AFGHANISTAN / PAKISTAN ARCHIVE :

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Washington Post, 31 Dec 08, by Shaiq Hussain and Haq Nawaz Khan
Pakistan Launches Assault in Northwest
'Pakistan's military launched a major offensive Tuesday in the northwestern tribal region known as Khyber Agency, temporarily closing a key route used to supply U.S. and allied forces battling insurgents in neighboring Afghanistan.'

Washington Post, 31 Dec 08, by Pamela Constable
Attack Brings Military Focus Home
'With Pakistan and its army distracted by revived hostilities with neighboring India, a brazen suicide bomb attack Sunday by Islamist radicals in a northwestern village served as a jolting reminder that Pakistan still faces a real war at home, from an enemy that increasingly threatens to destabilize the Muslim nation of more than 170 million.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Dec 08, by Mark Sappenfield and Shahan Mufti
Tensions rise as Pakistan moves troops
'Reports of provocative actions by both sides – with local residents confirming the redeployment of Pakistani troops from the Afghan border – have forced the international community to step up efforts to break the deadlock. Influential new players such as Russia and China are becoming involved.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Dec 08, by Dexter Filkins
Afghans and U.S. plan to recruit local militias
'Taking a page from the successful experiment in Iraq, American commanders and Afghan leaders are preparing to arm local militias to help in the fight against a resurgent Taliban. But along with hope, the move is raising fears here that the new armed groups could push the country into a deeper bloodletting.'

Washington Post, 23 Dec 08, by Rama Lakshmi
Pakistani Jets Scramble As India Hardens Tone
'In signs of growing regional tension since the Mumbai attacks last month, Pakistan scrambled fighter jets over several of its larger cities Monday, and India's foreign minister told a gathering of Indian diplomats in New Delhi that the country is keeping all its options open to bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice.'

Washington Post/AP, 23 Dec 08
Karzai Questions U.S. Military Chief on Troops
'Karzai asked Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, what kinds of operations the additional troops would carry out and told him that the Afghan government should be consulted about the missions.'

Washington Post, 23 Dec 08, by Kamran Haider and Bappa Majumdar, Reuters
U.S. seeks to ease India-Pakistan tension
'The top U.S. military officer has sought to defuse tension between Pakistan and India while New Delhi asked Islamabad on Tuesday to avoid "war hysteria" and act to dismantle terrorist infrastructure.'

Asia Times, 23 Dec 08, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
Why Pakistan's military is gun shy
'The Pakistan military has been outmaneuvered by the government over having a group linked to the attack on Mumbai declared a front for a terror organization. But the military remains bitterly opposed to a realistic crackdown on militants, and it has compelling reasons for this that go to the core of the country's survival.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Dec 08, by Thom Shanker
Obstacle seen in bid to curb Afghan trade in narcotics
'A drive by the NATO alliance to disrupt Afghanistan's drug trade has been hobbled by new objections from member nations that say their laws do not permit soldiers to carry out such operations, according to senior commanders here.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Dec 08, by Kirk Semple
Afghan government humbled by Taliban ambush
'The case [of Maulavi Ghulam Dastagir] has also underscored the vulnerabilities of the Afghan security forces as the Taliban have multiplied their presence around the country and, in only the past few years, have gained strength in regions that were once relatively peaceful, like the northwest. Developing the Afghan security forces is a cornerstone of the U.S.-led effort to defeat the insurgents.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec 08, by Mark Sappenfield
Afghanistan: Soviet failures echo for US
'Control of roads and rural areas vexes coalition effort.'

The Times (London), 11 Dec 08, by Michael Evans
5,000 US troops to help British with Taleban stalemate in Afghanistan
'General David McKiernan, the American commander of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) and the US Operation Enduring Freedom, admitted yesterday that the battles with the Taleban in Helmand and elsewhere in southern Afghanistan had run into a tactical stalemate, despite attritional attacks against insurgency leaders.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Dec 08, by Jane Perlez
Pakistan moves to curb group linked to Mumbai attacks
'Pakistani authorities have widened their efforts to curb militant groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, the one suspected of conducting the Mumbai attacks, raiding some of their properties and arresting about 20 members, according to security officials.'

Washington Post, 10 Dec 08, by Joby Warrick and Rama Lakshmi
Pakistan Detains Extremist Leader
'Promises by Pakistani leaders to roll up militant groups have been undercut by a history of "catch-and-release" in its dealings with prominent extremists, and also by its past ambivalence -- if not outright support -- for groups that openly advocate terrorism.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec 08, by Mark Sappenfield
India pressures Pakistan by naming Mumbai suspects
'Its list of 10 militants released Tuesday included names and supposed hometowns – all of them in Pakistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Dec 08, by Mark Sappenfield and Issam Ahmed
Pakistan on tightrope with militant raid
'By raiding a militant camp in Pakistani Kashmir Sunday, Pakistan has made its first response to United States calls for action against militants tied to the Nov. 26 attacks in Mumbai (formerly Bombay).'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Dec 08, by Mark Sappenfield
Pakistani militants attack key NATO supply line
'As part of their own "surge," they destroyed more than 160 Humvees and trucks bound for Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Dec 08, by Huma Yusuf
Rice demands 'robust' cooperation from Pakistan in Mumbai probe
'While Pakistan confronts growing evidence that the terrorist attack was carried out by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, India braces for further sea, air assaults.'

