2007 AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN ARCHIVE :

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International Herald Tribune, 28 Dec 07, by Helene Cooper and Steven Lee Myers
Salvaging U.S. diplomacy amid division
'The assassination of Benazir Bhutto ... left in ruins the delicate diplomatic effort the Bush administration had pursued in the past year to reconcile Pakistan's deeply divided political factions. Now it is scrambling to sort through ever more limited options, as American influence on Pakistan's internal affairs continues to decline.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Dec 07, by Mark Sappenfield
As Pakistan lifts emergency rule, Musharraf eyes next step
'In six weeks of emergency rule, which was lifted on Saturday, Pakistan's president has tightened his hold on power.'

Los Angeles Times/AP, 13 Dec 07
Musharraf to end emergency rule Saturday
'President Pervez Musharraf will lift Pakistan's state of emergency Saturday, only after changing the constitution to ensure he cannot be hauled before a court, a senior official said, as lawyers held more protests against the retired general.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec 07, by Gordon Lubold
In Europe, Gates to push for NATO help in Afghanistan
'The deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan is putting new pressure on Defense Secretary Robert Gates to change course. Mr. Gates travels to Europe this week to ask NATO allies again for more troops to help fight what has become a classic insurgency in Afghanistan, saying he doesn't want to let allies off too easy.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Dec 07, by C.J. Chivers
Hunting the Taliban, finding sick children by the score
'Throughout early December a company of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division had patrolled throughout the Nawa district of Ghazni Province ... Each patrol was a foray into villages regarded as Taliban sanctuaries. Each began with tension and the possibility of violence. ... Once the villagers realized that the platoons were accompanied by medics, they pushed forward sick children and pleaded for help.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Nov 07, by Carlotta Gall
Musharraf sets a date for end of emergency rule in Pakistan
'Hours after being sworn in to a second five-year term Thursday, President Pervez Musharraf announced on television that he would lift Pakistan's state of emergency rule on Dec. 16.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Nov 07, by Gordon Lubold
A 'surge' for Afghanistan?
'A Marine proposal under discussion this week would redeploy troops from Iraq.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Nov 07, by Shahan Mufti
Planning for a Musharraf in civilian garb
'If he steps down as Army chief, Musharraf may find himself newly vulnerable to a hostile civilian politics.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Nov 07, by Eric Schmitt, Mark Mazzetti and Carlotta Gall
U.S. hopes to arm Pakistani tribes against Al Qaeda
'A new and classified American military proposal outlines an intensified effort to enlist tribal leaders in the frontier areas of Pakistan in the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, as part of a broader effort to bolster Pakistani forces against an expanding militancy, American military officials said.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Nov 07, by David E. Sanger and William J. Broad
In secret, U.S. aiding Pakistan in guarding nuclear arms
'Over the past six years, the Bush administration has spent almost $100 million so far on a highly classified program to help General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, secure his country's nuclear weapons, according to current and former senior administration officials.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov 07, by Shahan Mufti
In Pakistan, can Bhutto distance herself from Musharraf?
'As the former prime minister tries to unify the opposition to Pakistan's president, many wonder if her past dealings with him will make her unpopular.'

BBC News, 13 Nov 07
Huge Pakistan clampdown on Bhutto
'Police in Pakistan are mounting a massive security operation in Lahore, where opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been placed under house arrest.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Nov 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Washington envisions a Pakistan beyond Musharraf
'Despite enthusiasm from the White House, analysts are looking to the next best thing.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Nov 07, by Shahan Mufti
Pakistan's final arbiter: the Army
'The military is Musharraf's chief remaining constituency.'

BBC News, 13 Nov 07
Nato urged to end Afghan transfer
'Nato countries risk turning a blind eye to torture by continuing to transfer detainees to Afghan prisons, according to a report from Amnesty International.'

BBC News, 07 Nov 07
Bhutto issues Pakistan ultimatum
'Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has issued what correspondents say is an ultimatum to President Pervez Musharraf to end emergency rule.'

BBC News, 06 Nov 07, by Jonathan Beale
Pakistan crisis tests US policy
'... events in Pakistan have forced the president to weigh up his two key foreign policy commitments: fighting the "global war on terror" and his promise to spread democracy and freedom.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Nov 07, by Shahan Mufti and Mark Sappenfield
Emergency rule in Pakistan: Musharraf's last grab for power?
'Citing terrorism and an "activist" judiciary, the president says martial law will prevent the country from committing "suicide."'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Nov 07, by Shahan Mufti and Mark Sappenfield
Key leaders stay silent in Pakistan
'Two days after President Pervez Musharraf suspended Pakistan's stuttering transition to democracy by declaring a state of emergency and dismissing most of its Supreme Court, a familiar pattern has set in.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Nov 07, by Jane Perlez
Pakistani lawyers' anger grew as hope withered
'Behind the public rage of Pakistan's lawyers, who protested for a second day on Tuesday, lies a long-smoldering resentment toward the country's military president, who at first held out promise for educated, politically moderate Pakistanis, but steadily squandered their support.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Oct 07, by David Rohde
Foreign fighters of violent bent bolster Taliban
'... foreign fighters are not only bolstering the ranks of the insurgency. They are more violent, uncontrollable and extreme than even their locally bred allies, officials on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border warn. They are also helping to change the face of the Taliban from a movement of hard-line Afghan religious students into a loose network that now includes a growing number of foreign militants as well as disgruntled Afghans and drug traffickers.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct 07, by Mark Sappenfield
Pakistan's Army: Unprepared to tackle terrorism?
'Bowing to international pressure, President Pervez Musharraf has restarted an offensive in the remote tribal areas that are rapidly becoming a hub of global terrorism. Yet early indications are that, no matter who is in charge, the Pakistani Army is ill-suited – and perhaps incapable – of doing the job.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Oct 07, by Carlotta Gall
Qaeda link suspected in Pakistan blasts
'The explosions aimed at the opposition leader Benazir Bhutto last week resembled attacks by Al Qaeda and their allied Pakistani militants and were the work of two suicide bombers, the provincial governor said in an interview.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct 07, by Gordon Lubold
U.S. prods NATO over Afghan security
'Secretary Gates this week is expected to press the alliance to supply more trainers for the Afghan police and Army, a key to countering resurgent violence there.'

The Guardian, 16 Oct 07, by Peter Walker and agencies
Pakistan agrees border ceasefire, tribal elder says
'The deal would see soldiers end operations around the North Waziristan region in return for an assurance that local tribes would not let foreign militants base themselves in the area, said the head of a tribal council, Faizullah Khan.'

