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Archives: Afghanistan

‘Not Sharia’: Female Afghan Rap Star campaigns against Child Marriage

Jon Snow | (Channel 4 News Video Report) | - - "Sonita Alizadeh was just 10-years-old the first time her parents tried to sell her as a child bride. She turned to…

Afghanistan: Washington’s Twenty-First-Century Opium Wars

By Alfred McCoy | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - In October 2001, the U.S. launched its invasion of Afghanistan largely through proxy Afghan fighters with the help of Special Operations forces,…

As ISIL goes Global, Will the ‘War on Terror’ extend for Decades?

By Paul Rogers | ( OpenDemocracy.net) | - - The war against ISIL has seen 18 months of of airstrikes by United States-led coalition forces in both Iraq and Syria. An even…

Iran Dragooning Thousands of Undocumented Afghans as Cannon Fodder in Syria

Human Rights Watch | - - (New York) – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has recruited thousands of undocumented Afghans living there to fight in Syria since at least November 2013, Human…

A Teacher in Afghanistan: Is the Future Democracy or Muslim Extremism?

By Jeffrey E. Stern | (Informed Comment) | - - A few months ago, in downtown Kabul, a small man stood on top of a car with a megaphone in a city…

6 US Troops killed by Taliban Suicide Bomber in Afghanistan

Curated by Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - BBC Monitoring translates from Pushtu a report from the 'Afghan Islamic Press' from Kabul on 21 Dec., which says that "A suicide…

Afghanistan: America’s Military Money Pit

By Tom Engelhardt | (Informed Comment) | - - Let’s begin with the $12 billion in shrink-wrapped $100 bills, Iraqi oil money held in the U.S. The Bush administration began flying it…

America’s Never-Ending Wars: #1

By Ann Jones | (Tomdispatch.com) | - - Ten months ago, on December 28, 2014, a ceremony in Kabul officially marked the conclusion of America’s very long war in Afghanistan. President Obama…

Earthquake in Pakistan & Afghanistan hits Poor Worse

Channel 4 News | (Video News Report) | - - "More than 200 people have been killed in a powerful quake which shook areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan and was felt as…

Putin says Afghan Situation ‘Close to Critical’: Will he intervene there, Too?

By Frud Bezhan | ( RFE / RL) | - - Russia has signaled its willingness to boost its involvement in Afghan security in a power play that could help President Vladimir…

Still underestimating al-Qaeda & Taliban despite 1500 Military Analysts

By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - That figure stunned me. I found it in the 12th paragraph of a front-page New York Times story about “senior commanders” at…

If Russia is Region’s new Gun for Hire, Afghanistan Warlord wants to Bring it In

By Frud Bezhan | (RFE/ RL) | - - With the Taliban threatening to overrun large parts of Afghanistan, First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum is seeking help from an old ally…

Afghanistan’s Elite Special Forces led in Recovering most of Kunduz from Taliban

By Frud Bezhan | (RFE/RL) | - - Afghanistan's much-maligned security forces were facing their greatest challenge yet in trying to retake a key northern city from the Taliban -- and expectations…

Afghanistan: The Taliban reign of Fear in Kunduz belies Charm Offensive

By Frud Bezhan | ( RFE/ RL) | - - An expected Afghan government counteroffensive to retake Kunduz from the Taliban appears to have largely stalled as troops await reinforcements." "The citizens…

The Final Collapse of Bush’s Nation-Building: Konduz falls to Taliban

The Final Collapse of Bush’s Nation-Building: Kunduz falls to Taliban

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - On Monday, the Taliban swept into the provincial capital of Kunduz, taking it in half a day from a large and well-equipped Afghan…

Is al-Zawahiri’s oath to Taliba a sign al-Qaeda is finished? Will ISIL step In?

Is al-Zawahiri’s oath to Taliban a sign al-Qaeda is finished? Will ISIL step In?

By Joanna Paraszczuk | ( RFE/ RL ) - - After almost a year of silence, Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri has released an audio message swearing bay'ah -- an oath of allegiance…

Afghanistan: The First Rule of Counter-Insurgency is that it Doesn’t Ever Work

By William R. Polk | (Informed Comment) | - - The people of Afghanistan at least since the time of Alexander the Great had repeatedly and violently demonstrated their determination not to…

Pushtun Female Commandos Ready to Take on the Taliban

By Ashfaq Yusufzai | (Inter Press Service) | - - PESHAWAR, Pakistan (IPS) - For years, Robina Shah has dreamed of joining the police force. Ever since her father, a police constable,…

Why Obama is bucking Saudis, Israel on Iran: Deal would much Strengthen US Security

By Brian M Downing | (Informed Comment) | - The dialog between the US and Iran moves ahead, albeit haltingly. Opposition comes from important groups in both Tehran and Washington – as…

Farkhunda is Our Sister: A “Martyr” to women and the Making of a New Afghanistan?

By Ann Jones | (Tomdispatch.com) | -- I went to Kabul, Afghanistan, in March to see old friends. By chance, I arrived the day after a woman had been beaten to death…