The Guardian/AP, 01 Dec 08, by Anne Gearan
Rice on terror: All victims are in this together
'The Bush administration stopped short of blaming last week's terror rampage in India on Pakistani extremists Monday, but said the new civilian government in Pakistan must cooperate fully and hide nothing.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Dec 08, by Michael R. Gordon
Afghan strategy poses stiff challenge for Obama
'After more than seven years of war, Afghanistan presents a unique set of problems: a rural-based insurgency, an enemy sanctuary in neighboring Pakistan, the chronic weakness of the Afghan government, a thriving narcotics trade, poorly developed infrastructure and forbidding terrain. Intelligence reports underscore the seriousness of the threat. In some recent months, the violence in Afghanistan outpaced the fighting in Iraq. Almost half of the insurgent attacks have been directed against U.S. and other foreign forces. The other attacks have been focused on Afghan security forces and civilians.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Dec 08, by Golnar Motevalli, Reuters
Tribal politics key to building bridges in Afghanistan
'Building bridges in Afghanistan requires more than bricks-and-mortar. It requires deft diplomacy and an appreciation of tribal politics, especially if the bridge in question is to survive sabotage attempts by the Taliban. That is why the commander of NATO-led forces, Afghan military leaders and government officials traipsed up to this isolated town in northern Afghanistan at the weekend to meet men whose cooperation they sought; eleven bearded elders from Bala Morghab.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Nov 08, by Kirk Kraeutler
Even for Taliban, too much opium
'Afghanistan has produced so much opium in recent years that the Taliban are cutting back poppy cultivation and stockpiling raw opium in an effort to support prices and preserve a major source of financing for the insurgency, says the head of the United Nations drug office, Antonio Maria Costa.'

Washington Post, 19 Nov 08, by Candace Rondeaux and Walter Pincus
U.S. Seeks New Supply Routes Into Afghanistan
'A rise in Taliban attacks along the length of a vital NATO supply route that runs through this border town in the shadow of the Khyber Pass has U.S. officials seeking alternatives, including the prospect of beginning deliveries by a tortuous overland journey from Europe.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov 08, by Mark Sappenfield
Afghan Air Force takes off, slowly
'The US is helping rebuild an air force that is badly needed in the vast country.'

BBC News, 18 Nov 08
Pakistan backed raid, says Nato
'Nato-led troops in Afghanistan say they carried out an attack on an "enemy position" in Pakistan on Sunday with the help of Pakistani security forces.'

Washington Post, 13 Nov 08, by Ann Scott Tyson
3,300 More U.S. Troops Sought to Train Afghans
'U.S. commanders in Afghanistan are requesting 3,300 more troops to accelerate the training of new Afghan army and police forces, a job seen as critical to defeating Afghanistan's growing insurgency.'

Washington Post, 11 Nov 08, by Karen DeYoung
Obama to Explore New Approach in Afghanistan War
'The incoming Obama administration plans to explore a more regional strategy to the war in Afghanistan – including possible talks with Iran – and looks favorably on the nascent dialogue between the Afghan government and "reconcilable" elements of the Taliban, according to Obama national security advisers.'

Reuters, 13 Nov 08, by Sue Pleming
Obama faces big challenges in Afghanistan
'President-elect Barack Obama has pledged a new focus on the war in Afghanistan, including more U.S. troops and possible talks with the Taliban, but the challenges are daunting.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Nov 08, by Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah
Pakistani Army struggles to make headway against a determined enemy
'... What began as a simple incursion has now become the most sustained campaign by the Pakistani Army against the Taliban and its Qaeda backers since Pakistan allied itself with the United States in 2001.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Nov 08, by Abdul Waheed Wafa and Sangar Rahimi
More Afghan civilians killed in coalition strikes
'... on Thursday American officials offered their first account of the events, saying that insurgents had prevented civilians from fleeing the area, trapping them in a firefight between coalition and Afghan Army forces and the militants who had ambushed them.'

CNN, 05 Nov 08
Karzai appeals to Obama over civilian deaths
The U.S. military said Wednesday it was investigating claims a U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan hit a wedding causing civilian deaths, as President Hamid Karzai urged U.S. election winner Barack Obama to bring an end to civilian deaths.