BBC News, 09 Oct 07, by M Ilyas Khan
Pakistan army's tribal quagmire
'During the last few months, military personnel have increasingly become targets of ambushes and kidnappings.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Oct 07, by Carlotta Gall
Heavy fighting reported in Pakistan
'In some of the heaviest fighting seen in Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani fighter jets bombed villages for the third day Tuesday as the authorities battled pro-Taliban militants.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Oct 07, by Kirk Semple and Tim Golden
U.S. renews bid to destroy opium poppies in Afghanistan
'After the biggest opium harvest in Afghanistan's history, American officials have renewed efforts to persuade the government here to begin spraying herbicide on opium poppies, and they have found some supporters within President Hamid Karzai's administration, officials of both countries said.'

Asia Times, 04 Oct 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
Taliban poised for a big push
'The Taliban's much-touted spring offensive went off like a damp squib, mainly because the Pakistani military squeezed militant bases and supply lines in the tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan. In recent weeks the militants have hit back hard, winning themselves valuable breathing space.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Oct 07, by Suzanna Koster
Pakistani Taliban besieged, but confident
'... many analysts and observers said that the peace agreement [between pro-Taliban militants and the Pakistani government] provided free cross-border movement for Taliban fighters, thereby increasing violence and instability.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Oct 07, by Scott Peterson
Struggle to unite Afghan tribes, one by one
'On a recent day, a US Army officer offered to build a school if two embattled tribes would make peace.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 01 Oct 07
U.S. offers rewards in new campaign against Taliban in Afghanistan
'The U.S. military has launched a new "Most Wanted" campaign offering rewards of up to US$200,000 for information leading to the capture of a dozen Taliban and al-Qaida leaders.'

Radio Free Europe, 26 Sep 07, by Ron Synovitz
Pakistan: How Are Domestic Crises Impacting War Against Terrorism?
An interview with Mark Schneider, vice president of the International Crisis Group think tank, about how recent crises in Pakistan are impacting the war against terrorism in neighboring Afghanistan.

Washington Post, 18 Sep 07, by Griff Witte
Panel Backs Musharraf Remaining Army Chief
'Election rules are changed as supreme court considers president's eligibility for new term.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 16 Sep 07
Foes of Musharraf join forces to sketch out strategy
'Opponents of General Pervez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan, were to meet Sunday to chalk out their strategy to topple what they called a dictatorship and prevent the military ruler from extending his eight years in power in alliance with the exiled former leader Benazir Bhutto.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Sep 07, by Mian Ridge
Deporting Sharif may weaken Pakistan's President Musharraf
'President Musharraf's handling of Sharif's return reveals the difficulty with which a key figure in the US war on terror must navigate the narrowing gap between keeping his tenuous hold on power and permitting a return to free elections.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Sep 07, by Scott Peterson
U.S. troops push Afghan elders to resist rebels
'After Operation Khyber, focus shifts to local governance.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Sep 07, by Judy Dempsey
German general to leave Afghan mission amid dispute
'The general commanding the European Union's police training mission in Afghanistan is returning to Germany three months after his appointment because of wrangling with the European Union, NATO and officials inside the Afghan Interior Ministry, senior Western diplomats in Kabul said Tuesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Sep 07, by Scott Peterson
US Army's strategy in Afghanistan: better anthropology
'Counterinsurgency efforts focus on better grasping and meeting local needs.'

Asia Times, 06 Sep 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
The Pakistani road to German terror
'The three men arrested in Germany this week on suspicion of planning "massive" attacks on US interests in the country have been linked to training camps in Pakistan. Their likely commander there is al-Qaeda's Abu Hanifah, who operates in the North Waziristan tribal area, where al-Qaeda has re-established itself and where the US would dearly like to strike.'

Asia Times, 05 Sep 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
Jihadis strike back at Pakistan
'With Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf and his military establishment on the brink of a US-inspired power-sharing agreement with exiled former premier Benazir Bhutto, the political landscape is being redrawn. Militants, including al-Qaeda, see the development as a threat to their survival in the country, and they plan to nip it in the bud. Tuesday's suicide bombings in Rawalpindi are a new salvo in a struggle in which the military might have to choose: Washington or the jihadis.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 03 Sep 07
Musharraf faces fading hopes as talks stall
'The government of Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf, still hopes to reach a power-sharing deal with Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister. But with talks stalled because of fierce opposition from the governing party, hopes are fading and Musharraf could be drifting toward his political demise.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Sep 07, by David Rohde
A short-lived victory over the Taliban
'Over the past six weeks, the Taliban have driven government forces out of roughly half of a strategic area in southern Afghanistan that U.S. and NATO officials declared a success story last fall in their campaign to clear out insurgents and make way for development programs, Afghan officials say.'

BBC News, 03 Sep 07, by Paul Danahar
Taleban 'getting Chinese weapons'
'Britain has privately complained to Beijing that Chinese-made weapons are being used by the Taleban to attack British troops in Afghanistan.'

Asia Times, 31 Aug 07, by M K Bhadrakumar
Gridlock on Pakistan's road to change
'The US-and-British-inspired plan of twinning President General Pervez Musharraf and former premier Benazir Bhutto in a power-sharing deal is aimed at putting Pakistan on the road to becoming a enlightened, moderate Muslim country. Nawaz Sharif, another former prime minister, presents a formidable roadblock.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Aug 07, by Carlotta Gall and Salman Masood
Musharraf said to agree to end his army role
'The exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said Wednesday that Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf, had agreed to resign as army chief as part of a nearly completed deal that would allow him to serve another term as president if he is re-elected and allow her to return to Pakistan to run for prime minister.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug 07, by Robert Marquand
With Taliban's release of Korean Christian hostages, caution for missionaries
'Aid groups working abroad are rethinking their operations in the wake of the six-week ordeal.'

Asia Times, 28 Aug 07, by Jason Motlagh
Afghan police fight to survive
'After losing hundreds of fighters in direct confrontations with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces last summer, the Taliban are increasingly using suicide and hit-and-run tactics in what appears to be a broad campaign against a beleaguered Afghan police force that is yielding record casualties this year.'

The Guardian, 16 Aug 07, by Fred Attewill and agencies
US plans Pakistan power-sharing deal
'The United States is secretly urging Pakistan's embattled president, General Pervez Musharraf, to share power with Benazir Bhutto as a means of shoring up his authority, it has been reported. Although Gen Musharraf is a key ally in the fight against al-Qaida, the White House is understood to be increasingly concerned at his precarious hold on power ...'

Washington Post/Reuters, 14 Aug 07, by Augustine Anthony, Reuters
Pakistan celebrates independence amid security fears
'Pakistan celebrated 60 years of independence from British rule on Tuesday with flag-raising ceremonies and fireworks but political troubles for a pro-U.S. president and fears of militant violence subdued festivities in several cities.'

