Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
On The Ground In Afghanistan, A Taliban Whose Momentum Seems Anything But Broken -- Time
The hundreds of bullets, mortar shells and rockets that slammed into the boulders behind which they were taking cover peppered the men of 1st Platoon with high-velocity rock shards and jagged bits of shrapnel. Just below Outpost (OP) Shal, a newly constructed mountaintop aerie in Afghanistan's violent Kunar province on the Pakistani border, insurgent fighters were moaning and screaming from wounds suffered over eight days of heavy fighting. That scene, just three months ago, of the outnumbered American platoon fighting to maintain its foothold offered a sobering contrast to President Barack Obama's statement, in last week's State of the Union address: "The Taliban's momentum has been broken."
Read more ....
More News On Afghanistan
ISAF Joint Command morning operational update - January 31, 2012 -- ISAF
War in Afghanistan News, 31 January, 2012 -- War On Terror News
Insurgents kill NATO soldier in southern Afghanistan -- Wire Update
NATO soldier killed in southern Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
France upends NATO's exit strategy in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AFP
NATO sticks to 2014 Afghan pullout despite early French exit -- AFP
Final shift to Afghan force to start in 2013, NATO official says -- FOX News/AP
NATO: No change to Afghan withdrawal date -- The Hill
Eight in 10 Afghans think police weak, U.N. report shows -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters
UN Poll: Afghan Police Weak, but Ready by 2014 -- ABC News/AP
Afghans Feel Police Not Ready for Security Control -- Voice of America
French judge to investigate killings of 10 soldiers in Afghanistan in 2008 -- Washington Post/AP
Canada is committed to Afghanistan -- Montreal Gazette
Bullies Versus Elitist Killers -- Strategy Page
Afghan officials, Taliban may hold talks in Saudi Arabia -- CNN
Saudi Arabia cautious on possible Afghan talks -- Reuters
Afghan Hazara leader skeptical of Taliban peace -- Reuters
No truce, says Afghan Taliban -- UPI
U.S.-Taliban peace talks face difficult hurdles -- Montreal Gazette/AFP
Afghan police: Man kills wife for giving birth to daughter instead of son -- CNN
Afghan Kin Are Accused of Killing Woman for Not Bearing a Son -- New York Times
The Afghan mother-in-law from hell who helped son 'tie up and choke wife to death for burdening family by having third daughter instead of a son' -- Daily Mail
In Afghanistan, horrific violence against women is nothing new -- L.A. Times