International Herald Tribune, 05 Nov 08, by C.J. Chivers
A fight for life on front lines in Afghanistan
'Combat Outpost Lowell is a company-size U.S. and Afghan position in Nuristan Province, near the border with Pakistan. ... Isolated, ringed by forested ridges and under such regular fire that helicopter pilots prefer to avoid flying here, especially by day, the outpost imposed an unforgiving condition: anyone injured would have to wait for an evacuation.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Nov 08, by Eric Schmitt
Afghan officials aided July attack on U.S. soldiers
'An internal review by the American military has found that a local Afghan police chief and another district leader helped Taliban militants carry out an attack on July 13 in which nine United States soldiers were killed and a remote American outpost in eastern Afghanistan was nearly overrun.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct 08, by Anand Gopal
Insurgents increasingly employing complex attacks in Afghanistan
'A suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a government ministry Thursday, killing at least five and injuring dozens. The attack is the latest in a series this year showing insurgents' ability to penetrate the capital using complicated and daring methods.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Oct 08, by Carlotta Gall
Afghanistan tests waters for overture to Taliban
'The Afghan government and its allies in the region have begun approaching the Taliban and other insurgent groups with new intensity to test the possibilities for eventual peace talks, Western diplomats and Afghan officials here say.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Oct 08, by Jane Perlez
Pakistan protests U.S. missile attacks
'The Pakistani government lodged a formal protest Wednesday against U.S. missile attacks on the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the nation's tribal area, and the U.S. ambassador was told that the strikes should be "stopped immediately," the Foreign Office said.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Oct 08, by Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah
Pakistani militias outgunned by Taliban
'As the strength of the militants in the tribal areas grows, and as the war across the border in Afghanistan worsens, the Pakistanis are casting about for new tactics. The emergence of the lashkars is a sign of the tribesmen's rising frustration with the ruthlessness of the Taliban, but also of their traditional desire to run their own affairs and keep the Pakistani Army at bay, Pakistani officers and law enforcement officials say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct 08, by Mark Sappenfield
Afghans to Karzai: You Failed Us.
'... the country that once chose President Hamid Karzai to lead it into a new, democratic future is now turning against him. Both at home and abroad, Mr. Karzai is facing mounting criticism that he has lacked the courage to stop the government's descent into corruption and ineffectiveness.'

Wall Street Journal, 15 Oct 08, by Shai Oster, Jason Leow and Matthew Rosenberg
Seeking Funds, Pakistan Turns to 'Strong' Ally China
'Pakistan's economy was already in a critical state before the global financial crisis. Mr. Zardari is reaching out to China, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, among other so-called Friends of Pakistan, to make the case that the world has an interest in helping to stabilize the nuclear-armed nation, which has been shaken by Islamist militancy.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Oct 08, by John F. Burns
As Iraq cools, rebels go to Afghanistan
'U.S. military successes in Iraq have prompted growing numbers of well-trained "foreign fighters" to join the insurgency in Afghanistan instead, the Afghan defense minister said Tuesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct 08, by Anand Gopal
Some Afghans live under Taliban rule – and prefer it
'In provinces just south of Kabul, the insurgents have a shadow government that polices roads and runs courts.'

Scotsman.com, 13 Oct 08, by Jerome Starkey
We're still in control, Royal Marines tell Afghans after Taleban onslaught
'Royal Marines were patrolling Helmand yesterday in an attempt to reassure locals the city is still under government control, following an attack from insurgents who tried to overrun the British headquarters in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct 08, by Shahan Mufti
Suicide attacks a growing threat in Pakistan
'Pakistan has overtaken Iraq and Afghanistan in suicide-bomb deaths this year, its intelligence agency reports. Thursday's attack in Islamabad struck the police's antiterrorism squad.'

Washington Post, 10 Oct 08, by Candace Rondeaux
Pakistanis Repudiate Violence
'Amid String of Suicide Bombings, Anti-Terrorism Debate Grows More Urgent'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Oct 08, by Eric Schmitt, Mark Mazzetti and Judy Dempsey
U.S. military leader sees Afghan situation worsening
'With security and economic conditions in Afghanistan already in dire straits because of weak government, economic woes and an explosion of poppy cultivation, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday that the situation there will probably only worsen next year.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Oct 08, by Mark Mazzetti and Eric Schmitt
U.S. study is said to warn of crisis in Afghanistan
'A draft report by American intelligence agencies concludes that Afghanistan is in a "downward spiral" and casts serious doubt on the ability of the Afghan government to stem the rise in the Taliban's influence there, according to American officials familiar with the document.'

Washington Post, 10 Oct 08, by Peter Finn
Gates Urges NATO to Take On Afghan Drug Traffickers
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on NATO allies Thursday to target Afghanistan's drug traffickers as part of a wider effort to confront a resurgent Taliban, which he said is using heroin money to fund the insurgency.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Oct 08, by Issam Ahmed
Terrorist attacks in Pakistan stir anger at U.S.
'Nineteen percent of Pakistanis have 'positive' views toward Al Qaeda, according to a BBC poll released Sunday.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Sep 08, by Ismail Khan and Carlotta Gall
Battle in tribal area a critical test for Pakistani military
'A full-scale battle in a remote corner of Pakistan is shaping up to be a critical test of the Pakistani military's determination to combat militants, military and intelligence officials say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep 08, by David Montero
Pakistan Fires on U.S. Helicopters
'Sunday's incident inflames debate over whether Pakistan's new president can develop an effective counterinsurgency strategy.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep 08, by Mian Ridge
Pakistani Taliban Suspected in Marriott Hotel Blast
'Saturday's massive truck bombing, which killed at least 50 people, is seen as a warning to the Pakistani government over its cooperation with the US.'