Washington Post/AP, 14 Aug 07, by Jason Straziuso, AP
In Kabul, Musharraf Warns of Regional Extremism
'Working to soothe relations with neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistan's president said Sunday that a "particularly dark form" of terrorism confronts the region, while tribal leaders called for engaging in dialogue with the Taliban to confront extremism.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Aug 07, by Shahan Mufti
Karzai, Musharraf try to reconcile at 'peace jirga'
'Pakistani and Afghan leaders discussed security Sunday at a tribal meeting in Kabul.'

Washington Post, 13 Aug 07, by Pamela Constable
Unearthing Anguish In a Troubled Land
'Scores of mass graves have been discovered across Afghanistan, holding victims of decades of repression and war. The government has been loath to act, but relatives for the first time are shedding their fear and demanding justice.'

Asia Times, 10 Aug 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
Taliban a step ahead of US assault
'Almost overnight, dozens of Taliban and al-Qaeda bases and training camps in Pakistan have become deserted. Key commanders have relocated to other parts of Pakistan and to Afghanistan ahead of an expected attack by US and Pakistani forces. The Taliban are ready for a fight, but on battlegrounds of their choosing. Islamabad does not relish the prospect.'

The Independent, 10 Aug 07, by Omar Waraiche in Islamabad and Andrew Buncombe
Musharraf's woes spark fears of state of emergency in Pakistan
'The government of General Pervez Musharraf last night backed away from imposing a state of emergency amid a dramatic flurry of reports and speculation that highlighted the mounting political crisis facing Pakistan's leader.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug 07, by Dan Murphy
Rifts emerge between Musharraf and allies as rumors of emergency swirl
'Opposition leaders say such a move would only deepen the country's political crisis.'

Pakistan Dawn, 10 Aug 07, by Anwar Iqbal
US played role in decision reversal
'The United States played a key role in steering President Pervez Musharraf away from declaring a state of emergency in Pakistan and the acknowledgement of this role came from no less a person than President George W. Bush himself who urged the Pakistani leader to focus on free and fair elections in his country.'

Globe and Mail, 10 Aug 07, by Paul Koring
Bush prods Pakistan to hunt for al-Qaeda
'As nuclear-armed Pakistan slips closer to crisis, with mounting domestic unrest, continuing suspicions that military dictator Pervez Musharraf is tacitly tolerating Taliban cross-border operations into Afghanistan and no hint of a return to democracy, Mr. Bush prodded his ally to action.'

International Herald Tribun/AP, 09 Aug 07, by
U.S. battles increase in Afghan poppy harvest
'The Bush administration unveiled a multimillion-dollar strategy Thursday to fight soaring poppy production in Afghanistan amid concerns that the growth might be linked with the Taliban insurgency.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug 07, by Mark Sappenfield
Afghan business thrives on Iran's border
'Herat's business success has become a model of what Afghanistan can become.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Aug 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Bush differs with Karzai on Iran
'Iran has sent workers to Afghanistan to provide aid to villages, but American officials contend that Tehran is also funneling weapons into the country. Bush has long viewed Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, and is deeply suspicious of its nuclear ambitions, a view he reiterated Monday even as he said he was "willing to listen" to Karzai's position.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Aug 07, by Carlotta Gall
British troops report gains in Afghanistan
'The British Army compound here in a drug lord's former villa, with its sandbagged windows, lookout posts and shrapnel-scarred walls, is a reminder that until just a few weeks ago, Sangin was one of the most dangerous towns in Afghanistan's most dangerous province, Helmand.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 05 Aug 07
2007 Afghan poppy harvest headed for record levels
'... divisions within the U.S. administration and among NATO allies delayed the release of a $475 million counternarcotics program for Afghanistan, where intelligence officials see growing links between drugs and the Taliban, the officials said.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by Choe Sang-Hun
Anger tempers sympathy for South Korean hostages
'As the South Korean hostage crisis drags on into a third week, sympathy here for the 21 people remaining in Taliban captivity in Afghanistan has been tempered by anger over their decision to travel to such a dangerous region.'

Washington Post, 31 Jul 07, by Griff Witte
Pakistani Premier 'Disappointed' by U.S. Pressure
'Pakistan will do what it takes to eliminate extremists operating in the country for its own sake, not because of rising pressure from the United States, according to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.'

Washington Post, 26 Jul 07, by Walter Pincus and Joby Warrick
Strike by U.S. in Pakistan Is an Option, Officials Say
'Top Pentagon and State Department officials said yesterday that U.S. Special Forces would enter Pakistan if they had specific intelligence about an impending terrorist strike against the United States, despite warnings from the Pakistani government that it would not accept U.S. troops operating independently inside its borders.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jul 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Can US woo Al Qaeda's own haven?
'Despite the blustery talk from the White House about "all options being on the table" for dealing with Al Qaeda in Pakistan, the thrust of US plans is more about winning "hearts and minds" and less about unilateral military intervention.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jul 07, by Mark Sappenfield
Taliban move closer to Kabul
'The South Korean kidnapping brings to 60 the number of people taken in one Afghan province since April.'

Washington Post, 23 Jul 07, by Griff Witte and Imtiaz Ali
Fighting Intensifies In Pakistani Tribal Area
'Fighting intensified between the Pakistani army and insurgents in a volatile tribal area near the Afghan border Sunday, a week after the collapse of a controversial cease-fire.'

Washington Post, 23 Jul 07, by Griff Witte and Javed Hamdard
Taliban Site Surrounded, Afghans Say
'Afghan security forces on Sunday surrounded the location where Taliban fighters are suspected to be holding 23 South Korean hostages and were prepared to launch an operation if negotiations broke down, Afghan officials said.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Jul 07, by Barry Bearak
Confusion pervades Afghanistan hostage ordeals
'... little seems certain except that in traditional Afghan fashion, tribal elders have become involved as go-betweens in trying to broker a solution.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Jul 07, by Shahan Mufti
Is democracy 'reborn' in Pakistan?
'The decision on Friday to reinstate Pakistan's Supreme Court Chief Justice is a victory for democracy, but the euphoria around the decision may be premature.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jul 07, by Brian Knowlton
U.S. won't bar attack on Qaeda in Pakistan
'The United States would consider using military force inside Pakistan if it identified key Qaeda targets there, a White House official said Sunday, prompting the Pakistani foreign minister to reject such talk as "irresponsible."'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Jul 07, by Salman Masood
U.S. military options draw a chorus of protests in Pakistan
'American assertions that military action remained an option to quell militants in Pakistan's frontier regions drew mounting protests from the government and its critics here on Monday, as clashes continued in the tribal areas where the United States says Al Qaeda has been allowed to set up a safe haven.'

