Topic: The Taliban

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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.
Briefing
Chechnya: How a remote Russian republic became linked with terrorism

The main suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing are two brothers from Chechnya, a Russian republic that has been the scene of cyclical revolts and brutal crackdowns for the past 200 years.
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.
5 factors for peace in Afghanistan

Given that Afghanistan has been in a state of war for nearly 35 years, only a broad-based reconciliation can resolve the fighting. Peace talks are a vital part of that process. Here are five factors necessary to achieving a sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
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.

All Content

Opinion: Rethink the Afghanistan surge

A US general explains why the Iraq model doesn't apply.
Opinion: Obama starts well with Muslims but must do more

He has to follow up with real engagement.
Pakistan's airwaves: On militant turf, Radio Khyber offers a softer voice

In tribal areas, it provides an alternative to hard-line clerics with a medley of local news, talk shows, and music.
Opinion: A big opportunity for Obama and Lula

Together, they can make democratic politics and market economies work for everyone in Latin America.
Pakistan's tenuous gains on Taliban

Past cease-fires have allowed militants to regroup, but a recent deal in Bajaur may be more durable.
World
Pakistani refugees and Taliban spies?
Clinton pushes NATO allies for united strategy on Afghanistan

The Secretary of State also calls for a 'fresh start' with Russia.
Attack on Sri Lanka cricket team: a sign that Pakistan is unraveling?

If it is becoming a failed state, Indian officials wonder if they should take a harder – or softer – line with its neighbor.
Pakistani vigilantes take on Taliban

Residents of Peshawar, the main city outside militants' stronghold in the tribal areas, are forming armed patrols to defend their villages – sometimes with official backing.
Militant attack on cricket team in Pakistan could backfire

If militants are home-grown, domestic ambivalence about vilifying such groups could be diminished.
The Monitor's View: Thawing out 'Cold War II'

As the US seeks to 'reset' ties with Russia, it must not expect a complete reboot.
Many in Afghanistan oppose Obama's troop buildup plans

Frustration and fear is sparking opposition to plans that would nearly double the size of US forces there.
To stem terror in Pakistan, US looks beyond military

Washington is seeking to build the Pakistani state and its economy as a way to wean the country from Islamic extremism.
Pakistani power struggle flares up

Protesters rallied in several cities after a court banned popular opposition leader Nawaz Sharif from running for office.
Despite opposition, Afghan Christians worship in secret

Christians meet underground in a country where official churches do not exist.
Troop withdrawal: Obama to end Iraq war by August 2010

Speaking from North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune, where thousands of Marines are preparing to deploy to Afghanistan, the president's message was clear: We have a new priority.
Pentagon report on Guantánamo detainees: incomplete?

The Pentagon should have included more laws in its assessment of conditions, some experts argue.
World
For Pakistan's Swat residents, uneasy calm

A tenuous cease-fire has halted Taliban-Army fighting, as negotiations for a permanent deal continue.
Taliban extends cease-fire in Pakistan's Swat Valley

The move came shortly after a Taliban group in the nearby Bajur region declared a unilateral cease-fire.
Journey into Taliban territory
Conflicting reports follow deadly Cairo bombing
Letters to the Editor

Readers write about what the US should – and shouldn't – do in Afghanistan.
US troop buildup in Afghanistan could be a defining moment

Obama's order to send 17,000 more troops comes before US has set a clear strategy.