US Officials Grapple with New Plans on Taliban
02 February 2010
, The Canadian Press, 2 February 2010
EXCERPT: "Once considered so entwined that they were twin targets of a U.S. invasion, al-Qaida and elements of Afghanistan's Taliban are now being surgically separated, one careful stitch at a time. The move by the United Nations last week to remove five former Taliban members from its official sanctions list reflects...
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Afghanistan Invites New Iron Mine Bids over Transparency Issues
02 February 2010
Afghanistan Invites New Iron Mine Bids over Transparency Issues, Business Week, 2 February 2010
EXCERPT: "Afghanistan said it will start a new bidding process for one of the world's richest iron ore deposits to 'improve transparency' as it faces international pressure to crack down on corruption. 'Some evidence shows that the bidding process for the Hajigak iron ore deposit was not transparent,' Finance Ministry spokesman...
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Obama Seeks Aid Boost for Pakistan, Afghanistan
02 February 2010
Obama Seeks Aid Boost for Pakistan, Afghanistan, DAWN, 2 February 2010
EXCERPT: "In a document issued on Monday with the Obama administration's first $3.8 trillion budget, the White House described strengthening governance in Pakistan and Afghanistan as one of its high-priority goals. Under the title, 'High-priority performance goals,' the White House Office of Management and Budget stressed that 'strengthening Afghanistan's...
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German Army Withheld Information from US Pilots
02 February 2010
German Army Withheld Information from US Pilots, Spiegel Online, 1 February 2010
EXCERPT: "In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 4, 2009 bombing in Kunduz, Afghanistan -- which saw a German-ordered attack result in the deaths of up to 142 people, many of them civilians -- it quickly became clear that NATO rules of engagement may have been flouted. Now, SPIEGEL has learned that German commanders on the ground withheld important information...
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