Archive | August, 2010

Petraeus tightens rules of engagement

U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, the recently appointed commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, has reportedly added further restrictions to the “rules of engagement” that govern the use of force by most international forces in Afghanistan (Jason Motlagh, “Petraeus Toughens Afghan Rules of Engagement,” Time, 6 August 2010). Most details of the new directive […]

Canadians still want out of Afghanistan

Almost 80 percent of Canadians want Canadian soldiers out of Afghanistan by the end of 2011, as currently scheduled, reports a recent Ipsos-Reid poll (Carmen Chai, “Canadians want to end Afghan mission by 2011, poll shows,” Postmedia News, 5 August 2010): “These numbers are very indicative of a public that is now, in their minds, […]

Ex-Pakistani spy chief says Afghanistan war cannot be won

A former head of Pakistani intelligence, Lt. Gen. Hamid Gul, has stated that the conflict in Afghanistan cannot be won. Gul, whose agency worked closely with the Taliban prior to the U.S. invasion and continues to maintain ties with the organization, argued in an interview with CNN that the U.S. presence in Afghanistan is “unjust” […]

BATTLE FOR KANDAHAR IS ON – Real News Network

In Afghanistan, the battle for Kandahar is on. That’s receiving strangely little attention in the American media—quite low-key if you compare it to other major American campaigns in Afghanistan. Joining us from England, from Essex, is Muhammad Junaid, who’s a research scholar studying the Pashtun nation. Thanks for joining us, Junaid.