Not exactly a pretty picture (but then at this point the major media are looking for the worst; nonetheless there are, er, unencouraging things–how’s that for being UA?):
Michael Yon’s War [via Moby Media Updates, more here on Mr Yon from a Canadian Army reservist who has served at Kandahar]
Ahmed Wali Karzai [the one in Kandahar], an ally and obstacle to the U.S. military in Afghanistan
Karzai [the one in Kabul] seeks support for Kandahar operation
U.S. Military Intelligence Puts Focus on Afghan Graft
Poland wants NATO to plan an end to Afghan mission [bet you didn't know Poles were there, strength almost as great as ours, with a combat role, more here and here]
Pakistan puppet masters guide the Taliban killers
Pakistan’s New Networks of Terror
It’s not just about Waziristan anymore. How the country’s various militias are joining forces — and what it could mean for attacks within the United States.Defence chief to be axed
BRITAIN’S most senior military officer is to be axed as the new government seeks to draw a line under past failures in Afghanistan…
Meanwhile, what’s shaking in the nation’s capital:
Ignatieff says Tories must release detainee documents
All a matter of perspective about what’s important, eh?
Update: Another Canadian perspective, from Terry Glavin:
Fighting for basic rights in Afghanistan with laws and books
And if you really want to expand your AfPak reading, take a look at this article by a retired, very senior, Indian civil servant–though how he expects a new UN peackeeping force to work beats me; that’s in effect what ISAF originally was when confined to the Kabul area (where the CF operated from 2003-5).
Upperdate: Very interesting post (by this author) on Canada’s “signature project” at Kandahar; see third para here for the latest, rather uninformative, report from our government:
Dahla Dam
Via Milnews.ca, 13 Jun 10.
Uppestdate: Just in case you hadn’t already noticed the first bit already–but there is some new detailed info in this CP story:
Canada’s role shrinking in Kandahar; U.S. to take over command of the city
…
At the end of the reorganization, the Canadian battle group and only one U.S. battalion will remain in Canadian hands, likely the 1st Cavalary, 71st U.S. Regiment [the current composition of the CF's Task Force Kanadahar, including US Army units now with it--three battalions, is here]…
Via Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs.
Mark
Ottawa
“How can anyone forget that Pakistan created, trained and armed the Taliban, and it still serves as the base for Islamabad’s operations in Afghanistan? The sole purpose of Pakistan’s protégés will be to subvert the Karzai government and take over the country once again.”
I wonder if this is true, or merely a former member of the Indian government venting against his old foe,Pakistan.
Clearly the Paks (almost certainly the ISI as their main intelligence service) had close ties with the Taliban from close to, if not at, the start of the Talibs’ advance into Afstan. See the US gov’t documents here .
As for the present, it seems most likely the Paks still have close ties with at least some of the Taliban, in order to have a hole card in case the Talibs regain any considerable measure of power in Afstan.
See also the story in the post above “Pakistan puppet masters guide the Taliban killers”.
Mark
Ottawa
But see also, for the current situation, this mild critique of the LSE paper at Foreign Policy’s “AfPak Channel”:
“…reports like Waldman’s must be read with a grain of salt. After all, there are two sides to every story, and this largely unilateral report could have benefited immensely from some more thorough investigation of the other one.
Huma Imtiaz works as a journalist in Karachi and blogs at http://humaimtiaz.wordpress.com.”
Mark
Ottawa
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