Taliban

By Michael Semple | (The Conversation) | – – The May 21 drone strike that killed Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor was no ordinary assassination; it was an act of armed politics against an acutely political war strategist. The Taliban has already named Mansoor’s successor, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, and is reassuring its members that the […]

Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Washington’s Twenty-First-Century Opium Wars

contributors

By Alfred McCoy | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | – – In October 2001, the U.S. launched its invasion of Afghanistan largely through proxy Afghan fighters with the help of Special Operations forces, American air power, and CIA dollars. The results were swift and stunning. The Taliban was whipped, a new government headed by Hamid Karzai […]

Afghanistan

A Teacher in Afghanistan: Is the Future Democracy or Muslim Extremism?

contributors

By Jeffrey E. Stern | (Informed Comment) | – – A few months ago, in downtown Kabul, a small man stood on top of a car with a megaphone in a city liberated by American troops, and faced down his government. His quarrel was with President Ashraf Ghani. Tensions rose, a guard fired on the […]

Afghanistan

6 US Troops killed by Taliban Suicide Bomber in Afghanistan

Juan Cole

Curated by Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – BBC Monitoring translates from Pushtu a report from the ‘Afghan Islamic Press’ from Kabul on 21 Dec., which says that “A suicide attack has been carried out on the Afghan and foreign forces in Bagram District of Parwan Province, in which . . . foreign […]

Afghanistan

America’s Never-Ending Wars: #1

contributors

By Ann Jones | (Tomdispatch.com) | – – Ten months ago, on December 28, 2014, a ceremony in Kabul officially marked the conclusion of America’s very long war in Afghanistan. President Obama called that day “a milestone for our country.” After more than 13 years, he said, “our combat mission in Afghanistan is ending, and […]

Afghanistan

Putin says Afghan Situation ‘Close to Critical’: Will he intervene there, Too?

contributors

By Frud Bezhan | ( RFE / RL) | – – Russia has signaled its willingness to boost its involvement in Afghan security in a power play that could help President Vladimir Putin burnish perceptions of Moscow’s global significance while dealing a fresh blow to Western influence. The indications come with Russian military planes carrying […]

Afghanistan

Still underestimating al-Qaeda & Taliban despite 1500 Military Analysts

contributors

By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | – – That figure stunned me. I found it in the 12th paragraph of a front-page New York Times story about “senior commanders” at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) playing fast and loose with intelligence reports to give their air war against ISIS an unjustified sheen of success: […]

Afghanistan

If Russia is Region’s new Gun for Hire, Afghanistan Warlord wants to Bring it In

Juan Cole

By Frud Bezhan | (RFE/ RL) | – – With the Taliban threatening to overrun large parts of Afghanistan, First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum is seeking help from an old ally — Russia. h/t Wikipedia A graduate of the Soviet Military Academy and a general in the Soviet-backed Afghan army, Dostum is hoping his […]

Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Elite Special Forces led in Recovering most of Kunduz from Taliban

contributors

By Frud Bezhan | (RFE/RL) | – – Afghanistan’s much-maligned security forces were facing their greatest challenge yet in trying to retake a key northern city from the Taliban — and expectations were not high. But, when the smoke cleared, Kunduz was back in government control, and predictions of a bloody and protracted street war […]