Deadly blasts rock central Kabul
Taliban defectors accept U.S. approach but wait for promises to be kept
As the Taliban commander in the Pusht-e-Zargon district of western Afghanistan, Abdul Wahab considered himself the law. A stolen sheep? He would choose the thief's punishment: often a gunshot to the forearm or calf muscle. He was careful to avoid the bone.
Indian media downbeat over Pakistan talks
Indian newspapers have extensively covered the first formal official talks between India and Pakistan since the Mumbai (Bombay) attacks of 2008.
Iran, Syria mock U.S. policy; Ahmadinejad speaks of Israel's 'annihilation'
The presidents of Iran and Syria on Thursday ridiculed U.S. policy in the region and pledged to create a Middle East "without Zionists," combining a slap at recent U.S. overtures and a threat to Israel with an endorsement of one of the region's defining alliances.
Dubai hit squad underestimated police: expert
A former top level US intelligence official says the assassination in Dubai of a Hamas operative has all the hallmarks of the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.
Iraq anti-Baath panel moves to purge security forces
The panel names 580 security officers alleged to have ties to the former ruling party. The move, after hundreds of election candidates were barred on similar charges, is likely to raise tensions.
Iraq to Rehire 20,000 Hussein-Era Army Officers
The Iraqi government said Thursday that it would reinstate 20,000 army officers who served under Saddam Hussein, a surprising move given that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has focused his campaign in the coming parliamentary elections around denouncing the former Baath government.
Sectarian tensions rise before Iraq elections
A popular Sunni political party backtracked on Thursday from plans to boycott Iraq's parliamentary elections even as rivals threatened to have the party's leader charged with terrorism.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
February 25th Morning Readbook
Kirkuk tensions threaten Iraq
Sunni leader decides to take part in Iraq election
Saleh al-Mutlaq during a news conference on Thursday reversed his earlier position and said he would now allow his party to take part in the vote. He called on all Iraqis to go to participate in elections.
Can Iraq protect its election from violence?
The Iraqi affiliate of al Qaeda threatened this month to prevent Iraq's March 7 election at any cost, using primarily "military" means to stop what it called a farce aimed at cementing Shi'ite Muslim domination over Sunnis.
International pressure urged over Afghan power grab
The former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has said the West should threaten not to pay for his country's future elections.
India and Pakistan Resume Talks
At a critical moment across the region, senior officials from India and Pakistan held their first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks on Thursday, with the United States hoping that even a modest improvement in relations could help the broader American military effort in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Al Qaeda’s troubling new focus
THERE WAS much to celebrate when would-be subway bomber Najibullah Zazi entered a guilty plea this week in a Brooklyn court. But not all is well. The case is a forewarning about the evolving nature of threats from Al Qaeda.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Sunni leader decides to take part in Iraq election
Saleh al-Mutlaq during a news conference on Thursday reversed his earlier position and said he would now allow his party to take part in the vote. He called on all Iraqis to go to participate in elections.
Can Iraq protect its election from violence?
The Iraqi affiliate of al Qaeda threatened this month to prevent Iraq's March 7 election at any cost, using primarily "military" means to stop what it called a farce aimed at cementing Shi'ite Muslim domination over Sunnis.
International pressure urged over Afghan power grab
The former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has said the West should threaten not to pay for his country's future elections.
India and Pakistan Resume Talks
At a critical moment across the region, senior officials from India and Pakistan held their first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks on Thursday, with the United States hoping that even a modest improvement in relations could help the broader American military effort in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Al Qaeda’s troubling new focus
THERE WAS much to celebrate when would-be subway bomber Najibullah Zazi entered a guilty plea this week in a Brooklyn court. But not all is well. The case is a forewarning about the evolving nature of threats from Al Qaeda.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
February 24th Morning Readbook
Interview: US Commander in Helmand
Battle starts to win over Helmand locals and wean them off poppy growing
Afghan civilians will today begin to pour into the district cleared by British troops in a pivotal phase of the operation to banish the Taleban.
