May 8th Morning Readbook

Kandahar's Karzai confident despite criticism 




Are Al-Qaeda and Taliban running out of intelligent recruits in anti-American terrorist campaign
Judging by recent bungled bombing attempts it would seem as if terrorist organizations are scraping the bottom of the barrel and maybe have run out of reasonably intelligent terrorist bombers. Of course "reasonably intelligent" and "terrorist bomber" don't necessarily go hand in hand. The attempt by Faisal Shahzad to bomb Times Square and run, failed miserably. Even the "run" part of the equation didn't work too well. Add the botched job by another terrorist in Detroit on Christmas Day and you have the makings of some either weak links in the terrorist chain or some pretty dumb folks.


Pressure on Pakistan amid fresh terror links
Alleged links between the Times Square plot and extremist networks are adding to perceptions of Pakistan as a global exporter of terrorism and increasing pressure on its military to crack down on extremists along the Afghan border.


Afghanistan's Karzai to ask Obama for billions more to fight Taliban
Afghan President Hamid Karzai will ask for billions more in aid when he travels to Washington next week on a trip aimed at improving relations with Barack Obama.


Attacks signal end of poppy harvest in Afghanistan
The gunfire and explosions echoing across this Taliban-infested district in southern Afghanistan on Friday signaled the end of the opium poppy harvest as militants again turned their attention from agriculture to attacking NATO and Afghan forces.


Afghanistan readies for Kandahar 'operation' 




Iraq vote winner asserts right to form government
The leader of the top vote-getting coalition in Iraq's inconclusive March 7 elections insisted his bloc still has the right to form the next government despite an alliance forged this week between two rival Shiite groups.


'Big ideas' key to US surge success in Iraq: Petraeus
The US troop surge succeeded in Iraq because the army embraced new ideas about waging war against insurgents, focusing on winning the trust of local people, top commander General David Petraeus said.


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