Afghan Army Far From Fighting Fit
09 May 2008
Antonio Giustozzi, '', Asia Times Online, 9 May 2008
EXCERPT: "Over the past few years, the Afghan National Army (ANA) has often been presented as a success story. This certainly holds some truth, at least in comparison with Afghanistan's national police, which is widely seen as a complete failure. The ANA is reasonably well behaved and quite popular throughout most of Afghanistan. Its initial difficulties...
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09 May 2008
'', Yahoo! News / AFP, 9 May 2008
EXCERPT: "Security fears have stopped even a single company from bidding to build a new parliament for Afghanistan after the Indian government floated tenders, an official said Friday [9 May 2008]. New Delhi's Central Public Works Department had invited tenders last year for the multi-million-dollar project in Kabul, but did not receive any...
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Job Creation Should Top Canada's Afghan Strategy: Kandahar Leaders
09 May 2008
'', The Canadian Press, 9 May 2008
EXCERPT: "The adage that 'idle are the devil's workshop' may date to the 12th century, but it has a particularly poignant ring today in southern Afghanistan as the annual poppy harvest winds down and NATO forces brace for a possible spike in violence. Village leaders and power brokers throughout Kandahar province are pleading with the...
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Pakistani Tribal Areas Pose Serious Challenges
09 May 2008
'Pakistani Tribal Areas Pose Serious Challenges', Voice of America, 9 May 2008
EXCERPT: "Recent violence in northwest Pakistan is raising concerns that a cease-fire between the government and pro-Taliban militants in the region may be breaking down. However, a Pakistan army spokesman says Islamabad will continue to pursue a dialog with the military groups, even after the militants suspended peace talks with the government....
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Food Becoming Larger Concern Than Security In Afghanistan
09 May 2008
'Food Becoming Larger Concern Than Security In Afghanistan', Canada.com, 9 May 2008
EXCERPT: "Export restrictions and higher taxes in neighbouring countries are worsening an already dire food crisis in Afghanistan. Rick Corsino, the World Food Program's director in Afghanistan, said international response to a recent appeal for aid was impressive, but in a global food emergency, donations don't go as far as they usually do. The branch...
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World's Medical Leaders Help Afghans Combat Disease
09 May 2008
'World's Medical Leaders Help Afghans Combat Disease', ReliefWeb / Government of the United States of America, 8 May 2008
EXCERPT: "Medical leaders from coalition forces and international medical organizations gathered at the Jirga Center here May 5 for an all-day seminar to discuss infectious diseases that plague the Afghan population. The seminar featured presentations by experts from Afghanistan's Public Health Ministry and the World...
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US Deploys More Than 43,000 Unfit For Combat
09 May 2008
'US Deploys More Than 43,000 Unfit For Combat', USA Today, 8 May 2008
EXCERPT: "More than 43,000 U.S. troops listed as medically unfit for combat in the weeks before their scheduled deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2003 were sent anyway, Pentagon records show. This reliance on troops found medically "non-deployable" is another sign of stress placed on a military that has sent 1.6 million servicemembers to the war zones,...
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New Figures Reveal Scope Of Afghan Mission's Mental Toll
09 May 2008
'New Figures Reveal Scope Of Afghan Mission's Mental Toll', Canada.com, 7 May 2008
EXCERPT: "At least 1,500 of the 20,000 men and women who have served in the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan since 2001 have suffered from service-related stress conditions, including post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression or addiction, according to federal government figures released Wednesday. The figures were provided by the Department of...
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"Time to talk to Taliban"
09 May 2008
'"Time to talk to Taliban"', The Australian, 9 May 2008
EXCERPT: "A key adviser and cousin of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has warned that fighting in the strife-torn country could drag on for 10 years or more unless the insurgent Taliban are politically engaged. Hekmat Karzai said that although Afghans largely welcomed the international forces, which include an Australian deployment of 1000, the support would not last...
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Afghanistan Receives US-Acquired AN-32 Transports
09 May 2008
'Afghanistan Receives US-Acquired AN-32 Transports', Flight Global, 8 May 2008
EXCERPT: "The Afghan National Army Air Corps has received its first two of four Antonov An-32 transports acquired through the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) under a unique Foreign Military Sales arrangement. Purchased from commercial sources in Kiev, Ukraine, following technical inspections completed by navy personnel, the newly acquired aircraft form...
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