BBC News, 20 Sep 08, by Syed Shoaib Hasan
Islamabad's 'message from Hell'
'At the time of the attack, President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and many members of parliament were having dinner at the prime minister's residence. If the attack had hit that target, the consequences could have been unprecedented in Pakistan's history.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Sep 08, by Mark Sappenfield
U.S. Airstrikes Test Alliance with Pakistan
'Militants are targeted by drones to keep them from entering Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Sep 08, by Anand Gopa
Afghan Civilian Death Toll Undermines U.S. Support
'Afghan civilian deaths rise 39 percent. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates pledges to do more to solve problem.'

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Christian Science Monitor, 06 Aug 08, by Shahan Mufti
Can Pakistan clean up its intelligence agency?
'The US, India, and Afghanistan are pressuring the government to root out pro-Taliban agents.'

Asia Times, 07 Aug 08, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
US hopes pinned on Musharraf
'President Pervez Musharraf's fate hangs in the balance. The general who ruled Pakistan for eight years faces impeachment by the civilian government elected in February. If Musharraf falls, grand United States plans to tackle militancy in the country's tribal areas will also come tumbling down.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Aug 08, by Jane Perlez
Pakistan coalition moves to impeach Musharraf
'Pakistan's usually fractious coalition government moved decisively for the first time on Thursday to impeach President Pervez Musharraf, who has been an important American ally in the campaign against terror but who has largely been pushed to the sidelines since his party lost elections in February.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Aug 08, by Kirk Semple and Andrew W. Lehren
500: Deadly U.S. milestone in Afghan war
'Now, a war that had long been overshadowed by the one in Iraq is back in public view, at the forefront of both news media attention and the presidential campaign. The use of the Afghanistan war for political purposes disheartens the Blaskowskis, they say, but has at least one positive aspect.'

Asia Times, 06 Aug 08, by Sudha Ramachandran
Pakistan's problems spill into India
'Pakistan's recent incursion into Indian territory - the first since 1999 - has placed the five-year-old ceasefire between the countries in jeopardy. All the same, Delhi is aware that Pakistan's compulsions possibly have more to do with its problems with Taliban militants and al-Qaeda in its tribal areas than with antagonism towards India.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 05 Aug 08
Taliban threaten to increase suicide attacks in Pakistan
'A spokesman for the Taliban warned the Pakistani government on Tuesday that if it does not end a military crackdown against insurgents in a restive northwestern mountain valley then it should expect to face an increase in suicide bombings.'

BBC News, 24 Jul 08, by Martin Patience
Nato warning on Pakistan fighters
'Nato's secretary general has said an international effort is needed to prevent Taleban and al-Qaeda militants gathering in Pakistan's border areas.'

New York Times, 22 Jul 08, by Jane Perlez
Unilateral Action by U.S. a Growing Fear in Pakistan
'Strong suggestions by the United States that it could resort to unilateral intervention against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan are generating increasing anxiety in the Pakistani press and among government officials, who warn that such an action could backfire.'

New York Times, 22 Jul 08, by Eric Schmitt
Plan Would Use Antiterror Aid in Pakistan on Attack Jets
'The Bush administration plans to shift nearly $230 million in aid to Pakistan from counterterrorism programs to upgrading that country’s aging F-16 attack planes, which Pakistan prizes more for their contribution to its military rivalry with India than for fighting insurgents along its Afghan border.'

Reuters India, 08 Jul 08
Kabul bomb shows dangers India faces in Afghanistan
'The bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul highlights the dangers of India's growing role in Afghanistan, whether from the Taliban or a Pakistan worried about ceding strategic space to its nuclear-armed rival.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Jul 08, by Eric Schmitt
Pakistan is said to be attracting insurgents
'American military and intelligence officials say there has been an increase in recent months in the number of foreign fighters who have traveled to Pakistan's tribal areas to join with militants there. The flow may reflect a change that is making Pakistan, not Iraq, the preferred destination for some Sunni extremists from the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia who are seeking to take up arms against the West ...'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Jul 08, by Mark Mazzetti
Coalition deaths in Afghanistan hit a record high
'More American and coalition troops died in Afghanistan last month than during any other month since the U.S.-led invasion began in 2001, the latest evidence of a strengthening Taliban insurgency that has menaced NATO forces and reclaimed control over some southern and eastern parts of the country.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Jul 08, by Gordon Lubold
Afghanistan death toll pressures U.S., allies
'Record U.S. fatalities there last month highlight the need for more troops, but reserves are few.'

BBC News, 03 Jul 08
Britain doubles aid to Pakistan
'Britain is substantially increasing its aid to Pakistan and outlining a new strategy for how it is spent.'

The Telegraph, 02 Jul 08, by Tim Shipman
CIA given green light to bomb Osama bin Laden
'The US intelligence agency does not have to ask permission from the Pakistani government to attack his hideout, presumed to be in the lawless tribal areas on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jun 08, by Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah
Pakistani forces appear to push back militants
'... Despite its policy of negotiating with militant Islamic groups rather than using military force, the civilian government formed after elections in February ordered the action on Saturday against the Army of Islam and other militant groups in Khyber agency, which is part of Pakistan's lawless tribal area.'