Taliban Capture Raises Hopes of Pakistan Shift
The capture of a second high-level leader of the Afghan Taliban by Pakistani authorities has raised the prospect that Pakistan's powerful intelligence agency, long accused by the U.S. of ties with Islamist extremists, has begun to turn on an organization it once cultivated.
India Says Fired At By Pakistan Guards Ahead Of Talks
Indian border guards said their troops came under fire from Pakistan on Wednesday, a day before the two nuclear-armed neighbours are set for the first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Insurgency Rises in Northern Ireland
The car bomb that exploded in the Northern Ireland city of Newry Monday night highlights the resurgence in activity of Irish Republican splinter groups determined to wreck the province's fragile peace process with an increasingly sophisticated use of explosives.
Top Yemen al Qaeda leader threatens U.S. attacks
An article under the name of a senior member of al Qaeda's Yemen wing that the Yemeni government said it had killed has appeared on an Internet forum, threatening to carry out attacks in the United States.
Iraq Election Preview
Iraq will soon hold national elections -– a step critical to strengthening its democracy. These elections said, Commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq General Ray Odierno, "are important to everyone in the region, they are important to the people of Iraq, and they're important to people outside the region because of the impact it could have on stability not only in Iraq but in the Middle East as a whole."
Extending Our Stay in Iraq
IRAQ’S March 7 national election, and the formation of a new government that will follow, carry huge implications for both Iraqis and American policy. It appears now that the results are unlikely to resolve key political struggles that could return the country to sectarianism and violence.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Battle starts to win over Helmand locals and wean them off poppy growing
Afghan civilians will today begin to pour into the district cleared by British troops in a pivotal phase of the operation to banish the Taleban.
Taliban Capture Raises Hopes of Pakistan Shift
The capture of a second high-level leader of the Afghan Taliban by Pakistani authorities has raised the prospect that Pakistan's powerful intelligence agency, long accused by the U.S. of ties with Islamist extremists, has begun to turn on an organization it once cultivated.
India Says Fired At By Pakistan Guards Ahead Of Talks
Indian border guards said their troops came under fire from Pakistan on Wednesday, a day before the two nuclear-armed neighbours are set for the first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Insurgency Rises in Northern Ireland
The car bomb that exploded in the Northern Ireland city of Newry Monday night highlights the resurgence in activity of Irish Republican splinter groups determined to wreck the province's fragile peace process with an increasingly sophisticated use of explosives.
Top Yemen al Qaeda leader threatens U.S. attacks
An article under the name of a senior member of al Qaeda's Yemen wing that the Yemeni government said it had killed has appeared on an Internet forum, threatening to carry out attacks in the United States.
Iraq Election Preview
Iraq will soon hold national elections -– a step critical to strengthening its democracy. These elections said, Commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq General Ray Odierno, "are important to everyone in the region, they are important to the people of Iraq, and they're important to people outside the region because of the impact it could have on stability not only in Iraq but in the Middle East as a whole."
Extending Our Stay in Iraq
IRAQ’S March 7 national election, and the formation of a new government that will follow, carry huge implications for both Iraqis and American policy. It appears now that the results are unlikely to resolve key political struggles that could return the country to sectarianism and violence.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
February 23rd Morning Readbook
Afghani man pleads guilty to attempted terror bombings
Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Kabir 'seized in Pakistan'
A senior leader of the Afghan Taliban has been detained in Pakistan, US media reports say.
'Pakistan serious on improving India ties'
Pakistan's foreign minister said Tuesday that his country was serious about improving relations with India, ahead of the first official talks between the South Asian rivals in more than a year.
Iran: Arrested Sunni Militant Leader Had Help From US
Iranian officials say the head of a Sunni militant group was arrested outside the country, and that he had links to the United States.
Spike in Iraq Violence as Vote Nears
A series of bombings, beheadings and shootings rippled through Iraq on Monday, leaving at least 23 people dead, including 9 children, and intensifying concern about a spike in violence with less than two weeks until national elections.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Kabir 'seized in Pakistan'
A senior leader of the Afghan Taliban has been detained in Pakistan, US media reports say.
'Pakistan serious on improving India ties'
Pakistan's foreign minister said Tuesday that his country was serious about improving relations with India, ahead of the first official talks between the South Asian rivals in more than a year.
