In The Hands Of The Taliban, Life Is Cheap
31 October 2008
'', AFP, 31 October 2008
EXCERPT: "'We will behead him,' threatens a 25-year-old, self-proclaimed Taliban, as day-long negotiations on the fate of a shopkeeper abducted five days ago reach a critical point. Four worried-looking male relatives of captured Abdul Ahmad sit with their backs against the wall in a house of a low-level Taliban commander in a part of Wardak province where...
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Kabul Wants Local Militias To Bolster Security
31 October 2008
'Kabul Wants Local Militias To Bolster Security', The Globe and Mail, 31 October 2008
EXCERPT: "Tribal leaders with authority in some of the most dangerous border regions in southern Afghanistan have been asked by government officials to consider raising their own militias to fill security gaps insurgents are exploiting, tribal elders have told The Globe and Mail. Struggling to turn the tide in the battle with a resurgent Taliban,...
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Canada's Strategy In Afghanistan To Change
31 October 2008
'Canada's Strategy In Afghanistan To Change', Edmonton Sun, 31 October 2008
EXCERPT: "Canada's strategy in Afghanistan will shift this winter, using improved Afghan security forces to seize and hold more territory now under the influence of the insurgents, the commanding officer of Task Force Kandahar said Friday. 'We now have even more capable Afghan national security forces,' said Gen. Denis Thompson. 'If...
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General Petraeus Sworn In As Head Of US Central Command
31 October 2008
'General David Petraeus Sworn In As Head Of US Central Command', Los Angeles Times, 31 October 2008
EXCERPT: "General David H. Petraeus took charge of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq today, promising to tackle both immediate and long-term security challenges as he was sworn in as head of U.S. Central Command. Until last month, Petraeus was the top U.S. commander in Iraq. Now, as the top regional commander, Petraeus will continue...
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Afghan Famine Poses Greater Risk Than Taliban
30 October 2008
'Afghan Famine Poses Greater Risk Than Taliban', Al Arabiya, 30 October 2008
EXCERPT: "A looming famine in Afghanistan poses a greater threat to international efforts to rebuild the country than the ongoing insurgency there, a leading defense think-tank warned Friday. According to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a combination of factors -- from rising global food prices to a summer drought -- have created the conditions...
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Polish Troops Take Charge Of Ghazni
30 October 2008
'Polish Troops Take Charge Of Tough Afghan Province', AlertNet, 30 October 2008
EXCERPT: "Polish troops took command of security in the Afghan province of Ghazni on Thursday, a volatile area just two hour's drive southwest of Kabul where Taliban militants are gaining influence. About 1,600 Polish troops have now taken control of Ghazni, freeing up U.S. forces to take on Taliban militants elsewhere in the eastern sector...
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Pakistani Tribesmen Fire At Suspected US Drone
30 October 2008
'', China View, 30 October 2008
EXCERPT: "Local tribesmen in northwestern Pakistan's tribal region on Thursday opened fire at the suspected U.S. drones, and forced them return back to Afghanistan, local television reported. The U.S. drones made flights in different parts of North Waziristan tribal agency, and the tribesmen targeted drones with heavy...
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Insurgents Increasingly Employing Complex Attacks
30 October 2008
'Insurgents Increasingly Employing Complex Attacks', The Christian Science Monitor, 30 October 2008
EXCERPT: "A suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a government ministry Thursday, killing at least five and injuring dozens. The attack is the latest in a series this year showing insurgents' ability to penetrate the capital using complicated and daring methods. 'Security in the capital is decreasing day by day,'...
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Mint Oil, Melons: Afghan Farm Fairs Spur Business
29 October 2008
'', The Associated Press, 29 October 2008
EXCERPT: "An agriculture fair in Kabul last year attracted 160,000 people. But this year the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. government aid arm that sponsors the fairs, pulled back the size of the event. Still, 50,000 people showed up to look at the 200 booths. Some 60 overseas buyers attended. The U.S. and Afghan...
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Afghanistan Troop Buildup Could More Than Double
29 October 2008
'', The Associated Press, 29 October 2008
EXCERPT: "Military planners now think they may need to send more than double the number of extra troops initially believed needed to help fight the war in Afghanistan. The buildup in the increasingly violent campaign could amount to more than 20,000 troops rather than the originally planned 10,000, two senior defense officials...
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