with rising wheat prices are not expected to get any relief soon with no sign prices are going to come down, a United Nations official said on Monday [14 April 2008]. Top finance and development officials from around the world called in Washington on Sunday for urgent action to stem rising food prices, warning that social unrest...

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14 April 2008

'Buy Into A Fresh Drugs Policy: Australia', The Australian News, 14 April 2008

EXCERPT: "What is the framework that informs Kevin Rudd's view of the world? Our Prime Minister has made his debut on the world stage, embracing some old and stale rhetoric about drugs. Rudd wishes to eradicate the Afghan poppy crop and thus (he hopes) undercut the flow of funds to our enemies. This was a challenge staring us in the face when he visited Afghanistan...

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14 April 2008

'NATO "Making Progress" In Afghanistan', The Guardian, 13 April 2008

EXCERPT: "An army chief who has just returned from Afghanistan insisted yesterday [12 April 2008] there were 'real signs of progress' in the conflict there. Brigadier Andrew MacKay, the commander of 52 Infantry Brigade, is back at its headquarters in Edinburgh's Redford barracks after six months heading operations in Helmand province. He and his staff formed...

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14 April 2008

'Red Cross Praises "Progress" At US-Run Jails In Afghanistan', ABC News Australia, 14 April 2008

EXCERPT: "The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross says conditions have improved at the main US-run jail in Afghanistan, but hundreds of detainees remain concerned about their future. Jacob Kellenberger cites video contact between inmates held for suspected militant ties at Bagram Air Base and their families, plus...

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