Month: September 2010

Petraeus Spin on Afghan War Belied by Soaring Casualties

Gen. David Petraeus claimed limited success this week in the war within a war over the Taliban’s planting of roadside bombs, but official Pentagon data shows the Taliban clearly winning that war by planting more bombs and killing many more U.S. and NATO troops since the troop surge began in early 2010. In an interview … Continue reading “Petraeus Spin on Afghan War Belied by Soaring Casualties”

Rendition Suit Heads for US High Court

In a move legal experts are calling unusual, the one-vote court majority that tossed out the lawsuit brought by five men who claim they were tortured under the "extraordinary rendition" program of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency departed from customary practice in suggesting several other ways the victims might obtain justice. This departure from the … Continue reading “Rendition Suit Heads for US High Court”

Thursday: 8 Iraqis Killed, 15 Wounded

Updated at 8:55 p.m. EDT, Sept. 9, 2010 Iraqis are awaiting the sighting of the crescent moon that will mark the end of Ramadan and the start of Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Although security forces are concerned this may trigger an increase in violence, so far attacks have remained light. At least eight Iraqis were killed and 15 more were wounded.

Calls for Change of Afghan Strategy Grow Louder

Amid continued high levels of violence and a steady stream of reports of high-level government corruption in Kabul, a growing number of foreign policy specialists are urging President Barack Obama to reconsider his counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy in Afghanistan. In a new report released here Wednesday, a bipartisan group of some three dozen former senior officials, … Continue reading “Calls for Change of Afghan Strategy Grow Louder”