Iran: Arrested Sunni Militant Leader Had Help From US
Iranian officials say the head of a Sunni militant group was arrested outside the country, and that he had links to the United States.
Spike in Iraq Violence as Vote Nears
A series of bombings, beheadings and shootings rippled through Iraq on Monday, leaving at least 23 people dead, including 9 children, and intensifying concern about a spike in violence with less than two weeks until national elections.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
February 17th Morning Readbook
Taliban second in command captured
'Muted' Pakistan media response to Taliban arrest
The Pakistani media's response to the arrest of top Afghan Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has been surprisingly muted.
Marines battling Afghanistan Taliban call in gunships
US Marines battling the Taliban in southern Afghanistan have had to call in helicopter gunships for support, as a major offensive enters its fifth day.
Iran leader accuses U.S. of "war-mongering"
Iran's supreme leader accused the United States on Wednesday of war-mongering and of turning the Gulf into an "arms depot", hitting back at U.S. accusations that the Islamic state was moving toward a military dictatorship.
Al Qaeda warns of attacks in India
Global terror network Al Qaeda’s Pakistan arm has warned of attacks in India, particularly targeting upcoming international sports events like the Commonwealth Games, the Hockey World Cup and the IPL cricket league.
US troops in Iraq below 100,000 for first time since 2003
The size of the US force in Iraq has dropped below 100,000 troops for the first time since the invasion of the country in 2003, a military spokesman said Wednesday.
General Says 2 Iraq Politicians Have Ties to Iran
General Odierno was unusually blunt in publicly expressing concerns about the actions of the two Iraqis: Ahmed Chalabi, who was a confidant of Bush administration officials in the prelude to the 2003 invasion but now is perceived as having supplied false intelligence to the United States; and Ali Faisal al-Lami, suspected of involvement in murderous activities of Shiite militants, including a bombing in Baghdad, accusations that he denies.
Iran Has Designs on Iraq
Vice President Joe Biden recently told Larry King that Iraq "could be one of the great achievements of this administration." Mr. Biden's transparent attempt to take credit for Bush administration policies aside, it's worth asking how exactly does the Obama administration define success in Iraq?
Just weeks before elections, specter of sectarian violence resurfaces in Iraq
It was only one killing, but it unleashed the demons of a bitter and perhaps unfinished past. The victim was a Sunni man in the mostly Shiite neighborhood of Hurriyah, in northwest Baghdad. The death and the aftermath were reminiscent of the prelude to the sectarian war, which began in late 2005 with a smattering of killings and threats and culminated with 100 bodies a day being dumped in the streets of the capital. With the imminent departure of American forces and fierce competition for power ahead of general elections on March 7, many here say sectarian strife is reigniting.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
'Muted' Pakistan media response to Taliban arrest
The Pakistani media's response to the arrest of top Afghan Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has been surprisingly muted.
Marines battling Afghanistan Taliban call in gunships
US Marines battling the Taliban in southern Afghanistan have had to call in helicopter gunships for support, as a major offensive enters its fifth day.
Iran leader accuses U.S. of "war-mongering"
Iran's supreme leader accused the United States on Wednesday of war-mongering and of turning the Gulf into an "arms depot", hitting back at U.S. accusations that the Islamic state was moving toward a military dictatorship.
Al Qaeda warns of attacks in India
Global terror network Al Qaeda’s Pakistan arm has warned of attacks in India, particularly targeting upcoming international sports events like the Commonwealth Games, the Hockey World Cup and the IPL cricket league.
US troops in Iraq below 100,000 for first time since 2003
The size of the US force in Iraq has dropped below 100,000 troops for the first time since the invasion of the country in 2003, a military spokesman said Wednesday.
General Says 2 Iraq Politicians Have Ties to Iran
General Odierno was unusually blunt in publicly expressing concerns about the actions of the two Iraqis: Ahmed Chalabi, who was a confidant of Bush administration officials in the prelude to the 2003 invasion but now is perceived as having supplied false intelligence to the United States; and Ali Faisal al-Lami, suspected of involvement in murderous activities of Shiite militants, including a bombing in Baghdad, accusations that he denies.
