In Afghanistan, Pipe Dreams of Peace
29 September 2010
, Global Post, 29 September 2010
EXCERPT: "Two rather startling developments have come out of Afghanistan over the past week, one almost overlooked by the international media, the other causing a small sensation. But together they represent at least a small glimmer of light in what has been a depressingly dark landscape. First in prominence was the surprise announcement by the top U.S. and NATO commander...
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Plan to Convert Taliban, Create Defense Force Has Promise and Peril
29 September 2010
Plan to Convert Taliban, Create Defense Force Has Promise and Peril, Stars and Stripes, 29 September 2010
EXCERPT: "For the last few years, the 30 or so men camped along a stream in this idyllic village of walled orchards lived as armed bands here have lived for decades, if not centuries. They roamed and robbed and raided. They collected 'taxes' for protection, and kidnapped for ransom. Occasionally, NATO and local security...
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Afghanistan: Limited Progress on Maternal Health
29 September 2010
Afghanistan: Limited Progress on Maternal Health, IRIN News, 29 September 2010
EXCERPT: "Almost a decade of donor funded health projects has resulted in a marginal reduction in maternal and child mortality, according to new estimates set out in a UN report on maternal health. Maternal deaths have fallen from 1,600 per 100,000 live births in 2001 to 1,400 in 2010, still the second highest in the world. The infant mortality rate...
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Australian Troops To Be Charged Over Afghan Deaths
29 September 2010
, AFP, 29 September 2010
EXCERPT: "Three Australian soldiers will face charges including manslaughter over a raid in Afghanistan that left five children dead, Australia's chief military prosecutor said on Monday. The court action follows an operation in February last year to clear a compound in Uruzgan province where Australian forces believed a Taliban leader was hiding. Director of Military...
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