Washington Post, 20 Jul 07, by Griff Witte
Deadly Violence Spreads in Pakistan
'The wave of violence that has gripped Pakistan in recent days spread to new parts of the country and featured more ferocious tactics Thursday, with suicide bombers targeting a mosque, a police academy and a convoy of Chinese engineers in attacks that killed more than 50 people.'

Washington Post, 19 Jul 07, by Griff Witte and Kamran Khan
Army Plans Offensive in Pakistan's Northwest
'The Pakistani army fought pitched battles with militants Wednesday in a restive tribal area bordering Afghanistan following an insurgent assault that killed 17 troops.'

Asia Times, 20 Jul 07, by Ashfaq Yusufzai
One crisis after another for Pakistan
'Security personnel in Pakistan's tribal areas - where suicide bombings have claimed scores of lives in the past week - are becoming increasingly demoralized, to the point of quitting. Adding to the government's woes, its judicial crisis just won't go away.'

The New Yorker, 23 Jul 07 issue, by William Dalrymple
Days of Rage
'It is not just the violent Islamists of the Lal Masjid [Red Mosque] who have taken advantage of President Musharraf"s predicament. The country's powerful religious parties have also tried to use the turbulence for their own ends.'

Asia Times, 17 Jul 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
Pakistan struggles with damage control
'With scores of its personnel already killed, the Pakistani military establishment is doing its best to defuse reaction to the crackdown on Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad. The emergence of a loosely interlaced network of underground militants across the country makes the task all but impossible.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Jul 07, by Ismail Khan
Pakistan to try diplomacy in tribal regions near Afghanistan
'In hopes of restoring a fragile peace with militant groups in the region along its border with Afghanistan, the Pakistani government dispatched a team of tribal elders there on Monday to meet with leaders of the groups.'

Washington Post, 12 Jul 07, by Griff Witte
Pakistani Forces Kill Last Holdouts in Red Mosque
'About 36 hours after they stormed the Red Mosque in a blaze of gunfire, Pakistani security forces on Wednesday killed the last remaining radicals and took on the grim task of recovering the casualties of a fierce, close-combat battle that left more than 80 people dead.'

Washington Post, 13 Jul 07, by Griff Witte
Mosque Siege Exposes Rift In 'Mullah-Military' Alliance
'The alliance between the military and the religious establishment has long had a stranglehold on power here, with each side using the other to advance its own aims and cement its own influence. But the showdown at the Red Mosque, which lasted nine days and cost more than 100 lives before army commandos declared victory over extremist fighters, demonstrates that the so-called mullah-military alliance may be fast unraveling.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Jul 07, by Salman Masood
Musharraf defends raid that ended Red mosque siege
'President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday defended the raid on the Red Mosque here, which ended Wednesday, as necessary, prompted by intransigent militants who had "challenged the writ of the government." As relatives buried the dead from the siege, three suicide bombers struck in the country's fractious tribal area in the north.'

BBC News, 13 Jul 07, by Pam O'Toole
Afghan police 'under-equipped'
'A senior American army officer in Afghanistan says that only about 40% of the police force is properly equipped.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Jul 07, by Salman Masood and Somini Sengupta
Up to 50 militants dead as Pakistani military storms mosque
'Loud explosions rocked the Pakistani capital today as security forces fought intensely with militants holed up in a sprawling mosque compound in the heart of the capital. After 10 hours of fighting, 8 security forces and roughly 50 presumed militants were dead, according to the military. Roughly two dozen children, whom the army said were being held hostage, escaped.'

BBC News 10 Jul 07, by M. Ilyas Khan
Siege consequences for Musharraf
'Pakistan's military ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf, has often been accused of tolerating elements in the military and the intelligence services who are known to maintain ideological and strategic links with the country's Islamic militants.'

New York Times, 08 Jul 07, by Mark Mazzetti
U.S. Aborted Raid on Qaeda Chiefs in Pakistan in '05
'A secret military operation in early 2005 to capture senior members of Al Qaeda in Pakistan's tribal areas was aborted at the last minute after top Bush administration officials decided it was too risky and could jeopardize relations with Pakistan, according to intelligence and military officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Jul 07, by Barry Bearak
Education in Afghanistan: A harrowing choice
'With their teacher absent, 10 students were allowed to leave school early. These were the girls the gunmen saw first, 10 easy targets walking hand-in-hand through the blue metal gate and on to the winding dirt road.'

The Economist, 05 Jul 07
A mosque red with blood
'Pakistan finally cracks down on a group of Islamist extremists.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Jul 07, by Behroz Khan and David Montero
Pakistan's Taliban fight each other
'It's not only the Pakistani military and the occasional US Predator drone that has Pakistan-based Taliban looking over their shoulders these days. As a sharp internal rift emerges over attacks on civilians, some are now turning their guns on each other.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Jul 07, by Jane Perlez and Ismail Khan
Taliban militancy could engulf Pakistan, Musharraf is warned
'Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf, was warned this month that Islamic militants and Taliban fighters were rapidly spreading beyond the country's lawless tribal areas and that without "swift and decisive action," the growing militancy could engulf the rest of the country.'

Asia Times, 05 Jul 07, by Michael Scheuer
Al-Qaeda's new talent in Afghanistan
'Al-Qaeda's late-May naming of Mustafa Ahmed Muhammad Uthman Abu al-Yazid as the "general leader" of the group's activities in Afghanistan shows that Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri believe that helping the Taliban win the Afghan war is a top priority.'

Washington Post, 05 Jul 07, by Colum Lynch
U.N., U.S. Actions Sometimes at Odds On Afghan Policy
'... [Abdul Hakim] Monib's case underscores how U.S.-sponsored sanctions in the United Nations can backfire, placing American and NATO commanders in Afghanistan in the awkward position of potentially violating U.N. resolutions by funding programs that benefit Monib [who is also on a U.N. list of suspected international terrorists].'

BBC/PRI 'The World', 03 Jul 07
Taliban Resurgence
'Across Afghanistan, bloodshed has returned to levels not seen since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. About 35,000 coalition troops and another 10,000 US-led ones have been battling to reduce violence and boost the authority of President Hamid Karzai. Violence has surged since the beginning of spring.'

Forbes/AP, 01 Jul 07, by Jason Straziuso
Civilian Bloodshed Clouds Afghan Effort
'U.S. and NATO commanders say they have blunted the Taliban's threatened spring offensive, killing almost 40 commanders and 2,000 insurgents. But suicide bombings and civilian deaths inflicted by international forces are all on the rise, threatening to derail the five-year mission to pacify and rebuild Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 02 Jul 07, by
NATO chief says the alliance must do everything to avoid civilian casualties in Afghanistan
'NATO must do everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties in Afghanistan, the alliance's chief said Tuesday, amid growing concerns over the killing of innocent people by NATO forces.'

The New Yorker, 09 Jul 07 issue, by Jon Lee Anderson
The Taliban's Opium War
'The difficulties and dangers of the eradication program.'

