Top U.S. General Calls for Strategy Change in Afghanistan

Staff / Truthdig Aug 31, 2009 General Stanley McChrystal, the top-ranking U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, on Monday issued his highly anticipated report about the status of the conflict on that troubled front, and his assessment of the situation doesn't fully help President Obama's cause in ramping up America's Afghan war effort since he took office. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Report: U.S. Envoy and Afghan President in Election Meltdown

Staff / Truthdig Aug 28, 2009 Afghan President Hamid Karzai got an "explosive" talking-to by U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke, according to the BBC. The meeting, which reportedly covered vote fraud and the possibility of a second election, didn't last very long. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Yet Another Blast Shakes Kandahar

Staff / Truthdig Aug 27, 2009 On Wednesday, another large explosion was reported in Kandahar, Afghanistan -- just a day after a spate of bombings killed more than 40 people in that city -- as the outcome of last week's election still hung in the balance.https://www.truthdig.com/contentzsystem/index.php?S=0&C=edit&M=edit_entry&weblog_id=2&entry_id=13739 Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Karzai Is the Winner, According to Key Karzai Cabinet Member

Staff / Truthdig Aug 24, 2009 Afghan Finance Minister Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal said Monday that President Hamid Karzai is the clear winner of last week's presidential election, citing empirical evidence to back up his claims. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Afghan Election Dogged by Fraud Claims

Staff / Truthdig Aug 22, 2009 Corruption rumors and threats of violence preceded last week's Afghan presidential election, so it's not surprising that similar concerns are cropping up after the fact. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Left, Right & Center’: Afghan Election, Blackwater’s Role

Staff / Truthdig Aug 22, 2009 Was Thursday's election in Afghanistan a step forward for representative democracy in the South Asian nation? What exactly does President Obama aim to accomplish in Afghanistan anyhow? This week's lineup of commentators explores the possible connections between the CIA and Blackwater and considers the current status of the health care debate. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Polls Close in Afghanistan

Staff / Truthdig Aug 20, 2009 Threats of violence kept large numbers of voters away from the polls in various parts of Afghanistan, and by closing time it was hard to say whether some officials' declarations about the day's success were warranted. But, thankfully, earlier warnings from the Taliban didn't seem to materialize in the form of any major tragedies on Thursday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Afghan News Outlets to Be Censored on Election Day

Staff / Truthdig Aug 19, 2009 Tensions continue to build before Thursday's presidential election in Afghanistan. After a spate of violence in the capital city of Kabul on Tuesday, including a suicide car bombing that killed at least eight people and wounded 53, the government banned local news outlets from reporting any similar incidents on election day. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Report: Pre-Election Corruption Crops Up in Afghanistan

Staff / Truthdig Aug 18, 2009 This week's presidential election in Afghanistan may not be the cleanest polling event, if the BBC's findings about corruption and voting fraud are indicative of larger trends. The British news outlet reported Tuesday that bribery and bids to buy voting cards, combined with threats of violence from militant groups, could muck up the works come Thursday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

100 Percent Hamidity

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Aug 16, 2009 Dig deeper

Taliban Issues Threat Before Afghan Election

Staff / Truthdig Aug 16, 2009 With just a few days remaining before the presidential election in Afghanistan, Taliban operatives are trying to thwart voting by threatening to cut off the ink-stained fingers of those who go to the polls, according to Al Jazeera English. In Afghanistan, a finger marked with ink is a sign that one has voted. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

There’s a Solution in Afghanistan — but Not the Way We’re Headed

William Pfaff / Truthdig Aug 12, 2009 It would be a great service to the American nation if Barack Obama would tell us what he himself thinks the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan are about. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )