Topic: International Security Assistance Force

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In Pictures: Obama's West Wing
11 countries speaking out against Koran burning in Florida

More than 10 countries have now condemned a Florida pastor's plan to burn the Koran in commemoration of the 9/11 terrorist attacks of nine years ago. Here is what leaders are saying worldwide.
In Pictures: Got your red hat?
Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 12/17

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Keep Calm
What the French elections could mean for Afghan security

Newly elected French President François Hollande pledged to withdraw French troops by end of 2012. This will increase the burden on other NATO allies as Taliban fighting season begins.
Latest photo scandal: US soldiers pose with dead Afghan insurgents

An American soldier gave the Los Angeles Times 18 photos of US soldiers posing with dead Afghan insurgents. US Ambassador in Afghanistan Ryan Crocker called the actions of these American soldiers "morally repugnant."
Turkish helicopter crash in Afghanistan comes at tough time for NATO forces

A NATO helicopter crashed into a house on the outskirts of Kabul on Friday, killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and at least two Afghan civilians on the ground.
Obama, Cameron tout Afghanistan exit plan, but will Afghan troops be ready?

In the Rose Garden, Obama and Cameron say local forces will take 'full responsibility' for Afghanistan's security in 2014, but their readiness is not assured despite years of training.
Six UK soldiers believed killed in Afghanistan blast

Six UK soldiers were believed missing and presumed dead after an explosion hit their armored vehicle in southwestern Afghanistan on Tuesday evening.
The PR challenge in Afghanistan: suicide bombing, Quran burning, and murky data

The US and NATO continue to offer relentlessly optimistic reports. But they aren’t reversing the erosion of public confidence, and attacks like today's suicide bombing don't help.
Quran burning protests rage on, injuring 7 more troops

The US ambassador to Afghanistan admits that 'tensions are running very high here' over the disposal of Qurans in a burn pit at a US military base.
Backchannels
NATO decides Afghan ministries too dangerous for its personnel

After what appears to be the latest murder of US personnel by Afghan security services, NATO pulled its people out of Afghan ministries.
Quran burning: Were prisoners hiding extremist messages in books?

The Pentagon has launched an investigation into the Quran burning at a US detention facility in Afghanistan. Prisoners might have used the books to pass secret messages, a spokesman says.
Special Forces in Afghanistan: not just taking out terrorists anymore

As conventional forces withdraw from Afghanistan, US Special Forces will take the lead in training Afghan soldiers and police – a task that takes Special Forces back to their roots.
Bomb Iran? Nearly half of Americans say 'yes' to halt nuclear program.

A new You-Gov poll finds 44 percent of Americans favor, and 35 percent oppose, a strike against Iran. Fewer Europeans favor force, but more are convinced Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb.
Backchannels
US colonel: Don't believe US statements on progress in Afghanistan

Lt. Col. Daniel Davis just finished a year in Afghanistan and says don't believe claims of progress.
US troops in Afghanistan: How big is shift from 'combat' to 'assistance'?

The US plan to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2013, shifting to an 'advise and assist' role, may not mean a huge change for troops on the ground.
Taliban POWs convinced of victory, says leaked US report on Afghanistan

A leaked internal US military report reflects optimism among Taliban detainees in Afghanistan, who expressed confidence they'll retake control of Afghanistan after NATO forces withdraw.
US report on Afghan rampage raises questions about NATO’s exit

Last April, an Afghan officer in a highly secure facility killed eight US troops. Overall, Afghan national security forces are the key to America’s exit strategy in the war.
Road out of Afghanistan: On the ground with US troops in potential final push

The recent battle for the Kajaki Valley in Helmand Province, which ended with few casualties and Taliban fighters in flight, may mark the last major operation for US troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan and US offer different versions of border post attack

Pakistan's chief military spokesman said he didn't believe Pakistan fired on the Americans or that the border post attack could have been inadvertent.
Kabul suicide bombing kills 12 Americans, one Canadian

Twelve Americans, one Canadian, and four Afghans were killed in the Kabul suicide attack Saturday.
Reforming the Taliban: US aims to teach Afghan fighters new livelihoods

A US military-run reintegration effort in Afghanistan aims to teach captured Taliban fighters how to earn a legal living upon release. Critics say the US program is premature and undermines the Afghan government.
Afghanistan: NATO's night raids cause more harm than good, report says

A dramatic rise in the number of NATO's night raids in Afghanistan, aimed at capturing insurgents, is souring relations with the Afghan people, according to the new report.
Global News Blog
Good Reads: Somalia's famine, India's sex selection, and Twitter wars

Today's picks warn that Somalia's famine is about to get worse, give an inside look at sex-selection in India, and poke fun at that Twitter war between Western peacekeepers and the Taliban.
US forces kill Taliban responsible for SEAL helicopter crash, say Afghan officials

While the raid is unlikely to have a significant effect on the Taliban, it holds symbolic importance for the US Special Forces community.
Afghanistan helicopter crash: Why Army has used Chinook for half a century

The rugged CH-47 Chinook helicopter that crashed in Afghanistan flies fast and has double the lift capacity of its Vietnam-era forebears. But it is loud, and vulnerable, while preparing to land.
Helicopter crash kills dozens in Afghanistan: implications for US war effort?

Helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan killed 31 US special forces troops and seven Afghan commandos. Officials are working to determine if insurgents brought down the craft, and if so, what technology allowed them to do so.
Afghanistan's test case: NATO handover in Laghman Province

US policymakers will watch Afghanistan's ability to maintain stability in Laghman Province as a litmus test for its forces' capabilities in the rest of the country.