Tag: pakistan

Uncle Bob Wants You

Uncle Bob Gates wants more young people to join the military. In a Sept. 29 speech at Duke University, Defense Secretary Gates asked students, “If America’s best and brightest will not step forward, who will?” The likes of you, Uncle Bob, that’s who. By way of seducing another generation into the generational war his generation … Continue reading “Uncle Bob Wants You”

US Still Taking a Hard Line on Peace Talks with Taliban

Following serious setbacks to the U.S. military’s war plan in Afghanistan, the Barack Obama administration has taken the first tentative step toward a negotiated settlement of the conflict by actively seeking to ascertain the willingness of the Taliban to enter into negotiations, according to a source familiar with the administration’s thinking about the issue. But … Continue reading “US Still Taking a Hard Line on Peace Talks with Taliban”

Rise in Af-Pak Cross-Border Attacks Spurs Backlash

The steady increase in U.S. cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into the frontier areas of Pakistan – whether by drone missiles or attack helicopters – is causing a serious backlash from both the region’s residents and Islamabad’s government and military leadership. In the latest case, the government of President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday closed NATO’s primary … Continue reading “Rise in Af-Pak Cross-Border Attacks Spurs Backlash”

US Boosts Aid Amid Doubts About Pakistan’s Recovery

The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has announced it will provide an additional 75 million dollars in food aid to help Pakistan cope with floods that have affected about one-fifth of the country – including some 20 million people – since they began in July. That will bring total U.S. assistance to Islamabad to … Continue reading “US Boosts Aid Amid Doubts About Pakistan’s Recovery”

For Afghan Refugees, Polls Are Far and Near

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Afghan voters just went to national parliamentary elections, but refugees from that country here in neighboring Pakistan could only rue the fact that they have been left out of this vote. Some 2 million Afghans living overseas in Pakistan and Iran took part in the 2004 presidential election and the first parliamentary … Continue reading “For Afghan Refugees, Polls Are Far and Near”

What to Do About the Wars

As President Obama pooh-poohed as old news the many WikiLeaks documents showing the sad state of the conflict in Afghanistan, the chief executive also began an entire month of crowing about keeping his campaign promise to “bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end.” But in both wars, the president’s strategies are flawed and … Continue reading “What to Do About the Wars”