Iran Has Designs on Iraq
Vice President Joe Biden recently told Larry King that Iraq "could be one of the great achievements of this administration." Mr. Biden's transparent attempt to take credit for Bush administration policies aside, it's worth asking how exactly does the Obama administration define success in Iraq?
Just weeks before elections, specter of sectarian violence resurfaces in Iraq
It was only one killing, but it unleashed the demons of a bitter and perhaps unfinished past. The victim was a Sunni man in the mostly Shiite neighborhood of Hurriyah, in northwest Baghdad. The death and the aftermath were reminiscent of the prelude to the sectarian war, which began in late 2005 with a smattering of killings and threats and culminated with 100 bodies a day being dumped in the streets of the capital. With the imminent departure of American forces and fierce competition for power ahead of general elections on March 7, many here say sectarian strife is reigniting.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
February 16th Morning Readbook
Who is Mullah Brader?
Mullah Abdul Ghani Brader, described as the senior Taliban military commander who managed the day-to-day operations of the group's leadership council, the Quetta Shura, has reportedly been captured in Pakistan.
Taliban’s 2nd-in-command nabbed in Pakistan
The Taliban's top military commander has been arrested in a joint CIA-Pakistani operation in Pakistan, officials said Tuesday.
Marines: Taliban resistance more disorganized
U.S. and Afghan forces traded gunfire with insurgents shooting from haystacks in poppy fields in the Taliban stronghold of Marjah as they pressed ahead in NATO's assault on the militants' heartland in southern Afghanistan.
Pakistan's lawyers strike over judicial appointments made by President Zardari
A fresh standoff between Pakistan's judiciary and its weak government simmered Monday, as lawyers staged a nationwide strike and political prognosticators warned of instability in the wobbly democracy.
Unknown Pakistani group claims responsibility for Pune blast
An unknown group calling itself the Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami claimed on Tuesday it was behind Saturday’s bomb attack in Pune that killed nine people.
Iran official says backs visits to U.S. detainees
A senior Iranian human rights official said on Tuesday he had recommended that three Americans detained in his country be allowed to receive family visits.
Facing death, freed Iraq detainees may fight again
Many Iraqis released by U.S. forces after being detained for suspected links to Sunni insurgents have been killed by tribes seeking revenge or are being driven back into the arms of al Qaeda.
Bombing at Iraq Crime Lab Kills 2 Policemen
Iraqi officials say a car bomb exploded outside a police crime lab in the northern city of Mosul Tuesday, killing two officers.
US tells Iraq to improve prisons, stamp out abuse
In a U.N. debate, the United States has urged the Iraqi government to improve its poor prison conditions and to investigate allegations of detainee abuse.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Mullah Abdul Ghani Brader, described as the senior Taliban military commander who managed the day-to-day operations of the group's leadership council, the Quetta Shura, has reportedly been captured in Pakistan.
Taliban’s 2nd-in-command nabbed in Pakistan
The Taliban's top military commander has been arrested in a joint CIA-Pakistani operation in Pakistan, officials said Tuesday.
Marines: Taliban resistance more disorganized
U.S. and Afghan forces traded gunfire with insurgents shooting from haystacks in poppy fields in the Taliban stronghold of Marjah as they pressed ahead in NATO's assault on the militants' heartland in southern Afghanistan.
Pakistan's lawyers strike over judicial appointments made by President Zardari
A fresh standoff between Pakistan's judiciary and its weak government simmered Monday, as lawyers staged a nationwide strike and political prognosticators warned of instability in the wobbly democracy.
Unknown Pakistani group claims responsibility for Pune blast
An unknown group calling itself the Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami claimed on Tuesday it was behind Saturday’s bomb attack in Pune that killed nine people.
Iran official says backs visits to U.S. detainees
A senior Iranian human rights official said on Tuesday he had recommended that three Americans detained in his country be allowed to receive family visits.
Facing death, freed Iraq detainees may fight again
Many Iraqis released by U.S. forces after being detained for suspected links to Sunni insurgents have been killed by tribes seeking revenge or are being driven back into the arms of al Qaeda.
