Ties to Iran "Hard to Miss" in Western City of Herat
15 November 2010
In Western Afghan City, Iran Makes Itself Felt, Los Angeles Times, 13 November 2010
EXCERPT: "In Herat, the tie to Iran is hard to miss. Iranian money builds roads and industrial parks, store goods are likely to be from Iran, and Iranian cash buoys new mosques and opulent homes. [...] Iranian money builds roads and industrial parks; store-bought goods from soup to nuts are most likely to have Iranian provenance; and waves of Iranian...
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15 November 2010
, The New York Times, 14 November 2010
EXCERPT: The Obama administration has developed a plan to begin transferring security duties in select areas of Afghanistan to that country's forces over the next 18 to 24 months, with an eye toward ending the American combat mission there by 2014, officials said Sunday. The phased four-year plan to wind down American and allied fighting in Afghanistan...
Mullah Omar Issues Statement Rejecting Peace Talks as "Rumours"
15 November 2010
, AFP, 15 November 2010
EXCERPT: "The Taliban high command on Monday ruled out peace talks to bring an end to the bitter, nine-year conflict in Afghanistan and described claims that negotiations were under way as 'misleading rumours'. A statement attributed to Mullah Omar, the reclusive, one-eyed leader of the Islamist militant group, also dismissed the surge of tens of thousands...
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NATO Repels Assault on Outpost in East; Deadly Suicide Bomber Strikes Market in North
15 November 2010
Airbase Attacked, 10 Killed in Afghan Market Bombing, AFP via The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 November 2010
EXCERPT: "The Taliban launched a pre-dawn attack on a major NATO base in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, triggering a firefight with foreign and Afghan forces that left eight militants dead. Another 10 people, including three children, were killed in a motorcycle bombing at a market in a remote area of northern Afghanistan in an attack...
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Karzai Wants US to Reduce Military Operations, End Night Raids
15 November 2010
, The Washington Post, 14 November 2010
EXCERPT: "President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that the United States must reduce the visibility and intensity of its military operations in Afghanistan and end the increased U.S. Special Operations forces night raids that aggravate Afghans and could exacerbate the Taliban insurgency. In an interview with The Washington Post,...
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