Stars and Stripes, 29 Jun 07, by Monte Morin
Anti-tank mines force GIs to go off-roading
'Taliban's weapon of choice makes dirt roads dangerous'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jun 07, by Carlotta Gall
Grumbling in the army bodes ill for Musharraf
'If and when the army feels it is being damaged by its association with Musharraf, and his insistence on retaining the dual posts of president and chief of army staff, it will act to safeguard the reputation of the army, [commentators] say.'

Washington Post, 29 Jun 07, by Griff Witte
Afghans Face a Loss of Health Care
Medical Teams Scale Back As Attacks on Them Rise 'Just as violence is heating up, with civilian casualties rapidly escalating, the health-care system is breaking down, according to Afghan and international medical experts.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Jun 07, by C.J. Chivers
Taliban terror attacks due to frustration, Karzai argues
'Taliban insurgents have shifted their tactics to rely more on terrorist attacks in part out of frustration with their flagging insurgency campaign, according to President Hamid Karzai and the commander of American military forces in Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 21 Jun 07
Pakistan expanding nuclear program, U.S. group says
'Satellite images show that Pakistan is building a new nuclear reactor that can produce weapons-grade plutonium, an American watchdog group said Thursday, warning that it could contribute to an atomic arms race with archrival India.'

BBC News, 19 Jun 07
Taleban capture Afghan district
'Taleban rebels have captured a district in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar after days of fierce fighting. Afghan forces say they pulled out of Myanishen district as a tactical move.'

Washington Post, 19 Jun 07, by Griff Witte and Javed Hamdard
Dozens Die In NATO's Offensive in Afghanistan
'Dozens of people have died in intense fighting in recent days as NATO-led forces have opened a new front in Afghanistan's volatile south, Afghan and international security officials said Monday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jun 07, by Mark Sappenfield and David Montero
Could Pakistan fall to extremists?
'Analysts say Washington's fears that Islamic extremists will take control of Pakistan are overblown.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Jun 07, by David Rohde
Pakistan and democracy a precarious mix for U.S.
'Tens of thousands of pro-Western moderates took to the streets of Pakistan recently and demanded an end to military rule. ... Before the Iraq war, the United States might have welcomed such a vigorous call for democracy. But with the war faltering, Bush administration officials, and some Democratic presidential candidates as well, are reacting with caution, fearing that democracy could be a recipe for instability. While the country's military has a mixed record, they fear change, however well-intentioned, could endanger U.S. security.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Jun 07, by Thom Shanker
Gates says Taliban arms shipments are linked to Iran
'The flow of weapons from Iran to Taliban fighters in Afghanistan has reached such large quantities as to suggest that the shipments are taking place with the knowledge of the government in Tehran, the Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 14 Jun 07
Afghan defense minister rejects U.S. claims that Iran is arming Taliban
'On Wednesday, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Paris that Tehran was directly supplying weapons to the Taliban. He told CNN television there was "irrefutable evidence" that arms shipments were coming from Iran's government. The State Department later appeared to step back from Burns' assertion, but stressed that the U.S. had proof that weapons from Iran were reaching Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jun 07, by Gordon Lubold
US Congress urges military to tackle Afghan opium
'Destroying the nation's mainstay crop could complicate US troops' efforts to win hearts and minds.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 04 Jun 07
Iranian weapons going to Afghan rebels, Gates says
'Iranian weapons have begun flowing into Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates of the United States said Monday, but he and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan agreed that involvement by the Iranian government could not be proved.'

Washington Post, 04 Jun 07, by Griff Witte
As TV Coverage Feeds Protests, Musharraf Reacts
'Pakistan might be in the midst of its first televised revolution. For nearly three months, a handful of fledgling independent stations have been broadcasting minute-by-minute coverage of what at first seemed a relatively obscure issue: the suspension of Pakistan's chief judge by the president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Since then, Pakistanis nationwide have been transfixed by live coverage of police beating lawyers, pro-Musharraf groups firing assault rifles at demonstrators and the chief justice speaking to ever-larger and more boisterous audiences about the dangers of autocratic rule.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Jun 07, by Carlotta Gall
Exiled leader considers political return to Pakistan
'Threatened with arrest, dogged by corruption charges, Bhutto has sat out the last eight years in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai, while still leading what is arguably the country's largest party with nationwide support, the Pakistan People's Party. In that time, she has seen Musharraf, her former chief of military operations, seize power in a coup. She has watched the political turmoil build here as Pakistanis grow restless under military rule, galvanized most recently by Musharraf's ouster of the Supreme Court's chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.'

Washington Post, 28 May 07, by Griff Witte
Teetering Musharraf Buoyed by U.S. Alliance
'Pakistani Leader Wins Administration Praise Despite Move Away From Democracy'

International Herald Tribune, 23 May 07, by Carlotta Gall
Musharraf urged to change course or risk losing power
'After a series of political blunders in the last two months, the president of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, is being advised by his political supporters to make a dramatic change of course or risk losing power amid more chaos and bloodshed.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 21 May 07, by Brian Knowlton, AP
Bush seeks more NATO effort in Afghanistan
'Facing a resilient Taliban and fury in Afghanistan over civilian casualties, President George W. Bush pressed NATO on Monday to remain present and relevant there, while the visiting NATO secretary general said he would do his best to maintain alliance unity.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 May 07, by David Montero
Afghan refugee crisis brewing
'Home to 3 million refugees, Iran and Pakistan are intensifying efforts to send them home. Experts say it will be 'disastrous' for Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 May 07, by Salman Masood
Pakistani media fear government pressure on coverage of crisis
'... journalists here and international media watchdog groups say that press freedom has been steadily declining in Pakistan over the past few years.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 07, by David Montero
On border, Pakistan-Afghan tensions erupt in gunfire
'At a time when they are supposed to be targeting their common enemy, the Taliban, Pakistani and Afghan border troops instead turned their guns on each other near Paktia Province on Sunday ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 May 07, by Rachel Morarjee and Mark Sappenfield
Death of Taliban chief leaves void
The killing of charismatic Taliban leader Mullah Dadullah on Sunday in a US-led operation may cripple the insurgent group.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 May 07, by Carlotta Gall and David E. Sanger
Afghan civilian deaths damaging NATO
'Scores of civilian deaths over the past months from the heavy U.S. and allied reliance on airstrikes to battle Taliban insurgents are threatening popular support for the Afghan government and creating severe strains within the NATO alliance.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 May 07, by Salman Masood
Violence in Karachi puts more pressure on Musharraf
'A day after political clashes claimed 39 lives in Karachi, analysts said the violence — and accusations that the government had done little to stop the killings — had put renewed pressure on the president, General Pervez Musharraf.'

