Topic: Stephen Biddle
All Content
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Afghanistan war, 11 years on: What more can and should the US military do?
Though the work of US troops has become increasingly deadly in the Afghanistan war, many analysts warn that it has not been increasingly effective.
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Afghanistan: Why don't we leave now?
The rise in attacks by Afghan forces against Western troops is threatening US-Afghan military cooperation – a key reason to stay until 2014. The trend could affect the US exit strategy.
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Focus NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
A war-weary US faces off with wary NATO allies in Chicago about money and support for Afghanistan after US combat troops withdraw in 2014. Don't expect any "Mission Accomplished" speeches.
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Focus NATO summit: Why US, allies don't just call it quits in Afghanistan
Al Qaeda, oil, and Pakistan, a trifecta of troublesome issues, make the US withdrawal from Afghanistan far more complicated than it was in Iraq.
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Why Taliban really decided to suspend talks with US
The White House responded to the Taliban announcement by reaffirming the US commitment to peace talks and insisting that the Afghanistan war will have to end with a political settlement.
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Afghanistan war: The limits of targeting Taliban leaders
President Obama said the Afghanistan war drawdown would be done from a position of strength, citing success in killing Al Qaeda leaders. But a similar campaign to weaken the Taliban has not been equally successful.
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Can US and Taliban cut a deal in Afghanistan?
Even before Osama bin Laden's killing, the Taliban were softening their image while the US, Pakistan, and Afghanistan set the stage for talks. Now the US must decide if it's worth years of further military and diplomatic effort to hammer out an agreement.
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How Leon Panetta could change Washington as next Defense secretary
Leon Panetta, currently CIA director, is a close ally of Vice President Biden. But political realities could prevent him from adopting Mr. Biden's stance on US troops in Afghanistan.
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Want to know how the war in Afghanistan is going? Watch Kandahar.
Progress on firming up security in Afghanistan depends on how US and Afghan troops secure Kandahar province – the nucleus of Taliban resistance.
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New Afghanistan war drawdown strategy? Move troops, don't withdraw them.
Pentagon officials have long talked of the July 2011 Afghanistan war drawdown date as being a soft deadline. Now, a NATO official suggests troops might simply be shifted around the country.
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How Times Square bomb arrests unite US, Pakistan
Pakistan's arrest of two suspected members of the Pakistan Taliban connected to the attempted Times Square bomb show that it is taking seriously the threat of militants within its borders.
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Precedent suggests Afghanistan Taliban could win: report
A new study says the Afghanistan Taliban enjoy a slew of advantages that historically correlate with insurgent success, such as Pakistani sanctuary and a weak government in Kabul.
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Afghanistan war challenge: civilian deaths from NATO airstrike
Gen. Stanley McChrystal's nuanced Afghanistan war plan took a hit on Sunday when a convoy of suspected insurgents targeted by a coalition airstrike turned out to be civilians.
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Helicopters crash: Afghanistan takes heavy toll on US choppers
US helicopters are flying in Afghanistan and Iraq three to five times more than they would in peacetime. With two helicopter crashes, Afghanistan saw its worst day for US deaths in more than four years on Monday.
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NYT reporter David Rohde's kidnapping account: Lessons for Afghanistan policymakers?
New York Times reporter Davide Rohde has recounted his seven months held captive by a Taliban group in Afghanistan, and argues that convincing Taliban militants to make peace with the US and Kabul will be a tall order.
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Obama: Don't give up on Afghanistan
He should approve the additional troops General McChrystal wants.
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Iraqi cities: Could violence bring US forces back?
Key challenges remain, including the discontent of former Sunni insurgents recruited by the US and credited with improving security.
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Bid to split Taliban, Al Qaeda
In Afghanistan, US and NATO reassess their strategy amid concerns that their efforts are failing.
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Iraq's Army grows in numbers and readiness
The U.S. military says that an increasingly capable Iraqi Army could assume primary combat responsibility by mid-2009.
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Iraq urges 2011 deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal
Maliki wants a date in the status-of-forces deal, a move the US is resisting.
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U.S. military deaths in Iraq hit 4,000, but rate is slowing
The pace of attacks – and US fatalities – has dropped since last June.
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