NewsHour, 27 Jun 08, with Jeffrey Brown et al
Resurgent Taliban May Step Up Attacks, Pentagon Says
'A report released by the Pentagon Friday showed growing instability in Afghanistan and a continuing rise in Taliban forces. A reporter and a regional expert size up new security threats and discuss the new report.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Jun 08, by Carlotta Gall
Power vacuum seen in Pakistan
'Pakistan remains in a leaderless drift four months after elections, Western diplomats and military officials say, and Pakistani politicians and Afghan officials are increasingly worried that no one is really in charge.'

NPR, 25 Jun 08, by Ivan Watson
Marines in Afghanistan Weigh In on a Life at War
'Last month, 1,500 U.S. Marines were sent to attack a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan's southern Garmsir district. The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit captured Garmsir from the Taliban after 30 days of constant fighting.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Jun 08, by Abdul Waheed Wafa and Dexter Filkins
From Afghanistan, NATO shells militants in Pakistan
'NATO forces in Afghanistan shelled guerrillas in Pakistan in two separate episodes on Sunday, as escalating insurgent violence appeared to be eroding the alliance's restraint along the border.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 23 Jun 08
NATO says 6,000 troops urgently needed in Afghanistan
'Roughly 60,000 foreign troops are in Afghanistan, most of them part of the NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF), but security has deteriorated over the past two years.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Jun 08, by Judy Dempsey and Alan Cowell
More German troops to Afghanistan
'Under pressure from NATO, Germany announced Tuesday that it would increase the number of soldiers available for duty in Afghanistan by almost one-third to 4,500, but that it would maintain its policy of keeping the bulk of them away from the relatively violent southern provinces.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Jun 08, by Carlotta Gall
The face of a deadlier Taliban threat
'The attack was little reported at the time. A suicide bombing on March 3 killed two NATO soldiers and two Afghan civilians and wounded 19 others in an American military base. ... The deadly attack was also devastating for what it showed about the persistence of the Afghan insurgency and the way former mujahedeen leaders, like Maulavi Haqqani, combined tactics and forces with Al Qaeda and other foreign terrorist groups.'

Christian Science Monitor/AP, 18 Jun 08, by Noor Khan, AP
Afghanistan: Taliban keeps up pressure with assaults
'Militants took control of a strategic district outside Kandahar. Afghan and foreign troops flew to the city in response.'

Bloomberg, 19 Jun 08, by Ed Johnson and Gregory Viscusi
NATO-Led Forces Say They Control Kandahar Area; Taliban Retreat
'NATO and Afghan forces say they are in control of the area north of Kandahar as an operation to sweep the region of Taliban fighters enters its second day.'

Vanity Fair, 10 June 08, by Janine di Giovanni
Gateway to Jihad: Pakistan's Phantom Border
'Pakistan is often called the most dangerous country on earth. Increasingly, its people would agree. Despite nearly $6 billion in U.S. military aid for the border region since 9/11, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and homegrown terrorist groups have eroded the border with Afghanistan, inflicting a steady toll of suicide bombings. Going where few Westerners dare – from Taliban strongholds to undercover-police headquarters – the author sees what's tearing the country apart.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jun 08, by Jane Perlez
Pakistani anger over U.S. airstrike remains
'The Pakistani military is so angry over the U.S. airstrikes here last week that it is threatening to postpone or cancel an American program to train a paramilitary force in counterinsurgency for combating Islamic militants, two Pakistani government officials said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Jun 08, by Aunohita Mojumdar
Afghan prison attack stirs tensions with Pakistan
'President Hamid Karzai threatened Sunday to send troops to Pakistan to fight militants themselves.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Jun 08, by Anand Gopal
Investigation: In Afghanistan, routine abuse of terror detainees
'An eight-month review by McClatchy newspapers says the US wrongfully imprisoned many suspected Al Qaeda terrorists.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Jun 08, by Peter Grier
Did rogue network leak nuclear bomb design?
'Some US experts worry that a smuggling ring gave rogue states plans for a light warhead, apparently from Pakistan.'

New York Times, 12 Jun 08, by Carlotta Gall and Eric Schmitt
Pakistan Angry as Strike by U.S. Kills 11 Soldiers
'American air and artillery strikes killed 11 Pakistani paramilitary soldiers during a clash with insurgents on the Afghan border on Tuesday night, a development that raised concerns about the already strained American relationship with Pakistan.'

BBC News, 12 Jun 08
US releases border strike footage
'The US has released video excerpts of a controversial air strike in the Afghan-Pakistani border region which Pakistan says killed 11 of its soldiers.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Jun 08, by Anand Gopal
Militants attack near Pakistan-Afghanistan border
'Despite ongoing violence in the North West Frontier Province, Pakistan's new government vows to continue peace talks with the Taliban.'