Bombing at Iraq Crime Lab Kills 2 Policemen
Iraqi officials say a car bomb exploded outside a police crime lab in the northern city of Mosul Tuesday, killing two officers.
US tells Iraq to improve prisons, stamp out abuse
In a U.N. debate, the United States has urged the Iraqi government to improve its poor prison conditions and to investigate allegations of detainee abuse.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Sunday, February 14, 2010
February 14th Morning Readbook
Forces 'positive' on Afghan assault
In a series of airborne assaults, more than two thousand US and British troops have flooded into Taliban-controlled territory in southern Afghanistan, supporting Afghan forces in the largest military offensive in the country since the 2001 US-led invasion.
Nato aims to add to Afghan gains
Thousands of US, UK and Afghan troops are trying to consolidate gains on the second day of a major offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.
Pakistan court order raises new instability fears
A decision by Pakistan's Supreme Court to strike down a presidential order appointing two top judges triggered warnings Sunday of a new conflict between the judiciary and the government that could lead to broader political instability.
India says investigating local, foreign leads to blast
India's government said it had little idea who was behind a bomb in a tourist eatery in western India that killed nine people, with sources saying they were looking at the possible involvement of Islamist militants.
Under Obama, more targeted killings than captures in counterterrorism efforts
When a window of opportunity opened to strike the leader of al-Qaeda in East Africa last September, U.S. Special Operations forces prepared several options. They could obliterate his vehicle with an airstrike as he drove through southern Somalia. Or they could fire from helicopters that could land at the scene to confirm the kill. Or they could try to take him alive.
Iraq secular bloc suspends campaign
The Iraqi National Movement, a coalition of Sunni Arabs and secularists, halts election campaigning to protest the upholding of a ban on some candidates. It hints at a ballot boycott.
String of Iraq bomb attacks target poll candidates
A string of bombings targeted groups taking part in Iraq's March election late on Saturday, wounding seven people, an Interior Ministry official said.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
In a series of airborne assaults, more than two thousand US and British troops have flooded into Taliban-controlled territory in southern Afghanistan, supporting Afghan forces in the largest military offensive in the country since the 2001 US-led invasion.
Nato aims to add to Afghan gains
Thousands of US, UK and Afghan troops are trying to consolidate gains on the second day of a major offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.
Pakistan court order raises new instability fears
A decision by Pakistan's Supreme Court to strike down a presidential order appointing two top judges triggered warnings Sunday of a new conflict between the judiciary and the government that could lead to broader political instability.
India says investigating local, foreign leads to blast
India's government said it had little idea who was behind a bomb in a tourist eatery in western India that killed nine people, with sources saying they were looking at the possible involvement of Islamist militants.
Under Obama, more targeted killings than captures in counterterrorism efforts
When a window of opportunity opened to strike the leader of al-Qaeda in East Africa last September, U.S. Special Operations forces prepared several options. They could obliterate his vehicle with an airstrike as he drove through southern Somalia. Or they could fire from helicopters that could land at the scene to confirm the kill. Or they could try to take him alive.
Iraq secular bloc suspends campaign
The Iraqi National Movement, a coalition of Sunni Arabs and secularists, halts election campaigning to protest the upholding of a ban on some candidates. It hints at a ballot boycott.
String of Iraq bomb attacks target poll candidates
A string of bombings targeted groups taking part in Iraq's March election late on Saturday, wounding seven people, an Interior Ministry official said.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Saturday, February 13, 2010
February 13th Morning Readbook
Iraq's political wrangling
What happened to national reconciliation? Is Saddam in his grave stronger than Maliki's government? And is Maliki upholding the law or playing with fire?
Saddam shadow darkens Iraq elections
The legacy of Saddam Hussein continues to divide Iraq. Preparations for the country's parliamentary election have been thrown into chaos by a row over a decision to ban hundreds of candidates because of alleged links to the former president's now outlawed Baath Party.
Iraqi politics in disarray as US pullback nears
With elections looming and the U.S. withdrawal of combat troops less than seven months away, political disarray is threatening Iraq's future as well its past. A parliamentary logjam is holding up legislation touching everything from prison staff, border crossings and counterterrorism troops to an archaeological excavation in dire need of tourists.
