Afghanistan

Elections Unlikely Barometer for Change in Afghanistan

While the outcome of the Afghan elections won't be known for a few days at best, (raw polling data collected by media outlets suggests Hamid Karzai winning 72% of the vote, with his closest rival, Abdullah Abdullah, at 23%, although the Afghan Electoral Complaints Commission has received 225 complaints about voting irregularities since August 20) senior members of the Obama administration deemed the August 20 presidential and provincial council elections in Afghanistan the "most important event of the year."

Posted in afghan occupation, Politics, Afghanistan

The Fog of War in Afghanistan

On Newsnight on 20 August 2009, while being interviewed by Gaven Esler, US General David Petraeus said that the Afghan war is "not a war of choice". He was echoing President Obama, Gordon Brown, British military officials and others.

Posted in War/Empire, Afghanistan

By How Many Days Can We Shorten This War?

Recently I watched the 2007 Lebanese film "Under the Bombs." The movie tells the story of the U.S.-supported Israeli invasion of Lebanon in the summer of 2006, wrapping the historical events inside a fictional narrative. Watching the movie reminded me of Just Foreign Policy's efforts with Jewish Voice for Peace and others to stop that war.

Posted in War/Empire, Afghanistan

Ballots and Bullets for Afghanistan

With only days to go before the election in Afghanistan, it looks like the fix is in. That's what most Afghans have been saying all along.

Posted in Politics, voting, War/Empire, women's rights, Afghanistan

Why Afghans Have No Hope in This Week's Vote

Like millions of Afghans, I have no hope in the results of this week’s election. In a country ruled by warlords, occupation forces, Taliban insurgency, drug money and guns, no one can expect a legitimate or fair vote.

Posted in Politics, voting, Afghanistan

US to Resume Training Georgian Troops

WASHINGTON — The United States is resuming a combat training mission in the former Soviet republic of Georgia to prepare its army for counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan, despite the risks of angering Posted in Afghanistan, central asia

US in Afghanistan for 'A Few Years'

The US defence secretary has said there is a possibility of an increased military presence in Afghanistan, but warned that such a move would stretch military resources and could lead to a possible Afghan backlash.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Robert Gates painted a bleak portrait of the prospects for the US mission in Afghanistan, noting that Taliban fighters had a firm hold on parts of the country and defeating them would take "a few years".

Posted in afghan exit, afghan occupation, Afghanistan

Afghanistan and the New Great Game

Why is Afghanistan so important?

A glance at a map and a little knowledge of the region suggest that the real reasons for Western military involvement may be largely hidden.

Afghanistan is adjacent to Middle Eastern countries that are rich in oil and natural gas. And though Afghanistan may have little petroleum itself, it borders both Iran and Turkmenistan, countries with the second and third largest natural gas reserves in the world. (Russia is first.)

Posted in Energy, Militarism, natural gas, oil, War/Empire, Afghanistan

When the Dead Have No Say

Official Washington is buzzing about "metrics." Can the war in Afghanistan be successful?

Don't ask the dead.

Days ago, under the headline "White House Struggles to Gauge Afghan Success," a New York Times story made a splash. "As the American military comes to full strength in the Afghan buildup, the Obama administration is struggling to come up with a long-promised plan to measure whether the war is being won."

Don't ask the dead. They don't count.

Posted in War/Empire, Afghanistan, Pakistan

The Guns of August and Afghanistan

Yes, yes, of course, everyone is talking about healthcare and the "mobs" of foes and supporters of reform confronting members of Congress during this month's House and Senate recess.

I'm with the small "d" democrats on this one: bring on the mobs.

The more citizens the merrier. The more raucous debate the better.

But let's also bring on the issues. All of them.

Healthcare is important. But its not the only challenge that Congress will have to deal with in the fall.

Posted in afghan exit, afghan occupation, Afghanistan