Topic: Afghanistan
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Briefing
Petraeus scandal: Did anything illegal happen? Five questions so far.
An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation has now called into question the private lives and careers of two of the nation’s top national-security officials. Here is an accounting of what is known so far.
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War with Iran? 5 ways events overseas could shape Obama's second term.
The threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program is the most urgent example of the foreign-policy challenges that face President Obama in his second term. Here are four others.
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5 national security issues next president must tackle
President Obama and Mitt Romney battle over foreign policy issues in the third and final presidential debate. No matter who wins the presidential election November 6, Mr. Romney or Mr. Obama will have to confront five urgent national security issues in the first weeks of his term.
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Foreign affairs: 23 new books I wish Obama and Romney would read
In preparation for the upcoming presidential debate on foreign policy, check out these 23 books that offer the kind of nuance and context mostly overlooked during a campaign.
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The Malala moment: 6 Pakistani views on the girl shot by the Taliban
The shooting of 14-year-old Malala Yousufzai by a Taliban gunman has shocked Pakistan and led to some extraordinary writing in the press on how Islamic radicalism is enabled. On the back foot for years, liberals are getting a new hearing against extremist religious parties, the powerful military, and a populist anti-US politician.
All Content
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Obama-Karzai talks near: How many US troops should stay in Afghanistan?
Afghan President Hamid Karzai will be in Washington next week to meet with President Obama. Top of the agenda: deciding whether US troops should stay beyond 2014 – and how many.
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Good Taliban, Bad Taliban? Pakistani commander's killing exposes blurry lines
Analysts say the US drone killing of a 'Good Taliban' commander in Pakistan could unleash new violence by anti-government insurgents - or undo peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
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How Air Force database is preventing its old bombs from claiming new victims
The US military estimates that an Air Force lieutenant colonel is saving hundreds of lives a year through a new database he is creating of past bombing campaigns. He's also challenging the history books.
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Change Agent
Former Islamist seeks to turn the tide of religious extremism in PakistanMaajid Nawaz has founded Khudi, the first social movement in Pakistan to challenge extremist religious ideas and instead promote democratic culture among youths.
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Terrorism & Security
US drone strike in Pakistan kills influential Taliban commanderUS strikes in northwest Pakistan reportedly killed Maulvi Nazir, a Pakistani Taliban commander known for fighting US forces in Afghanistan. Some in Pakistan's military viewed him as a 'good' Taliban.
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Judge dismisses case involving targeted killing of Americans overseas
The ACLU and New York Times had sought access to government documents explaining the legal justification for a US drone strike that killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen and suspected Al Qaeda operative in Yemen.
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Opinion: India gang rape: Why US should ratify UN treaty on women's rights
The gang rape and death of a student in India, which has sparked protests there to change cultural views on women, should remind the United States why it’s high time to ratify the UN 'bill of rights' for women. American criticism of the treaty is based on misconceptions.
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Focus
Obama's pivot to Asia? Middle East will still demand attention in 2013.The popular unrest of the last two years has left the Middle East volatile as 2013 kicks off.
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Afghan violence falls, but insider attacks up in 2012
Insider killings by uniformed Afghans against their foreign allies rose dramatically in 2012, eroding confidence between the two sides at a crucial turning point in the war.
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Pakistan militants attack Muslim pilgrims
More than 320 Shiites have been killed this year in Pakistan and attacks are on the rise, which suggests the government is 'indifferent,' according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.
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General Norman Schwarzkopf, Desert Storm commander, dies at age 78
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, who had an illustrious military career which included many high-profile commands, died Thursday of complications from pneumonia.
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Pakistan Taliban chief says TTP will negotiate, but not disarm
'We believe in dialogue but it should not be frivolous,' Pakistan Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsud said in a 40 minute video. 'Asking us to lay down arms is a joke.'
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Pakistani Taliban capture 22 soldiers after government rejects terms
Pakistan's interior minister dismissed today Pakistani Taliban conditions for a cease-fire, including changes to the constitution and a break with the US.
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Chuck Hagel: why his candidacy for Defense post is losing altitude
Critics of Chuck Hagel's potential candidacy have focused on remarks he made years ago about Israel, Iran, and Hamas. Some even called him anti-Semitic, a charge branded as outrageous, even by other critics.
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Afghan bomber attacks near major US base near Pakistan border, killing 4
NATO forces and foreign civilians have been increasingly attacked by rogue Afghan military and police, eroding trust between the allies.
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Home for the holidays: Fewer US troops are absent this year
Christmas 2012 marks the smallest deployment of combat troops abroad in at least five years, as the war in Iraq ends and US forces deployed to Afghanistan have been drawing down.
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Muslim scholars and clerics: suicide bombings are un-Islamic.
A conference of religious leaders is set to meet in January in Afghanistan specifically to publicize the fact that suicide bombing violence is not in the Quran.
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Video games and shooting: Is the NRA right?
The NRA says the problem with mass shootings like the recent one at the Sandy Hook grade school in Connecticut is not too many unregulated guns but violent video games. But most academic and government research does not support the gun lobby's charge.
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John Kerry as secretary of State: expect a more traditional style (+video)
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with her late-night dancing and talks with children, was known for her 'people to people' style. John Kerry is expected to adopt a more traditional version of diplomacy.
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Violence in Iraq spikes. Are US security interests in jeopardy?
A recent rise in civilian deaths and injuries in Iraq is cause for concern, but Pentagon personnel say Iraqi security forces are proving to be 'very capable' in the year since US troops departed.
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Obama chooses John Kerry for secretary of State. How might he do?
President Obama is expected on Friday to name Sen. John Kerry to replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He'd come with his own pet issues – as well as a reputation as a patient negotiator.
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Geography of joy? Where the world's happiest people live.
Seven of the world's 10 countries with the most upbeat attitudes are in Latin America, says a new Gallop survey. Panama is No. 1 on the list. People in 148 nations were asked: Were they well-rested, had they been treated with respect, smiled or laughed a lot, learned or did something interesting and felt feelings of enjoyment the previous day.
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Britain details its exit strategy from Afghanistan
British soldiers in Afghanistan will fall from 9,000 to 5,200 next year, according to Prime Minister Cameron. 'There will not be a cliff-edge reduction in troop numbers at the end of 2014,' he said.
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US Army seeks death penalty for Robert Bales, accused of Afghan villager massacre
The slayings drew such angry protests that the US temporarily halted combat operations in Afghanistan, and it was three weeks before American investigators could reach the crime scenes.
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The Monitor's View: What Kerry, Hagel would bring to Obama diplomacy
Reports of Sen. John Kerry becoming Secretary of State, and Republican Chuck Hagel being tapped for Defense, hint at a new attempt to use 'soft power' in Obama's second term. But will it work?
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