Lt. Col. Daniel Davis publicly called out his superior officers on their assessments of the war.
Congress Tunes Out Lt. Col. Davis’s Allegations It’s Been Misled on Afghanistan
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Afghanistan
Sgt. Bales: Is Further Proof Needed That Multiple Tours Are a Recipe for Disaster?
ing Afghan civilians in two shifts qualifies Sgt. Robert Bales as a serial killer.
America’s Image Problem
It’s not that Afghans are inherently untrustworthy. Rather, the United States has put them in an untenable position. They must choose between supporting unpalatable insiders and unpalatable outsiders.
But it’s actually worse than this.
Qur’an Burning an Arson Attack on Islam
Nearly a decade into the Afghanistan war, foreign forces continue to demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding of Islamic culture.
Is China Reentering the Great Game?
Many countries have contributed to Afghanistan’s reconstruction. But it’s only been since 2007 that China has attracted attention with its investments. In November 2007, the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) won the tender to invest over $2.9 billion to develop the Aynak copper mine, which is the second-largest copper deposit in the world. This was not only the second-largest investment in Afghanistan in recent years – equivalent to one-third of all foreign aid spent in the country between 2002 and 2007 – but it also raised China to the top tier of investors. In a more recent deal in October 2011, the PetroChina Company Ltd (CPNC) plans to invest about $300 million in three oil fields in northern Afghanistan.
The Not-So-Great Game
The current Great Game centers on Iran and the efforts particularly of the United States and Israel to prevent the country from going nuclear. The 19th-century battle over turf and influence in Central Asia lasted decades and sent armies slogging their way across high mountains and unforgiving plains. The current standoff, by contrast, could escalate in a matter of hours, if Israel launches a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and Iran retaliates directly or through proxies.
Coalition Forces Won’t Take Training Wheels Off Afghan Forces
Afghan National Security Forces have yet to play the lead role in the Afghanistan war.
NATO Airstrike Highlights Af-Pak Animosity as Well as U.S.-Pak
Many Afghans were pleased about the NATO airstrike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
America Is Not Broke
This report challenges the premise that America is broke. In fact, we argue that the current fiscal challenge poses an opportunity to harness our ample but misdirected resources in ways that will make the country stronger.
Afghanistan: To Soothe the Militant Mind
A high-powered yoga teacher dreams of bringing the Taliban and Western troops together for meditation and yoga.