Tag: afghanistan

Residents of Razed Afghan Village Dispute US Case for Destruction 

KABUL/WASHINGTON – The commander of U.S.-NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. James Terry, asserted last month that the homes systematically destroyed by U.S. forces across three districts of Kandahar province as part of Operation Dragon Strike in October and November "were abandoned, empty and wired with ingenious arrays of bombs". But in interviews with … Continue reading “Residents of Razed Afghan Village Dispute US Case for Destruction “

Deferring to Petraeus, NIE Failed to Register Taliban Growth

Despite evidence that the Taliban insurgency had grown significantly in 2010, the U.S. intelligence community failed to revise its estimate for Taliban forces as part of a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Afghanistan in December. That unusual decision was in deference to Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S.-NATO forces in Afghanistan, who did not want … Continue reading “Deferring to Petraeus, NIE Failed to Register Taliban Growth”

Evidence of 2002 Taliban Offer Damages Myth of al-Qaeda Ties

The central justification of the U.S.-NATO war against the Afghan Taliban – that the Taliban would allow al-Qaeda to return to Afghanistan – has been challenged by new historical evidence of offers by the Taliban leadership to reconcile with the Hamid Karzai government after the fall of the Taliban government in late 2001. The evidence … Continue reading “Evidence of 2002 Taliban Offer Damages Myth of al-Qaeda Ties”

In the Crosshairs

“Slowly a humped shape rose out of the pit, and the ghost of a beam of light seemed to flicker out from it. Forthwith flashes of actual flame, a bright glare leaping from one to another, sprang from the scattered group of men. It was as if some invisible jet impinged upon them and flashed … Continue reading “In the Crosshairs”

Tea Party Voters Worry About Afghan War Price Tag

The Afghanistan Study Group has just completed a survey of conservative attitudes about the Afghanistan War – including voters who identify themselves as part of the Tea Party movement.   Results show that conservative voters are highly concerned about the high costs of US military expenditures in the war that are slated to be $119 billion … Continue reading “Tea Party Voters Worry About Afghan War Price Tag”