Topic: Afghanistan
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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3 priorities for Pakistan's new government
After 14 years, Nawaz Sharif is back at the helm in Pakistan. The nuclear-armed country faces a welter of problems, from terrorism to tensions with Afghanistan, India, and the United States. To move Pakistan forward, Mr. Sharif must focus on three priorities.
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5 memoirs to add to your 2013 reading list
A new crop of memoirs takes readers to the worlds authors once knew.
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Pakistan elections: Who's running?
This election will mark the first transfer of power from one government to another without any military interference. Here is a look at the main candidates for prime minister.
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Who handled Major League Baseball’s ceremonial first-pitch honors in 2013?
One of the most anticipated moments of any baseball season occurs when ceremonial first pitches are thrown at each of 30 major-league ballparks. Often the identity of the persons or persons doing the honors is kept a secret until the last minute. Here’s the lineup of the 2013 VIPs:
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15 promising nonfiction books for spring 2013
April showers bring May flowers. Here's some fresh non-fiction to check out this spring while you enjoy the new greenery.
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Backchannels Afghan corruption, opium, and the strange case of Kam Air
Kam Air, an airline owned by a politically-connected Afghan businessman, was blacklisted by the US military in Afghanistan for opium smuggling. Then the Afghan government complained.
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US drone strikes: There's 'no wink and nod' from Pakistan, ambassador says
At a Monitor breakfast Tuesday, Pakistani Ambassador Sherry Rehman rejected perceptions that her government publicly condemns drone strikes while privately cooperating with the US on them.
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Debt limit: Link any increase to spending cuts? Majority in poll says yes.
The results of the Monitor/TIPP poll – some 75 percent of respondents said the debt limit and spending should be linked – mesh with other surveys that cite rising concerns about deficits.
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Boy and Girl Scouts in Afghanistan?
An Afghan charity has worked to rejuvenate Afghanistan's coed Scouting program. It has 2,000 Scouts and more than 100 Scout leaders spread around the county.
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Afghanistan, Pakistan, and UK call Taliban to negotiating table
Afghan and Pakistani leaders traveled to London to discuss restarting talks with the Taliban. The countries decided to open offices in Qatar to facilitate talks.
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After his rough Senate hearing, Chuck Hagel gets a boost from backers
His confirmation hearing performance was universally described as 'lackluster' at best – and far worse by many accounts. But Defense Secretary-nominee Chuck Hagel got some support Sunday, including another Republican backer in the Senate.
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Robert Reich Jobs report: why the recovery has stalled
Friday's jobs report shows that the government is heading in exactly the wrong direction by raising taxes on the middle class and cutting spending, Reich writes.
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Hillary Clinton departs State: What's her legacy as top US diplomat? (+video)
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton steps down Friday. Her supporters say she has reenergized America’s working relationships with allies and partners, while some critics ask what her defining accomplishments are.
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Difference Maker Rodney Jackson hikes high into the Himalayas to help snow leopards
Rodney Jackson and his team take 20 to 30 yaks, each loaded with 250 to 300 pounds of gear, into the Himalayas to study snow leopards, which take the word 'elusive' to an extreme.
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McCain pounds Chuck Hagel in Senate confirmation hearing
At the confirmation hearing for Chuck Hagel as Defense secretary, Sen. John McCain took a particularly robust line of questioning, asking him about his views on the surge in Iraq.
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When dictators fall, so do their banknotes
The following now defunct or possibly soon-to-be defunct banknotes are imbued with the symbols and iconography of their leaders, past and present.
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Pakistan's Balochistan: Minerals, militants, and meddling
Five points to understand about Pakistan's restive Balochistan Province.
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Video: Sen. John McCain and Chuck Hagel tangle over Iraq
Sen. John McCain had a feisty exchange with Chuck Hagel about the Iraq troop surge at Senate confirmation hearings for President Obama's pick for secretary of defense.
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Opinion: Conflict in Mali shows US needs greater engagement in Africa
While I am pleased at reports of US cooperation with France to stop Islamist extremists Mali and run them out of Timbuktu, I remain concerned about the interrelated, widespread threat of terror in the region. America cannot afford to treat it as compartmentalized country-by-country issue.
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Timbuktu residents say 'Thank you God' that rebel Islamists are gone (+video)
Under watch of French soldiers, inhabitants of the ancient crossroads city turn on the radio, and start to breathe the freer air.
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Pentagon's budget nightmare: How each branch would handle sequester cuts
With the threat of a mandatory, across-the-board series of cuts known as sequestration looming over the Pentagon, each of the services has begun its worst-case-scenario planning. Here is where the cuts stand now:
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Pakistani Taliban enter fray around strategic NATO routes
Fighting between rival militant groups near the Khyber Pass has reportedly claimed more than 70 lives over the past week.
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5 big losers in press freedom: Mali and ... Japan?
The annual World Press Freedom Index released today shows gains for Myanmar and others. Japan tumbled due to an informal ban placed on independent coverage of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. Here are five of the notable winners and losers on this year’s list.
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Senate confirms John Kerry, a foreign-policy buff who has Obama's trust
The Senate voted 94-to-3 to confirm John Kerry as secretary of State. He has Obama's trust and appears in sync with him on policy, but the president may be primarily focused on domestic affairs.
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What does the world expect from newly confirmed Secretary of State John Kerry?
From France to Pakistan to China, many have voiced expectations that John Kerry's vast experience and diplomatic skill will be a boon to dealing with international crises and issues.
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Women could be great Navy SEALs, says head of Special Ops
The head of Special Ops has indicated his support for integrating women into the elite force. The necessity, he adds, is ensuring that all special operators are in peak physical condition.
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Focus Why combat role for US women could reverberate worldwide
In many countries, women have historically served in combat when demographics demanded it. But the US move is based on equal opportunity for women – and could become a model for others.
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Invisible Armies: An Epic History of Guerrilla Warfare from Ancient Times to the Present
Max Boot's entertaining history teaches valuable lessons, but sometimes draws shaky conclusions.
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Opinion: Attacks in Mali, Libya, Algeria show why Africa still needs US support
Attacks by Islamist insurgents on US outposts in Benghazi, Libya, at a gas plant in Algeria, and in Mali expose several reasons for persistent security weakness across Africa. For one thing, many countries are too poor to supply the funds and soldiers for regional peace efforts.
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Islamists burn ancient manuscripts in Mali's Timbuktu
Islamist extremists torched a library containing historic manuscripts in Timbuktu, the mayor said today, as French and Malian forces closed in on Mali's fabled desert city.
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