US Ambassador Halts Plan to Utilize Afghan Militias against Taliban
21 January 2010
, The Washington Post, 21 January 2010
EXCERPT: "The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan and senior Afghan officials have resisted moving forward with a bold and potentially risky initiative to support local militias in Afghanistan that are willing to defend their villages against insurgents, according to U.S. officials. Their concerns have slowed the implementation...
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UK Diplomat Tipped to Take NATO Role
21 January 2010
, Financial Times, 21 January 2010
EXCERPT: "The UK's ambassador to Afghanistan has emerged as the frontrunner for a powerful new Nato post in Kabul responsible for combating a chronic lack of co-ordination in aid projects, diplomatic sources said on Thursday. Mark Sedwill is likely to be named to the position as Nato's new top civilian representative to Afghanistan at a conference the UK is...
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US-Funded Power Plant Too Costly for Afghans
21 January 2010
US-Funded Power Plant Too Costly for Afghans, Miami Herald, 21 January 2010
EXCERPT: "A $300 million power plant in Afghanistan paid for with U.S. tax dollars was an ill-conceived and mismanaged project that the Afghan government can't afford to switch on now that it's almost finished, a watchdog agency has found. The project in Kabul has ballooned $40 million over budget and is a year behind schedule because of missteps by the American...
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Taliban Overhaul Image to Win Allies
21 January 2010
, The New York Times, 21 January 2010
EXCERPT: "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. The Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, issued a lengthy directive late...
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