StrategyPage, 14 May 07
A Good Career Move
'In a major setback, the senior Taliban field commander, Mullah Dadullah, was cornered and killed by NATO forces in Helmand province over the weekend. NATO and Afghan troops have been chasing Dadullah around southern Afghanistan for a month. Dadullah knew he was being tracked, and his pursuers knew he was trying to get to safety in Pakistan. This time, Dadullah didn't make it.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 May 07, by Eoin O'Carroll
Afghan lawmakers urge ceasefire, talks with Taliban
'Amid claims of mounting civilian deaths, including an official tally of 21 civilians killed in a US-led airstrike, the upper house of Afghanistan's legislature passed a motion Tuesday calling for a military ceasefire and negotiations with the Taliban.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 May 07, by Rachel Morarjee
Revived Taliban restrict Afghan aid effort
'A spike in attacks in the southern provinces has restricted aid agencies to major cities at a time when NATO says it's crucial to deliver better services.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 May 07, by Abdul Waheed Wafa and Carlotta Gall
Kabul is moving to curb independent news media
'The government of Afghanistan, competing with the Taliban for public support and trying to fend off accusations that it is corrupt and ineffective, is moving to curb one of its own most impressive achievements: the country's flourishing independent news media.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 May 07, by Carlotta Gall
Death toll disputed from airstrike in Afghanistan
'The death toll of civilians killed in an airstrike by foreign forces Tuesday was much higher than the official figure of 21, and may be as high as 80, according to residents reached by telephone.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 May 07, by Abdul Waheed Wafa and Carlotta Gall
Afghan media face threat of controls
'Afghanistan's government, competing with the Taliban for public support and trying to fend off accusations that it is corrupt and ineffective, is moving to curb one of its own most impressive achievements: the country's flourishing independent news media.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 May 07, by David Montero
Report: Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan aided Iran
'The jury is still out as to whether Pakistan's nuclear proliferation network, run by scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, is truly dead. But evidence presented this week, by the London-based think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), suggests it is not and raises new questions about how that network accommodated Iran's nuclear ambitions.'

New York Times, 23 Apr 07, by Christopher Mason
After Deadly Week, Canada Debates Role in Afghanistan
'The recent deaths of nine soldiers have increased fears that Canada does not have specific goals in Afghanistan.'

New York Times, 20 Apr 07, by Paul von Zielbauer
Killings of Afghan Civilians Recall Haditha
'After it became clear last year that several marines had killed 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq, following an attack on their convoy of Humvees, the Marine Corps, which had initially played down the massacre, began an offensive of a different kind. ... But almost a year later, marines killed at least 10 civilians in Afghanistan in an episode that bore some striking similarities to the Haditha killings and suggested that the lesson had not taken, even in a platoon of combat veterans wearing the badge of the elite new Marine Corps Special Operations forces.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Apr 07, by Michael R. Gordon
U. S. reports capturing Iranian-made weapons bound for Taliban
'A shipment of Iranian-made weapons bound for the Taliban was recently captured by allied forces in Afghanistan, the Pentagon's top officer said. It was the first time that a senior American official had asserted that Iranian-made weapons were being supplied to the Taliban. But General Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday that it was not clear if the Iranian government had authorized the shipment.'

BBC News, 19 Apr 07
Afghanistan 'border fence' clash
'Afghan troops have torn down part of a new anti-Taleban fence being erected by Pakistan on the border between the two countries, officials in Kabul say.'

Asia Times, 18 Apr 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
A dose of democracy for Pakistan
'Al-Qaeda's resurgence and its new modus operandi through home-grown militant groups in the Muslim world has gone a long way toward prompting Washington to revise its approach to the "war on terror". In this, the promotion of democracy and social reform plays a significant part in confronting al-Qaeda.'

BBC News, 16 Apr 07
Tribe in Pakistan security plea
'One of the main tribes in Pakistan's tense border region with Afghanistan has urged Islamabad to resume control of law and order in the area.'

Washington Post, 15 Apr 07, by Ann Scott Tyson and Josh White
Marines Killed Civilians, U.S. Says
'A preliminary U.S. military investigation indicates that more than 40 Afghans killed or wounded by Marines after a suicide bombing in a village near Jalalabad last month were civilians, the U.S. commander who ordered the probe said yesterday.'

BBC News, 16 Apr 07, by Mark Dummett
Civilians 'main Afghan victims'
'Civilians have been the main victims of insurgent attacks in Afghanistan in the past 15 months, a study has revealed.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Apr 07, by Farah Stockman, The Boston Globe
On the streets of Kabul, a scramble to make money
'Five and a half years after the U.S.-led war toppled the Taliban government, and two years after historic parliamentary elections, the sense of euphoria here has worn off, replaced by the daily struggle to make ends meet and the search for the ever-elusive better life. As a competitive economy awakens in one of the world's poorest countries, the residents of Kabul are jockeying to get ahead in a city flush with cash from U.S. soldiers, foreign aid workers, new investors, members of Parliament and drug traffickers.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 09 Apr 07
Australia to nearly double military deployment in Afghanistan
'[Prime Minister John] Howard, a staunch U.S. ally on the war on terror, would not rule out sending even more than 1,000 troops if the need arose. He said that Afghanistan was becoming more dangerous and that the Australian public should prepare for possible casualties.'

Toronto Star, 10 Apr 07, by Rosie DiManno
Injured soldier kept cool
'Six mates lying dead around him, blood gushing from both his legs and one arm, yet this severely injured Canadian soldier had the presence of mind to direct his own triage.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Apr 07, by C. J. Chivers
Dutch soldiers stress restraint in Afghanistan
'... in Uruzgan Province, where the Taliban operate openly, a Dutch-led task force has mostly shunned combat. Its counterinsurgency tactics emphasize efforts to improve Afghan living conditions and self-governance, rather than hunting the Taliban's fighters.'

Houston Chronicle/AP, 05 Apr 07, by Denis D. Gray, AP
The 'lost platoon' in Afghanistan
'U.S. soldiers, scarce in numbers, are trying to secure a stronghold'

Stars and Stripes, 06 Apr 07, by Lisa Burgess
Pace: NATO begins Afghan offensive
'NATO's spring offensive against the Taliban has begun in Afghanistan, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, said Thursday.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Apr 07, by Somini Sengupta
As Musharraf's woes grow, enter an old rival, again
'Benazir Bhutto, a former prime minister and the leader of the Pakistan People's Party who has lived in exile since 1999, ... has suggested that as an elected leader, she would be more credible in selling antiterrorism efforts to the public than Musharraf, who has been criticized by Washington for a mixed record in combating the Taliban and Al Qaeda within Pakistan's borders.'