Anti-Baath campaign a spur to Iraq Shiite voters
But some experts call claims that the former Baath Party of Saddam Hussein is resurgent an election ploy. They say the two main Shiite blocs feared a public swing away from sectarian politics.
Marines meet with Afghans to explain offensive, seek support
Hundreds of Afghan men walked for miles over dusty roads Saturday morning to get to an open-air meeting to hear the Marines explain those angry sounds of war coming from the Taliban stronghold of Marja.
Helicopter armada heralds Afghanistan surge
An armada of helicopters lifted a vast force against Taliban strongholds today in the biggest operation ever mounted in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's president backs better ties with India
Good relations between Pakistan and India are vital for fighting Islamist militancy, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday, as the old rivals prepare for their first official talks since the Mumbai attack.
Yemen rebels 'implementing truce terms'
Shiite rebels in Yemen said on Saturday they had pulled out of an occupied airport in the north and were arranging to free their Saudi prisoners, in line with a truce agreed with Sanaa.
Thousands flee Somalia fighting, says UN refugee agency
Thousands of people have fled Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, since Wednesday, the UN refugee agency has said.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
What happened to national reconciliation? Is Saddam in his grave stronger than Maliki's government? And is Maliki upholding the law or playing with fire?
Saddam shadow darkens Iraq elections
The legacy of Saddam Hussein continues to divide Iraq. Preparations for the country's parliamentary election have been thrown into chaos by a row over a decision to ban hundreds of candidates because of alleged links to the former president's now outlawed Baath Party.
Iraqi politics in disarray as US pullback nears
With elections looming and the U.S. withdrawal of combat troops less than seven months away, political disarray is threatening Iraq's future as well its past. A parliamentary logjam is holding up legislation touching everything from prison staff, border crossings and counterterrorism troops to an archaeological excavation in dire need of tourists.
Anti-Baath campaign a spur to Iraq Shiite voters
But some experts call claims that the former Baath Party of Saddam Hussein is resurgent an election ploy. They say the two main Shiite blocs feared a public swing away from sectarian politics.
Marines meet with Afghans to explain offensive, seek support
Hundreds of Afghan men walked for miles over dusty roads Saturday morning to get to an open-air meeting to hear the Marines explain those angry sounds of war coming from the Taliban stronghold of Marja.
Helicopter armada heralds Afghanistan surge
An armada of helicopters lifted a vast force against Taliban strongholds today in the biggest operation ever mounted in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's president backs better ties with India
Good relations between Pakistan and India are vital for fighting Islamist militancy, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday, as the old rivals prepare for their first official talks since the Mumbai attack.
Yemen rebels 'implementing truce terms'
Shiite rebels in Yemen said on Saturday they had pulled out of an occupied airport in the north and were arranging to free their Saudi prisoners, in line with a truce agreed with Sanaa.
Thousands flee Somalia fighting, says UN refugee agency
Thousands of people have fled Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, since Wednesday, the UN refugee agency has said.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Friday, February 12, 2010
February 12th Morning Readbook
Iraq 'upholds' poll ban on two MPs
A panel of Iraqi judges has reportedly upheld the decision to bar two prominent Sunni members of parliament from contesting in general elections scheduled for March 7.
Iraq election campaign begins
Official campaigning for Iraq's March 7 general election started on Friday in a tense atmosphere overshadowed by angry demands from provincial leaders that workers linked to Saddam Hussein be fired.
How the Taliban pressed bin Laden
Evidence now available from various sources, including recently declassified United States State Department documents, shows that the Taliban regime led by Mullah Mohammad Omar imposed strict isolation on Osama bin Laden after 1998 to prevent him from carrying out any plots against the United States.
US and Afghan troops ring Taliban stronghold
U.S. and Afghan forces ringed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah on Thursday, sealing off escape routes and setting the stage for what is being described as the biggest offensive of the nine-year war.
