Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban
30 July 2010
Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban, TIME, 30 July 2010
EXCERPT: "The Taliban pounded on the door just before midnight, demanding that Aisha, 18, be punished for running away from her husband's house. Her in-laws treated her like a slave, Aisha pleaded. They beat her. If she hadn't run away, she would have died. Her judge, a local Taliban commander, was unmoved. Aisha's brother-in-law held her down while her husband pulled out a knife....
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British Troops Launch Biggest Offensive of Summer in Afghanistan
30 July 2010
British Troops Launch Biggest Offensive of Summer in Afghanistan, The Daily Telegraph, 30 July 2010
EXCERPT: "Operation Tor Shezada, or Black Prince, began in the early hours of Friday with helicopters carrying soldiers deep into rebel-held territory in the southern tip of Nad-e-Ali district in Helmand. Their target is the town of Saidabad, which commanders said was the last part of British-garrisoned Nad-e-Ali which remains beyond...
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Afghans Riot After Deadly Accident
30 July 2010
Afghans Riot After Deadly Accident, Al Jazeera, 30 July 2010
EXCERPT: "Rioters in the Afghan capital have set fire to two US embassy vehicles shouting 'death to America' after one of the SUVs collided with a civilian car killing a number of passengers, officials and witnesses have said. Police fired into the air to disperse the crowd of angry Afghans who threw stones and chanted 'death to Karzai' in reference to Hamid...
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July is Deadliest Month for US Troops
30 July 2010
July is Deadliest Month for US Troops in Afghanistan, The Wall Street Journal, 30 July 2010
EXCERPT: "Homemade militant bombs killed three U.S. soldiers in southern Afghanistan, making July the deadliest month ever for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began, according to Icasualties.org. The three soldiers died in two separate blasts in southern Afghanistan Thursday, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, a spokesman for the North Atlantic...
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29 July 2010
Taliban Congratulates Netherlands for Pulling Soldiers Out, The Daily Telegraph, 29 July 2010
EXCERPT: "Almost 2,000 Dutch troops have been deployed in the Uruzgan region, where the Taliban is active and opium production is high. The final contingent of 250 Dutch soldiers will be withdrawn on Sunday, after strong domestic opposition to participation in the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force. Qari Yusuf Ahmadii, a Taliban spokesman,...
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Al Qaeda Maintains an Extensive Network in Afghanistan
29 July 2010
Analysis: Al Qaeda Maintains an Extensive Network in Afghanistan, The Long War Journal, 29 July 2010
EXCERPT: "On May 21 there was a suicide attack in Paktia province in Afghanistan that was initially claimed by the Taliban, but was later traced back to al Qaeda. The facts surrounding that strike and others, as well as information gleaned from US military press releases, paint a picture of al Qaeda that contradicts recent statements by top...
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29 July 2010
Drug Use, Poor Discipline Afflict Afghanistan's Army, The Wall Street Journal, 29 July 2010
EXCERPT: "Use of marijuana, opium and heroin among Afghan troops, even while on patrol, is just one of the challenges coalition forces face in working with the Afghan National Army as they begin a major push against the Taliban in and around the southern city of Kandahar. U.S. soldiers complain that poor discipline, drug use, a trigger-happy...
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For General Petraeus, Battling Corruption in Afghanistan is a Priority
29 July 2010
, The Washington Post, 29 July 2010
EXCERPT: "Every day, Gen. David H. Petraeus meets with senior NATO officials at headquarters for a 7:30 a.m. update, and at nearly every session, he returns to an issue that has bedeviled the U.S. campaign for years: Afghan corruption. In his first month on the job, Petraeus has intensified efforts to uncover the scope and mechanics of...
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War Logs Spark German Debate on Afghanistan Conflict
28 July 2010
War Logs Spark German Debate on Afghanistan Conflict, Spiegel Online, 28 July 2010
EXCERPT: "The publication of the Afghanistan war logs by WikiLeaks has sparked a new debate about Germany's involvement in the conflict. The Social Democrats are threatening to withhold support for an extension of the German mission's mandate if the government does not provide answers about alleged wrongdoings revealed in the secret reports. Speaking...
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Afghan Army Struggles with Ethnic Divisions
28 July 2010
, The Associated Press, 28 July 2010
EXCERPT: "The Afghan soldiers look like they belong. They wear beards, carry Soviet-era rifles and stride confidently through fields of wheat, melons and okra. In one village, a young girl brings them a jug of milk to drink under the shade of a tree. Officers in the U.S. Army routinely praise their Afghan partners: They know the culture, can relate to the villagers...
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