British soldiers from B Company, 2 Mercian set off on an operation in Malgir, Helmand province Photo: REUTERS Pashtun Ethnic Agenda At Heart Of Afghan War -- Yahoo News/AP
KABUL – In a recent debate leading up to the presidential elections here, the first question was not about terrorism, or violence, or even opium. It was about how candidates viewed a jagged line casually drawn on a map 115 years ago by British colonial rulers.
For the West, this border separates Afghanistan from Pakistan, and it is a source of great frustration that neither country seems able or even willing to enforce it. But for many Pashtuns, the most powerful ethnic tribe here, the line runs through what they call "Pashtunistan" and is no more legitimate than the border that once divided East and West Germany.
Read more ....
More News On Afghanistan
Afghan mission falls short of expectations: Lawmakers -- Breitbart/AFP
More US troops die in Afghanistan -- BBC
NATO says 3 US troops killed in Afghan battle -- AP
Three U.S. troops killed in Afghan east: military -- Reuters
Taliban built on years of 'mistakes': analysts -- AFP
Britain's drug fighting role in Afghanistan a 'poisoned chalice', say MPs -- The Telegraph
Lawmakers urge UK to drop Afghan drugs mission -- AP
Government has let down British troops in Afghanistan by bad planning and lack of a realistic strategy, says MPs' report -- Daily Mail
Afghan mission falls short of expectations: MPs -- AFP
House of Commons report critical of Britain's Afghan war effort -- CNN
UN chief scorns Miliband plan for Taliban talks -- Times Online
Britain to send 2,000 extra troops to help train Afghans -- Times Online
In Afghanistan, Taliban kills more civilians than US -- Christian Science Monitor
51 Troops have had limbs blown off -- Mirror
'You Have to Learn This Now': To Battle Taliban, Afghan Army Steps Up Recruiting, Training -- Washington Post
Karzai Campaigns in Remote Afghan Valley -- New York Times
Think tank: the empire has a lesson on beating the Taliban -- Times Online