ISAF’s top spokesman said there was “absolutely no truth” to rumors that special operations raids would target the Taliban in Pakistan. Pakistan’s ambassador to the US insisted foreign troops could not operate on its soil. The Taliban torched two NATO container trucks in Khudzar.
US, NATO not planning ground ops in Pakistan, officials say
As noted last night, the likelihood of US special operations forces expanding ground operations into Pakistan is slim. Today, ISAF repudiated last night’s report by The New York Times, which claimed that the US was on the cusp of green-lighting expanded operations in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Today, ISAF’s spokesman forcefully denied the NYT report. From […]
Drone activity in Pakistan moves northward, official says
According to The New York Times, US military leaders are pushing for the expansion of US ground operations against the Taliban based in Pakistan: The proposal, described by American officials in Washington and Afghanistan, would escalate military activities inside Pakistan, where the movement of American forces has been largely prohibited because of fears of provoking […]
Afghanistan feels the squeeze
India says Pakistan must drop ‘terror’ for friendly ties
Ibn Amin, a senior Taliban and al Qaeda commander, was killed in the Dec. 17 Predator strike in Khyber. The Peshawar High Court released hundreds of Taliban fighters. The Taliban ambushed a NATO fuel convoy in Khyber and destroyed two tankers. Four terrorists were detained in Khyber.
Pakistan: Militants ‘surrounded convoy’ before destroying trucks with rockets
Abu Kandahar al Zarqawi was an administrator at the jihadist Al Hesbah forum and an associate of Abu Dujanah al Khurasani, the suicide bomber who carried out the suicide attack against the CIA at Combat Outpost Chapman in Khost province.
Ibn Amin, the leader of the Tora Bora Brigade in Swat, was killed in one of three Predator strikes in Khyber on Dec. 17.
Afghan insurgent faction says backs gas pipeline
Pakistan – Religious extremism rears its head in Sindh
Al-Qaida aims to ‘bring down’ Pakistan: Biden
Chinese premier praises Pakistan
The Taliban claimed the two attacks, which targeted army recruitment centers. Thirteen soldiers and policemen were killed in the assaults.
Pakistani intelligence official denies agency role in revealing name of CIA station chief
Map of Afghanistan’s provinces. Click map to view larger image. Special operations forces took out a senior Taliban “inspector” in an airstrike in northern Afghan province of Badghis. From the ISAF press release: Coalition forces conducted a precision air strike in Bala Murghab district in Badghis province, killing a senior Taliban leader Dec. 17. Mullah […]
ISAF mentioned the Lashkar-e-Islam for the first time, just one day after US Predators pounded the group’s strongholds across the border in Pakistan’s Khyber agency.
Why we must stick with Obama’s Afghan strategy
Pakistani role is suspected in revealing US spy’s name
US Predators killed 54 Taliban and Lashkar-e-Islam fighters in three airstrikes in Khyber. The ISI is believed to have outed the CIA station chief in Islamabad. The Taliban bombed a girl’s school in Peshawar.
The Obama administration has released a five-page summary of its annual strategy review on Afghanistan and Pakistan. In our view, the document is mostly ho-hum with no really major revelations or insights. The surge of military forces in Afghanistan is definitely having some positive effects in that country. But there is scant evidence that Pakistan’s […]
I haven’t had time to write about the Afghanistan assessment as I have spent a lot of time on the subject discussing it on the radio or with reporters. Honestly, there is little that is new or surprising in the assessment [see Tom’s assessment and discussion on the problem with Pakistan here, with which I […]
Mullen: Taliban hideouts can be shut down
Pakistani economist: China is a more reliable trading partner than the US
US sharpens criticism of Afghan corruption
Petraeus: All strategy aspects contribute to progress
‘Ratlines’ threaten White House Afghan war plans