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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Widening Petraeus scandal comes at already troublesome time for Pentagon
Gen. John Allen, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, is under investigation by the Department of Defense, as part of the inquiry into David Petraeus's affair. The Pentagon already had big personnel moves planned, and budget questions loom.
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Gen. John Allen: How top US commander got caught up in Petraeus scandal (+video)
Gen. John Allen, the top US commander in Afghanistan, is now the subject of an FBI investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with Jill Kelley, a married socialite in Florida. Gen. John Allen denies any wrongdoing.
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The Afghan expat's dilemma: Should I stay or should I go?
Thousands of Afghans who returned from abroad after the fall of the Taliban in 2001 now face the dilemma of once again having to flee and bear the resentment of Afghans left behind.
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Readers Write: US-NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan is complicated; Quran must be better understood
Letters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of November 11, 2012: The US military entered Afghanistan in 2001 in order to bring democracy, gender equality, and security to that nation, but many would argue that they have failed on all counts; The Quran must be discussed with reason and intelligence, as an International Quranic Studies Association would hopefully accomplish.
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Opinion: Veterans Day: To regain trust, Congress should take a cue from US military
This Veterans Day, the military is one of America’s most trusted institutions; Congress is one of the least. Confidence in many public institutions is low because they lack a sense of duty, trust, loyalty, and teamwork – qualities US troops hold dear, and which all Americans can practice.
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Petraeus affair: From romantic jealousy to the downfall of 'King David'
Details are emerging about the extramarital affair that led to CIA Director David Petraeus's resignation. Some in Congress want to know why the FBI waited so long to inform them.
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On Veterans Day, the greatest wound for many is loss of purpose
Capt. Kyle Snook, a third-generation soldier, only wanted to be a platoon leader – a dream shattered by a roadside bomb in Kandahar. Now, he's trying to find meaning after the Army.
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General Petraeus affair raises deep personal and public questions
CIA Director David Petraeus has resigned over an extra-marital affair, reportedly with his biographer. How did the FBI learn that his personal e-mail account had been hacked? What happens to the spy agency now, under fire for its handling of the terrorist attack at Benghazi?
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Petraeus resigns over affair, as criticism grows of CIA response in Libya
Officials will want to know if there was any link between David Petraeus’s extramarital activities and what has been increasingly criticized as the CIA’s weak performance during the Benghazi attack.
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CIA director David Petraeus resigns, citing extramarital affair
The retired US Army general, who formerly headed up US and NATO forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, asked President Obama for permission to resign Thursday.
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George P. Bush files to run for office in Texas
George P. Bush files the paperwork to campaign for a state office in Texas. George P. Bush is the nephew of former President George W. Bush, and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The campaign files don't disclose what office Bush might seek.
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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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Thank you, veterans
A Christian Science perspective: A Veterans Day tribute to veterans and their families.
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Obama to visit Myanmar: White House confirms Asia trip details (+video)
President Obama, newly re-elected, will visit Southeast Asia this month. His itinerary will include stops in Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar. His visit to Myanmar will be viewed as an endorsement of that country's recent transformation.
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Why Pentagon won't say how it would cut $55 billion starting Jan. 1
The Pentagon may finally be planning for dreaded spending cuts set to take effect in the new year, though it is mum on any specifics. It wants Congress to come up with a different solution to US deficit spending.
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The Monitor's View: Look outward, Obama
The president’s domestic agenda may consist of making compromises with Republicans. But overseas he is freer to act. And there’s much that needs his attention.
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Germans happy with Obama win, but still disagree on austerity
If Germans could have voted, Obama's reelection would have been a foregone conclusion due to the president's 85 percent approval rating.
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Opinion: Mitt Romney's flip-flopping didn't hurt him (+video)
The Obama campaign labeled Mitt Romney a flip-flopper. But Romney's position shifts did little to fundamentally harm his election prospects. Obama only narrowly defeated Romney, and election day results closely mirror projections from June – before Romney’s move to the middle.
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Obama's new foreign-policy and security team: Could Colin Powell be on it?
With President Obama likely to begin his second term with a sharp domestic focus, he’ll need a trusted foreign-policy and security team to handle sensitive, and pressing, global challenges.
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Backchannels
After Obama win, say goodbye to neoconsAt least for a few years.
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Russia not Obama's 'No. 1 foe,' but Moscow doubts a fresh 'reset'
Obama promised 'more flexibility' with Russia after his reelection. But President Putin is pursuing a foreign policy agenda that is increasingly critical of the US.
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Will Obama's reelection change the US-Pakistan relationship?
Some Pakistani officials are quietly hoping Obama's reelection will help relations between the two countries, particularly if Sen. John Kerry replaces Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.
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Can Syria's opposition groups figure out how to pull together? (+video)
At a gathering in Qatar, Syria's opposition groups have been trying to overcome disarray in their ranks – and lay the foundation for eventual post-dictator leadership.
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Robert Reich
Election 2012: A house dividedWe come to the end of a bitter election feeling as if we’re two nations rather than one, Reich writes.
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Opinion: Election day: Most predictions of the next four years will be wrong (+video)
As President Obama or Mitt Romney will discover, the only predictable thing about foreign and domestic events is unpredictability. Woodrow Wilson didn't foresee World War I. Jimmy Carter called Iran an 'island of stability.' Terrorism got only brief mention in the 2000 Bush-Gore debates.
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