The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 May 08, by Isambard Wilkinson
Al-Qaeda schools nurture children for suicide attacks
'Militants linked to al-Qaeda have set up training camps to teach children how to conduct suicide attacks, say senior officers in the Pakistani military.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 May 08, by Judy Dempsey
Europe lagging in effort to train Afghan police
'Afghanistan's police force is in dire need of consistent training. Ever since the Taliban was overthrown in late 2001 by a coalition of U.S. troops and Afghan resistance fighters, the U.S. and some European countries have been trying to build from scratch the army and the police. While the army is finally taking shape, establishing a well-functioning police structure has been very slow. The blame can be shared widely.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 May 08, by Carlotta Gall
Taliban make Afghan stability a distant goal
'The American military often describes the insurgency as being like a balloon that when squeezed in one place, pops up in another. With the arrival of spring and a new fighting season, some local officials say NATO must move faster to strike the Taliban while the insurgents are weak, to prevent another summer offensive and to gain people's confidence. Frightened people will not support the government while it remains so weak, they say.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 May 08, by Jane Perlez
Pakistan agrees to pull troops from Taliban area
'The government of Pakistan has signed a deal with Taliban militants requiring the Pakistani Army to withdraw gradually from Swat, a once-popular resort area in North-West Frontier Province that has become a battleground.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 08, by Gordon Lubold
NATO extends Afghanistan tours
'Britain and the Netherlands agree to longer tours, delaying a bigger US role in the mission.'

BBC News, 10 May 08
Pakistan's government in turmoil
'Nine ministers from a leading party in Pakistan's new coalition have handed in their resignations, plunging the country into political uncertainty.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Apr 08, by Eric Schmitt and Mark Mazzetti
Pakistan's planned accord with militants alarms U.S.
'Bush administration officials are expressing increasing alarm that a deal being negotiated between the new Pakistani government and militant tribes in the country's unruly border area will lead to further unraveling of security in the region.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 May 08, by Eric Schmitt
Attacks in Pakistan increasing, U.S. reports
'Terrorist attacks against noncombatants more than doubled in Pakistan from 2006 to 2007, reflecting the growing violence in the country's turbulent tribal areas and new bombings against Pakistani government officials and security services, according to a report by the State Department.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 May 08, by Carlotta Gall and Abdul Waheed Wafa
Afghans see link to Qaeda in plot to shoot Karzai
'The attempt to kill President Hamid Karzai on Sunday was the work of militants who had infiltrated Afghanistan's security forces and had ties to groups linked to Al Qaeda in Pakistan's tribal areas, the Afghan intelligence chief said Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Apr 08, by Carlotta Gall
Fighting the Taliban with better governance, not just arms
'... local governance like the effort [in Wardak] has become one of the most pressing issues in Afghanistan, said Afghans, Western diplomats and NATO and U.S. military officials, and one that could determine the outcome of the still uncertain war.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Apr 08, by Carlotta Gall
Afghans should be able to secure their own country by 2011, NATO predicts
'The Afghan Army and police forces should be able to secure most of Afghanistan by 2011, allowing international forces to start withdrawing, according to the U.S. commander of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan, General Dan McNeill.'

Washington Post, 22 Apr 08, by Candace Rondeaux and Imtiaz Ali
Pro-Taliban Leader Released by Pakistan
'The release was part of a broader deal between the secular political leadership of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province and Islamist groups, which exert strong influence within the religiously conservative population. It represents the type of political negotiation promised by the country's newly elected lawmakers with groups the Bush administration and President Pervez Musharraf consider enemies.'

New York Times, 20 Apr 08, by Mark Mazzetti and Eric Schmitt
U.S. Military Seeks to Widen Pakistan Raids
'American commanders in Afghanistan have in recent months urged a widening of the war that could include American attacks on indigenous Pakistani militants in the tribal areas inside Pakistan, according to United States officials.'

New York Times, 18 Apr 08, by Eric Schmitt
U.S. Lacks a Pakistan Plan, Report Finds
'The Bush administration has failed to develop a governmentwide plan to combat terrorism in Pakistan’s unruly tribal areas, even though top American officials concede that Al Qaeda has regenerated its ability to attack the United States and has established havens in that border region, government auditors said Thursday.'

Asia Times, 10 Apr 08, by Syed Saleem Shahzad
The Taliban talk the talk
'Another spring, another promised Taliban offensive in Afghanistan. This time it will be different, claim the Taliban, bolstered by hard-nosed tacticians and seasoned fighters who have honed their skills in Kashmir and the Pakistani tribal areas. Coalition forces in Afghanistan, while concerned over disruptions to their supply lines, are unmoved: bring them on, they say.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Apr 08, by Tim Golden and David Rohde
Afghans hold secret trials for men that U.S. detained
'Dozens of Afghan men who were previously held by the United States at Bagram Air Base and Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, are now being tried here in secretive Afghan criminal proceedings based mainly on allegations forwarded by the American military.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Apr 08, by Gordon Lubold
Afghanistan to ask NATO for bigger army of its own
'At the NATO meeting in Romania Thursday, Afghan officials are expected to request money to expand its National Army from 86,000 to 120,000 troops.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Apr 08, by Anand Gopal
Afghan opposition courts Taliban
'Talks began in 2007, a powerful coalition revealed last week. Experts say the move, an effort to undercut the government, could draw Taliban into the political process.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Apr 08, by Eric Schmitt
Army chief in Pakistan wins honor from U.S.
'Since General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani took command of Pakistan's army last November, a parade of top American officers and spymasters has trooped to Islamabad to urge him to wage an aggressive campaign against Al Qaeda and other militants in the country's restive tribal areas.'