Ohmy News, 06 Apr 07, by Umer Farooq
Pakistan-India to Discuss Military Conflict
'Pakistani and Indian defense officials will be meeting in Rawalpindi, the seat of Pakistan's military command, to resolve the military conflict over Siachen Glacier, where the armies of the two nuclear rivals have engaged in combat over the last two decades.'

Washington Post, 02 Apr 07, by Griff Witte
Battle Brews Over Rule By Military In Pakistan
'The controversy that began March 9 when Musharraf suspended the nation's chief justice is shaping up to be a much broader contest in Pakistan between civilian and military rule.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Pakistan: US ally, US dilemma
'President Musharraf's power plays, once tolerated, are now raising concerns in Washington.'

Asia Times, 22 Mar 07, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
Shaky Musharraf holds only the military card
'As a judicial crisis and consequent political storm escalate in Pakistan, President General Pervez Musharraf and his army face a stark choice: whether or not to use the military to suppress rioting that has so far raged out of control. Neither option bodes well for the man who will soon seek democratic re-election to the presidency.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar 07, by Arthur Bright
Pro-Taliban tribesmen battle Al Qaeda-linked militants in Pakistan
'Two days of fighting have left at least 58 dead in the South Waziristan region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar 07, by David Montero
Islamabad street protests threaten Musharraf's power
'President Pervez Musharraf's immediate threat may no longer be militants, or nuclear rival India, or an American Congress that is increasingly skeptical of the general's rate of return when it comes to the US-led war on terrorism. This week, it is the ordinary citizens laying siege to his regime that could be more potent than any other threat, analysts say.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Mar 07, by Carlotta Gall
Islamic militants increasingly targeting Pakistan
'Along the Afghan border, not far from this northwestern city, Islamic militants have used a firm foothold over the past year to train and dispatch suicide bombers against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. But in recent weeks the suicide bombers have turned on Pakistan itself, carrying out six attacks and killing 35 people. Militant leaders have threatened to unleash scores more, in effect opening a new front in their war.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Mar 07, by Mark Mazzetti
Just how delicately must U.S. treat Musharraf?
'For years, the notion that Musharraf is all that stands between Washington and a group of nuclear- armed mullahs has dictated just how far the White House feels it can push him to root out Al Qaeda and Taliban operatives who enjoy a relatively safe existence in Pakistan. The specter of Islamic radicals overthrowing Musharraf has also limited the Bush administration's policy options, taking off the table any ideas about U.S. military strikes against a resurgent Qaeda, which has camps in Pakistani tribal areas.'

The Hindu, 08 Mar 07, by Nirupama Subramanian
India, Pakistan to share information
'The first meeting of the India-Pakistan joint anti-terror mechanism ended here on Wednesday with both sides agreeing to exchange information that would help each other in investigation and prevent terrorist acts.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Mar 07, by Mark Sappenfield
The Afghan guard who stops suicide bombers
'A gatekeeper's resolve has earned him the nickname 'Rambo' at a US base in Kabul.'

The Independent, 08 Mar 07, by Peter Popham
Taliban claims kidnapped Italian reporter was spying for Britain
'The military chief of the Talian claimed yesterday that the Italian war correspondent captured in Afghanistan's Helmand Province on Monday had confessed he was spying for the British.'

BBC News, 06 Mar 07
Nato in major anti-Taleban drive
'Nato and Afghan forces have begun what they say is their largest offensive against the Taleban in the south. Operation Achilles will eventually involve more than 4,500 Nato troops and nearly 1,000 Afghan soldiers in Helmand province, the alliance says.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Mar 07, by Peter Grier
Where does Al Qaeda stand now?
'Experts say the terrorist network has rebuilt in Pakistan with inexperienced leaders and murky goals.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Mar 07, by David Montero
Pakistan walks fine line with capture of high-level Taliban leader
'The unconfirmed arrest on Friday of the Taliban's former defense minister, Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, could backfire for Islamabad, analysts here say, offering the most salient evidence to date of what Pakistan has long denied: that its soil is a sanctuary for Taliban leaders and their fighters.'

Washington Post, 03 Mar 07, by Griff Witte and Kamran Khan
Arrest in Pakistan Spurs Hope of Stronger Effort
'The arrest of a senior Taliban leader in a Pakistani city long reputed to be a haven for the group kindled guarded hope among Western and Afghan security officials Friday that the government here plans to move more aggressively against insurgents taking refuge on its territory.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Feb 07, by David E. Sanger
Attack on U.S. base puts spotlight on threat in Afghanistan
'The audacity of a suicide-bomb attack at the gates of the main U.S. base in Afghanistan during a visit by Vice President Dick Cheney underscores why President George W. Bush sent him there -- a deepening U.S. concern that the Taliban and Al Qaeda are resurgent.'

National Review Online, 28 Feb 07, by James S. Robbins
The Bagram Bombing
'Afghanistan is sometimes referred to as the forgotten front in the War on Terrorism, but it was brought firmly back into focus this week after a failed bombing attack said to be aimed at Vice President Cheney during a surprise state visit.'

Washington Post/AP, 01 Mar 07, by Jason Straziuso, AP
Threat to Bagram Was Known
'Intelligence reports indicated that the Taliban had the ability to carry out suicide attacks near the main U.S. base in Afghanistan even before a deadly bombing during a visit by Vice President Cheney, NATO said Wednesday.'

Washington Post, 28 Feb 07, by Griff Witte
Bombing Near Cheney Displays Boldness of Resurgent Taliban
'... the attack demonstrated that insurgents in Afghanistan are becoming increasingly bold, willing to attack a heavily fortified U.S. target in the face of unusually tight security.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb 07, by Mark Sappenfield
US ramps up Taliban fight
'Since last summer, when the Taliban seized entire districts in the southernmost provinces and attempted to encircle Kabul, the United States has refocused its attention on Afghanistan. Recently, the Bush administration proposed $10.6 billion in aid, announced the overhaul of its diplomatic mission here, and increased the number of American troops to 27,000 – the highest level since the 2001 invasion.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 26 Feb 07
Pakistan: U.S.'s Cheney concerned that al-Qaida regrouping, Taliban preparing offensive
'Cheney's unannounced stopover en route to Afghanistan came as British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett also held talks with Musharraf and expressed concern about suspected militant safe havens near the Afghan frontier.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Feb 07, by Mark Mazzetti and David Rohde
Al Qaeda's leaders rebuilding network in Pakistan
'Senior leaders of Al Qaeda operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once-battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Feb 07, by Mark Mazzetti and David Rohde
Signs of Qaeda resurgence
'Senior leaders of Al Qaeda operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once-battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Feb 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. defense chief, in Pakistan, offers support on policing Afghan border
'Gates volunteered the help of the United States in easing a war of words between Afghanistan and Pakistan over border areas inside Pakistan that are being used as safe havens for Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Feb 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. defense chief, in Pakistan, offers support on policing Afghan border
'Gates volunteered the help of the United States in easing a war of words between Afghanistan and Pakistan over border areas inside Pakistan that are being used as safe havens for Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.'