Five Americans wounded in suicide attack at US base in Afghanistan
An Afghan official says a suicide attacker wearing a police uniform blew himself up at a US base in eastern Afghanistan, wounding five Americans. The spokesman for Paktia province, Roullah Samoun, says the attack occurred tonight in the Dand aw Patan district near the Pakistan border about 70 kilometres east of Gardez.
Pakistan and India to Resume Talks on Feb. 25 in New Delhi
Talks between Pakistan and India halted by the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks will resume on Feb. 25 as the two countries’ foreign secretaries meet in New Delhi, Pakistan’s government said in a statement.
Yemen government and rebels call ceasefire
Hopes that truce will bring an end to six-year conflict which has diverted resources from fighting al-Qaida in the country
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Monday, February 8, 2010
February 8th Morning Readbook
Afghanistan's influential elders
Senior Afghan policeman held over planting bombs
A senior Afghan policeman has been arrested in connection with planting and storing roadside bombs, Nato officials said.
INTERVIEW-NATO, Afghans to hold Taliban bastion "forever"
NATO forces and their Afghan allies will hold territory seized from the Taliban in an imminent major operation "forever", the commander of British forces in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province said.
India-Pakistan thaw key to Afghan peace
India has proposed the first high-level bilateral talks with Pakistan since their peace process broke down following the terrorist attack on Mumbai in November 2008.
Al-Qaeda is a wounded but dangerous enemy
In the past six weeks, Americans have witnessed two jarringly different -- but completely accurate -- views of al-Qaeda's terrorist network. One image was that of terrorist leaders being hunted down and killed by satellite-guided, pilotless aircraft. The other was of an agile foe slipping past U.S. defenses and increasingly intent on striking inside the United States.
Iraq's parliament delays debate over candidates ban
The Iraqi parliament postponed to Monday an extraordinary session due to be held on Sunday to discuss the decision of an appeals panel to allow hundreds of banned candidates to run in the March 7 parliamentary elections.
Iraq terrorist group kidnap two Americans
The terrorist group responsible for the deaths of at least three British security contractors in Iraq says it has now seized two Americans. "The League of the Righteous " has already released a video of one of the men, an Iraqi-American named as Issa Salomi, a civilian employed by the Pentagon. Mr Salomi went missing on January 23. The identity of the second hostage has not been made clear, but it is thought it could be another Iraqi-American, an army sergeant who disappeared while on an unauthorised visit to his family in 2006.
Iran to enrich uranium to 20% as nuclear fears grow
Iran has announced immediate plans to step up its nuclear programme, which Western nations fear could be used to make a bomb.
The latest news from Al Jazeera
Senior Afghan policeman held over planting bombs
A senior Afghan policeman has been arrested in connection with planting and storing roadside bombs, Nato officials said.
INTERVIEW-NATO, Afghans to hold Taliban bastion "forever"
NATO forces and their Afghan allies will hold territory seized from the Taliban in an imminent major operation "forever", the commander of British forces in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province said.
India-Pakistan thaw key to Afghan peace
India has proposed the first high-level bilateral talks with Pakistan since their peace process broke down following the terrorist attack on Mumbai in November 2008.
Al-Qaeda is a wounded but dangerous enemy
In the past six weeks, Americans have witnessed two jarringly different -- but completely accurate -- views of al-Qaeda's terrorist network. One image was that of terrorist leaders being hunted down and killed by satellite-guided, pilotless aircraft. The other was of an agile foe slipping past U.S. defenses and increasingly intent on striking inside the United States.
Iraq's parliament delays debate over candidates ban
The Iraqi parliament postponed to Monday an extraordinary session due to be held on Sunday to discuss the decision of an appeals panel to allow hundreds of banned candidates to run in the March 7 parliamentary elections.
Iraq terrorist group kidnap two Americans
The terrorist group responsible for the deaths of at least three British security contractors in Iraq says it has now seized two Americans. "The League of the Righteous " has already released a video of one of the men, an Iraqi-American named as Issa Salomi, a civilian employed by the Pentagon. Mr Salomi went missing on January 23. The identity of the second hostage has not been made clear, but it is thought it could be another Iraqi-American, an army sergeant who disappeared while on an unauthorised visit to his family in 2006.
