2 July, 2009

Massive assault on Taliban
The Age – Melbourne,Victoria,Australia
COALITION troops in Afghanistan have been ordered to take extraordinary measures to avoid civilian casualties as they embark on a new air and ground …
www.theage.com.au/world/massive-
assault-on-taliban-20090702-d6j1.html

High-Tech Soldiers Head for Combat in Afghanistan
FOXNews – USA
When the soldiers of the US Army’s 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division hit the ground in Afghanistan this month, they’ll be carrying the latest in …
www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529799,00.html

US soldier believed captured in Afghanistan
AFP
KHOST, Afghanistan (AFP) — A US soldier is believed to have been captured by insurgents in Afghanistan, the military said Thursday, as a commander for a …
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5i1AG3j0rXOC1d2LtkRdbFcK3PoVg

Jones, Mullen Apparently At Odds Over Afghanistan Troop Levels
U.S. News & World Report – Washington,DC,USA
The Washington Post says “the operation will involve about 4000 troops from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which was dispatched to Afghanistan…
www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_090702.htm

Obama Launches New Afghanistan Strategy
Washington Post – United States
A New York Times poll taken in mid-June showed that 30 percent of respondents thought the war in Afghanistan was going well, while 55 percent thought it was …
voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/07/02/
obama_launches_new_afghanistan.html?wprss=44

Military to add 5200 upgraded MRAPs
USA Today – USA
The move comes as statistics show roadside bomb attacks have surged to record levels in Afghanistan, and commanders there have an urgent need for…
www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-07-01-mrap_N.htm

Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan
AFP
LONDON (AFP) — Two soldiers have been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday. The soldiers, from the 1st …
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5i1U_2_NiRqz6_LxMZtXJXBbP_9qA

Afghan president urges Taliban to vote in upcoming election
Xinhua – China
“Once again, I call on Taliban, our brothers and other opposition who are in Afghanistan or outside of the country, I request them to register their names …
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/30/content_11628682.htm

U.S. soldier captured in Afghanistan, military says
Los Angeles Times – CA,USA
KABUL, Afghanistan — The US military said today that insurgents have capture an American soldier in eastern Afghanistan. There were few details available …
www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/
la-fg-afghan-soldier3-2009jul03,0,3285054.story

US Marines launch major Afghanistan assault
Reuters – USA
By Peter Graff GARMSIR, Afghanistan, July 2 (Reuters) – Thousands of US Marines stormed deep into Taliban territory in an Afghan river valley on Thursday, …
www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP510469._CH_.2400

Telegraph Blogs “ News “ The American surge in Afghanistan is an …
By Con Coughlin
The long-awaited surge by the American military is a welcome attempt to try an inflict a decisive defeat against the Taliban in the southern Afghan province of Helmand.
blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/concoughlin/100001832/the-
american-surge-in-afghanistan-is-an-embarrassment-to-britain/

Snowblog – The US has the firepower, but what then for Afghanistan?
By Nick Paton Walsh
They’re experiencing record casualties and have done a remarkable job in one of the worst provinces in Afghanistan for five years. But there’s no getting away from it: they simply can’t do what the Americans can, and they know it. …
blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/2009/07/02/
america-has-the-toys-to-impact-afghanistan/

U.S. searching for missing soldier in Afghanistan | Stars and Stripes
US forces in eastern Afghanistan are conducting an intense search for a soldier who wandered off his post and is now presumed captured by the Taliban, a spokeswoman for US Forces Afghanistan confirmed Thursday.
www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=63560

Insurgents capture American soldier in Afghanistan | Washington …
KABUL — Insurgents have captured an American soldier in eastern Afghanistan, the US military said Thursday. Spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias said the soldier went missing Tuesday. “We are using all of our resources to find him and …
www.washingtonexaminer.com/nation/Insurgents-
cature-American-soldier-in-Afghanistan-49686547.html

Mudville Gazette
By Greyhawk
KABUL, Afghanistan – A U.S. Soldier, who has been missing since June 30th from his assigned unit, is now believed to have been captured by militant forces. We are exhausting all available resources to ascertain his whereabouts and …
www.mudvillegazette.com/032320.html

Major military operation under way in Afghanistan – Yahoo! News
Thousands of US Marines poured from helicopters and armored vehicles into Taliban-controlled villages of southern Afghanistan Thursday in the first major …
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090702/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