Globe and Mail, 05 Feb 07, by Graeme Smith
Taliban prepare for new offensive
'Taliban fighters heavily occupy parts of Helmand province and must be confronted, a NATO official says, adding to recent indications that major battles are looming as spring arrives in Afghanistan.'

The Telegraph, 03 Feb 07
Setback for general who put his faith in tribal peace deals
'In his nine months as commander, [General David Richards] championed the British policy of supporting peace deals with the Taliban conducted by tribal elders so that the guns could fall silent and reconstruction get underway. The fall of Musa Qala may well herald the early start of a spring offensive by the Taliban to pre-empt the desperately-needed Nato reinforcements now arriving in southern Afghanistan.'

San Jose Mercury News/AP, 04 Feb 07, by Jason Straziuso, AP
U.S. in Afghanistan may mean harder line
'Gen. Dan McNeill, the highest ranking U.S. general to lead troops in Afghanistan, took command of 35,500 NATO-led soldiers on Sunday, putting an American face on the international mission after nine months of British command. The transition comes after a year of sharply increased violence following the alliance's push into the Taliban's southern heartland, and military officials said privately they expect McNeill to take a harder line with militants than his predecessor, Gen. David Richards.'

Globe and Mail, 03 Feb 07, by Graeme Smith
Afghan peace in tatters as Taliban seize district
'Taliban fighters smashed government buildings, frightened away villagers and declared a new round of hostilities with foreign troops on Friday as the only peace deal in southern Afghanistan crumbled.'

Voice of America, 02 Feb 07, by Benjamin Sand
Pakistan Admits Security Forces Allowed Taleban Raids
'Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has acknowledged that some members of his security forces have turned a "blind eye" to Taleban raids into neighboring Afghanistan. As VOA correspondent Benjamin Sand reports, General Musharraf also says his military will begin fencing nearly 300 kilometers of its border with Afghanistan to prevent cross-border militant activity.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Feb 07, by Salman Masood
Pakistan spreads blame for cross-border raids
'Faced with mounting criticism that Pakistan is not doing enough to thwart incursions into Afghan territory by Pakistan-based Taliban militants, the president, General Pervez Musharraf, on Friday stressed that securing the porous border was not the sole responsibility of his country, and insisted that despite some lapses the security forces here were fully behind him in an effort to root out a resurgent Taliban.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 30 Jan 07
New U.S. commander in Afghanistan predicts more suicide attacks this year
'The incoming commander of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan said Monday that he expected Taliban militants to enact more suicide attacks this year than in 2006, when militants set off a record 139 such bombings.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 29 Jan 07
Karzai offers peace talks to Taliban
'President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan offered peace talks with a resurgent Taliban on Monday, after the bloodiest year since the hard-line Islamists were ousted in 2001 and amid warnings of a violent spring offensive.'

Washington Post/AP, 28 Jan 07, by Jason Straziuso, AP
Pelosi, Karzai Discuss Troop Increases
'The Afghan president told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that his security forces need to be stronger as the two discussed possible U.S. troop increases on Sunday, days after the Pentagon extended the tour of 3,200 soldiers, an Afghan official said.'

Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan 07, by Laura King and Maggie Farley
Afghan war takes a toll on Canada
'For the last six months, the task of confronting insurgents in volatile Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan has largely fallen to Canada, whose troops have participated in myriad peacekeeping missions in recent years but had not seen high-intensity combat since the Korean War.'

New York Times, 25 Jan 07, by Katrin Bennhold and Mark Landler
Pakistani Premier Faults Afghans for Taliban Woes on Border
'Pakistan’s prime minister, Shaukat Aziz, acknowledged Wednesday that people sympathetic to the Taliban were active in the frontier regions near the border with Afghanistan. But he insisted that the root of the problem was the Afghan government’s weak authority, not Pakistani support of the Taliban.'

Washington Post, 25 Jan 07, by Michael Abramowitz
Bush Plans New Focus On Afghan Recovery
'After the bloodiest year in Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion, the Bush administration is preparing a series of new military, economic and political initiatives aimed partly at preempting an expected offensive this spring by Taliban insurgents, according to senior U.S. officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Jan 07, by David S. Cloud
U.S. and NATO commanders seek more troops in Afghanistan
'American and NATO military commanders in Afghanistan are worried about the resurgent Taliban insurgency and have asked for additional troops, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday, adding that he was sympathetic to the request.'

Reuters, 17 Jan 07, by Simon Cameron-Moore
Pakistan risks reigniting pro-Taliban tribal area
'Pakistan's peace deals with pro-Taliban militants and tribal elders in the Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan were in jeopardy on Wednesday, a day after an army air strike on suspected Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 17 Jan 07
Gates gets up-close look at source of trouble in Afghanistan
'... Gates looked east from this bleak U.S. outpost into a part of Pakistan just a few miles away that has become an infiltration route for a growing number of Taliban fighters. U.S. military officials say they have evidence the Pakistani military has turned a blind eye to the border incursions.'

Radio Free Europe, 15 Jan 07
U.S. Sees Increased Taliban Threat In 2007
'Recently appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has warned NATO's Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer that the threat posed by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan may increase in 2007.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Jan 07, by David Montero
Attacks heat up Afghan-Pakistani border
'NATO-led forces Thursday killed up to 150 militants who were discovered infiltrating Afghanistan from Pakistan, providing what appears to be fresh proof that Taliban militants are staging their attacks from inside Pakistan's tribal zone.'

PBS 'Frontline,' Oct 06/Jan 07
Return of the Taliban
'After the fall of the Taliban five years ago, some experts warned of a nightmare scenario in which the Taliban and Al Qaeda would escape from Afghanistan into neighboring Pakistan and set up new command centers far out of America's reach. That nightmare scenario has now come true.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Jan 07, by Ismail Khan and Carlotta Gall
Taliban leader threatens to 'heat up' Afghan war
'In his first written interview since he was driven from power in 2001, the Taliban leader, Muhammad Omar, has said he has not seen Osama bin Laden in five years and would never negotiate with the U.S- backed government of Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan, and he has threatened to heat up the war in that country until foreign troops withdraw.'

"Hunt for the Somali Pirates" airs soon on the National Geographic Channel.
When Somali pirates hijack the Maersk Alabama -- and international headlines -- Navy SEALs launch a sneak attack to rescue the ship's American captain. Pirate Hunters recounts the harrowing five days from hijack to final fatal shots, and reveals sophisticated Navy SEAL training methods that prepare the world's most elite reconnaissance teams for daring missions with no second chances.