US to Announce New Envoy to Pakistan, Afghanistan
15 February 2011
EXCERPT: "Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has chosen a new special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, after months of delay and disagreements between the White House and the State Department over the parameters of the job that became vacant with the December death of Richard C. Holbrooke, senior officials said. Retired diplomat Marc Grossman is expected to take over as the administration is facing a crucial year for its war strategy in Afghanistan,...
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Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and the Changing Face of Uzbek Militancy
15 February 2011
EXCERPT: "Although Uzbek militants have been active in Afghanistan and Pakistan since the late 1990s, little attention has been paid to these fighters. Principally, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan—formed in 1998 by Toher Yuldashev and Juma Namangani—is the main organization which organizes and directs these militants. The group's main focus has always been ousting Uzbek President Islam Karimov in favor of installing an Islamist regime....
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Multiple Forces Tear Balochistan Apart: Analysis
15 February 2011
EXCERPT: "A report by the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies shows that Baluchistan had the highest number of militant, insurgent and sectarian attacks of any province in 2010, and killings were up 43 percent since 2009. It was a year that showcased the multiple forces that are tearing Baluchistan apart: Baluch separatist organisations demanding secession and attacking the state (including security forces, infrastructure, and the governor), sectarian...
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Kerry Visits Pakistan to Calm Diplomatic Dispute
15 February 2011
EXCERPT: "US senator John Kerry voiced regret Tuesday for the killings of two Pakistanis by an American embassy official as he visited Lahore to resolve a bitter diplomatic row over the man's fate. Kerry reiterated Washington's stance that the man should be freed under diplomatic immunity and told reporters in the eastern city of Lahore that the United States would conduct its own investigation into the killings. 'I want to come here to express our...
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