Washington Post, 26 Mar 08, by Robin Wright and Joby Warrick
U.S. Steps Up Unilateral Strikes in Pakistan
'The United States has escalated its unilateral strikes against al-Qaeda members and fighters operating in Pakistan's tribal areas, partly because of anxieties that the country's new leaders will insist on a scaling back of military operations in that country, according to U.S. officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Mar 08, by C. J. Chivers
Supplier under scrutiny on aging arms for Afghans
'Since 2006, when the insurgency in Afghanistan sharply intensified, the Afghan government has been dependent on American logistics and military support in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. But to arm the Afghan forces that it hopes will lead this fight, the American military has relied since early last year on a fledgling company led by a 22-year-old man whose vice president was a licensed masseur.'

Washington Post, 27 Mar 08, by Imtiaz Ali
Extremists Killing Afghans They Suspect Are Spying
'Extremists in Pakistan's western tribal areas have killed dozens of people suspected of providing intelligence to the United States and its allies in recent months, according to local officials and tribal elders.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Mar 08, by Carlotta Gall
Pakistan pins hope for border region on moderate tribal party
'The victory of the Awami National Party, or ANP, [in Pakistani elections in February] was welcomed by Western officials and Pakistanis as a clear rejection of the Taliban and the religious parties in the province. The ANP ... sees itself as critically placed to begin a dialogue with the militants, something the Bush administration has been regarding warily.'

Globe and Mail, 22 Mar 08
Talking to the Taliban
'A portrait of average Taliban fighters.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Mar 08, by Thom Shanker
Joint Chiefs chairman emphasizes U.S. role in Pakistan
'[Admiral Mike] Mullen said the United States was willing to offer assistance for things like training, transport helicopters and night-combat operations, but he stressed that he was bringing no specific proposals on this visit and that he would await formal requests from Pakistan's military.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Mar 08, by Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker
U.S. plan widens role in training Pakistani forces
'The United States military is developing a plan to send about 100 American trainers to work with a Pakistani paramilitary force that is the vanguard in the fight against Al Qaeda and other extremist groups in Pakistan's restive tribal areas, American military officials said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb 08, by Mark Sappenfield
In northwestern Pakistan, where militants rule
'Foreign jihadists in an ungoverned tribal belt kill leaders, recruit locals.'

Washington Post, 26 Feb 08, by Michael Abramowitz and Colum Lynch
U.S. Struggles to Find Envoy, Hindering Effort to Stabilize Afghanistan
'The White House has been pushing since early fall to install a powerful new foreign envoy to oversee international reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb 08, by David Montero
Pakistani militant attacks persist, test new leaders
'Key Taliban figures in the tribal belt remain at large despite 20,000 troops' efforts.'

International Herald Tribune, 20 Feb 08, by Carlotta Gall and Jane Perlez
New policy on militants is planned in Pakistan
'The winners of Pakistan's parliamentary elections said that they would take a new approach to fighting Islamic militants by pursuing more dialogue than military confrontation, and that they would undo the crackdown on the media and restore independence to the judiciary.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb 08, by Mark Sappenfield
Pakistanis reject Musharraf rule, embrace new direction
'The opposition wins by a landslide in a surprisingly smooth election, as Musharraf allies concede defeat.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Feb 08, by Salman Masood
Pakistan Army pulls back from civilian role
'The new army chief of Pakistan has ordered the withdrawal of military officers from the government's civil departments, officials said, an action that reverses an important policy of his predecessor, President Pervez Musharraf.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Feb 08, by Mark Sappenfield
Pakistan's Taliban offers truce, Army demurs
'Militants in the country's tribal belt seem to be maneuvering for time and space, analysts say.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 07 Feb 08
U.S. confirms it is training Pakistani special forces
'U.S. military advisers are helping the Pakistanis double the size of their elite commando force in a continuing effort to blunt the rising threat of terror groups and anti-government militants operating in Pakistan's unruly tribal areas, a senior Defense Department official said.'

Washington Post, 07 Feb 08, by Ann Scott Tyson and Josh White
Gates Hits NATO Allies' Role in Afghanistan
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the top U.S. commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan yesterday issued a blunt assessment of the alliance's shortcomings in that country, arguing that the unwillingness of some member states to risk combat casualties is threatening NATO's future and undermining the prosecution of the Afghan war.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Feb 08
Rice prods U.S. allies on Afghan troop level
'All 26 NATO nations have soldiers in Afghanistan, and all agree that the mission is a top priority. But the refusal of European allies to send more combat troops to the south is forcing an already stretched U.S. military focused on the Iraq war to fill the gap and is straining the Western alliance.'