U.S. launches ‘major operation’ in Afghanistan – CNN.com
US troops have launched a “major operation” against Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, US military officials announced in Afghanistan early Thursday.
www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/01/afghanistan.operation/

1 July, 2009

Pakistan militants scrap deal
AFP
… militants could now expand to North Waziristan, which lies on the border with Afghanistan and neighbours Mehsud’s stronghold of South Waziristan. …
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5i91B9WADh74iuLD2vIBnt_-efgrA

Oshkosh Corp. Bags $1.05 Bln US Army Contract – Stocks To Watch
RTT News – Williamsville,NY,USA
The present M-ATV order is to address the immediate need of vehicles in Afghanistan, where the US Army is engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom,…
www.rttnews.com/CorpInfo/Display
WatchList.aspx?Node=B6&page=1823

US seeks European funds, troops for Afghanistan
Sydney Morning Herald – Sydney,New South Wales,Australia Europe must commit more funds and troops to stabilise Afghanistan after the August presidential elections, the US envoy to NATO Ivo Daalder said Wednesday. …
news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/us-seeks-european-funds-troops-for-afghanistan-20090701-d56c.html

In Afghanistan, crackdown hurts Iran’s once-sterling image
MiamiHerald.com – Miami,FL,USA
By PHILIP SMUCKER HERAT, Afghanistan — Students at Afghanistan’s Herat University thought they were living in new era of openness, one in which the right …
www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/1122344.html

Pakistan elder killed by gunmen
BBC News – UK
As news of his death spread, incensed local tribesmen closed down the markets and also the Pakistan-Afghanistan highway through Torkham. …
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8128371.stm

Obama aide says no more troops to Afghanistan
Reuters India – Mumbai,India
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s top security adviser has told US military commanders there are no plans to send more troops to Afghanistan …
in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-40716220090701

Peshtigo Army private killed in Afghanistan
River Falls Journal – River Falls,WI,USA
He was sent to Afghanistan on his birthday last month. Funeral services will be held at the high school. A date has not been set.
www.riverfallsjournal.com/event/article/id/92182/

Australia boosts aid funding to Pak, Afghanistan
AFP
In Afghanistan, Smith said the Australian money would be spent on helping observers from Asia — including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and…
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5h0QrBK6-h69ioVggSnZP2AsPGd-g

Oshkosh wins Afghanistan M-ATV contract
The Hill – Washington,DC,USA
Several combat vehicle producers fought to win the large contract to build 2244 vehicles for Afghanistan. The M-ATV program also is getting much attention …
thehill.com/business—lobby/oshkosh-wins
-afghanistan-atv-contract-2009-06-30.html

Slain La. soldier memorialized in Afghanistan
WTVM – Columbus,GA,USA
(AP) – A Louisiana-based soldier killed in action is memorialized in Afghanistan. Officials at Fort Polk said Tuesday that friends and fellow
soldiers of …
www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=10623598

Afghanistan Strategy: Obama “WTF?” to His Military | Enduring America
By Scott Lucas
Earlier this year we paid close attention to the conflict between White House advisors and military commanders over the latter’s request for increased troop.
enduringamerica.com/2009/07/01/afghan
istan-strategy-obama-wtf-to-his-military/

High-Tech Brigade Heads to Afghanistan, Loaded With Gadgets …
By dajunglechemist
The soldiers of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are shipping out to Afghanistan this month — equipped with a controversial array of infantryman gadgets: electronic maps, GPS beacons, wearable computers, and digital radios. …
dprogram.net/2009/07/01/high-tech-brigade-
heads-to-afghanistan-loaded-with-gadgets/

The News-Gazette.com: Afghan minister seeking end to private …
It is unclear how many private militias operate in Afghanistan – or who, exactly, runs them. However, with violence spiraling in much of the country, foreigners and Afghans alike have increasingly turned to such groups for security. …
www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2009/06/
30/afghan_minister_seeking_end_to_private_militias

War without Killing? | Cato @ Liberty
By Benjamin H. Friedman
You should not support the war in Afghanistan if you cannot support killing innocent people in prosecuting it. As Harvey Sapolsky (my professor at MIT) points out on his new blog, the allies killed 50000 French civilians in the course …
www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/07/01/war-without-killing/