BBC News, 07 Feb 08
West warned over Afghan failure
'Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said the failure of Nato's mission in Afghanistan could result in terror attacks in Western countries.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Feb 08, by Laura J. Winter
Afghanistan strains NATO ties
'Three major studies published last week concluded that economic and military initiatives to date lack the coherent strategy needed to block the return of the Taliban and Al Qaeda – or stop the burgeoning opium economy. The US and Britain, the lead military players in Afghanistan, have taken repeated beatings from lawmakers and allies about NATO's handling of the mission in the six years since the Taliban fell.'

BBC News, 07 Feb 08, by Lyse Doucet
World effort in Afghanistan under strain
'In 2001 when world leaders promised Afghans they would "be with you for the long run", no-one realised then just how long this run would be - or where it would take them.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Feb 08, by Mark Sappenfield
Musharraf successor Kayani boosts Pakistan Army's image
'His changes push officers to focus on eradicating terrorism, rather than on politics or securing perks.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan 08, by Mark Sappenfield
New bid to control Pakistan's tribal belt
'US, Pakistan step up efforts to address the militant haven tied to global terror.'

Washington Post, 31 Jan 08, by Ann Scott Tyson
NATO's Not Winning in Afghanistan, Report Says
'NATO forces in Afghanistan are in a "strategic stalemate," as Taliban insurgents expand their control of sparsely populated areas and as the central government fails to carry out vital reforms and reconstruction, according to an independent assessment released yesterday by NATO's former commander.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jan 08, by Eric Schmitt and David E. Sanger
Pakistan rejects secret request by U.S. to increase CIA presence
'The top two U.S. intelligence officials traveled secretly to Pakistan this month to press President Pervez Musharraf to allow the CIA greater latitude to operate in the tribal territories where Al Qaeda, the Taliban and other militant groups are all active, according to several officials who have been briefed on the visit.'

Asia Times, 31 Jan 08, by Philip Smucker
Mission creep in Afghanistan
'To undercut the insurgents - whose forces are an unusual mix of al-Qaeda operatives and fighters loyal to American nemesis Gulbuddin Hekmatyar - Kapisa, Afghanistan is fast becoming a litmus test for the US military's new and improved counter-insurgency campaign.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Jan 08, by Ian Austen
Canada discloses it stopped sending prisoners to Afghans
'The Canadian military secretly stopped transferring prisoners to the Afghan government in November after Canadian monitors found evidence that they were being abused and tortured.'

Washington Post, 10 Jan 08, by Ann Scott Tyson
U.S. to Bolster Forces in Afghanistan
'The U.S. military is planning to deploy about 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan this spring to counter an expected offensive by Taliban insurgents, a Pentagon spokesman said yesterday, citing NATO allies' failure to provide additional combat troops.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Jan 08, by David Rohde and Carlotta Gall
A general in Musharraf's shadow raises U.S. hopes
'Over the last several months, a little-known, enigmatic Pakistani general has quietly raised hopes among U.S. officials that he could emerge as a new force for stability in Pakistan, according to current and former government officials. But it remains too early to determine whether he can play a decisive role in the country.'

Washington Post, 10 Jan 08, by Imtiaz Ali and Craig Whitlock
Taliban Commander Emerges As Pakistan's 'Biggest Problem'
'Radical Accused in Bhutto's Death Has Quickly Gathered Power'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Jan 08, by Shahan Mufti
In Pakistan, fear of an ethnic divide
'The political blame game over Bhutto's assassination and rising ethnic tensions raise worries about the fragility of the country's federal structure.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Jan 08, by Tim Golden
U.S. prison grows beyond capacity in Afghanistan
'As the Bush administration struggles for a way to close the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, a similar effort to scale down a larger and more secretive American detention center in Afghanistan has been beset by political, legal and security problems, officials say.'

New York Times, 06 Jan 08, by Steven Lee Myers, David E. Sanger and Eric Schmitt
U.S. Considers New Covert Push Within Pakistan
'President Bush's senior national security advisers are debating whether to expand the authority of the Central Intelligence Agency and the military to conduct far more aggressive covert operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 06 Jan 08
Pakistan says it will not allow US forces to hunt militants on its soil
'Pakistan reiterated Sunday that it will not let American forces hunt al-Qaida and Taliban militants on its soil, after a news report said Washington was considering expanding U.S. military and intelligence operations into Pakistan's tribal regions.'

BBC News, 06 Jan 08, by Sanjay Dasgupta
Key Pakistan governor steps down
'The governor of Pakistan's restive North West Frontier Province, Ali Mohammad Jan Orakzai, has resigned. The development comes amid continuing violence linked to Islamist guerrillas hiding in remote, mountainous villages near the Afghan border.'

New York Times, 06 Jan 08, by John F. Burns
Ghosts That Haunt Pakistan
'Throughout history, violent death has rewritten the country's political map.'

New York Times Magazine, 06 Jan 08, by Nicholas Schmidle
Next-Gen Taliban
'Pakistan's younger Islamic militants are bringing the jihad waged in Afghanistan back home: breaking with senior mullahs, renouncing elections and killing police officers, soldiers and, perhaps, Benazir Bhutto.'

2007 Afghanistan archive