Iran to enrich uranium to 20% as nuclear fears grow
Iran has announced immediate plans to step up its nuclear programme, which Western nations fear could be used to make a bomb.
The latest news from Al Jazeera
Friday, February 5, 2010
February 5th Morning Readbook
A man walks past a torn poster of Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki posing with the country's soccer team, on a street in Basra, 420 km (260 miles) southeast of Baghdad, February 5, 2010. REUTERS/Atef Hassan
Iraqi PM says he won't allow US to meddle in vote
Iraq's prime minister says he will not allow the U.S. ambassador to meddle in an effort to bar hundreds of candidates from running in March parliamentary elections because of suspected ties to Saddam Hussein's regime. Nouri al-Maliki says Ambassador Christopher Hill will not be allowed to overstep his position as a diplomat. His comments appeared to be in response to U.S. praise for a court decision Wednesday lifting the ban on more than 450 candidates.
Iraq Government says Decision to Reinstate Ba'ath Candidates 'Illegal'
The Iraqi government says the decision to allow candidates with ties to the Ba'ath Party to run in March elections is "illegal." Meanwhile, the head of Iraq's electoral commission says he is awaiting a decision on the matter from the country's top court.
Bombings hit Iraq Shia pilgrims in Karbala
Two suicide bombers have killed at least 10 people and injured 25 in the outskirts of Karbala in Iraq, reports from Iraqi police say.
New dangers in Pakistan Taliban leader's 'death'
The death of Pakistan's Taliban supremo in a US missile strike, if confirmed, would deal a major blow to the militant nexus but could magnify the dangers should Al-Qaeda exploit a leadership vacuum. US officials increasingly believe that Hakimullah Mehsud, who rose suddenly to the Taliban leadership after a US missile killed his predecessor Baitullah Mehsud six months ago, has succumbed to the same fate.
McChrystal Sees Signs of Progress In Push to Stabilize Afghanistan
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, head of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, said he no longer believes the battlefield situation there is deteriorating, the first time he has made such a determination since taking command in Kabul last summer.
Kunduz bombing highlights 'confusion of war'
India offers to revive talks with Pakistan
India offered on Thursday to resume high-level peace talks with Pakistan, an overture that reflected a significant warming between the nuclear-armed countries more than a year after the deadly siege in Mumbai.
Homegrown terrorism a growing concern for US intelligence
Homegrown terrorism is a growing threat, US intelligence chief Dennis Blair said this week. But the number of American Muslims engaged in extremist activity remain small and still largely focused overseas.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Saturday, January 30, 2010
January 30th Morning Readbook
Sheik threatens voter boycott over ballot purge
A prominent sheik and U.S. ally is weighing whether to urge fellow Sunnis to boycott upcoming elections in protest of the government's ballot purge of hundreds of candidates suspected of links to Saddam Hussein's regime. Such a call by Ahmed Abu Risha risks derailing Obama administration hopes that the March 7 parliamentary elections will bring stronger reconciliation between Iraq's majority Shiites and minority Sunnis who want to reclaim more political power.
Taliban deny meeting UN envoy to talk peace in Afghanistan
The Taliban denied Saturday that leaders of the Islamist group fighting to overthrow the Afghan government had met with UN representatives to discuss bringing peace to Afghanistan.
Afghan ex-minister confirms Taliban talks
India softens stand on negotiating with Taliban
India is willing to back efforts to seek peace with Taliban to stabilise Afghanistan, foreign minister S.M. Krishna said, indicating a softening of stand towards a group known to be close to rival Pakistan.
Deaths in Pakistan 'drone' attack
At least nine people have been killed in a suspected US drone attack in northwestern Pakistan, intelligence officials say.
Qaeda would face pressure from Afghan deal-making
Bringing the Taliban into reconciliation talks with the U.S.-backed Afghan government would strain the insurgents' ties to al Qaeda and lift Western hopes of denying Osama bin Laden the refuge his hosts provide.
Skyrocketing costs may have doomed NYC trial plan
The letter written by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to Washington earlier this month set a whopping $200-million-a-year price tag to secure the city during the trial - more than double the original estimate. The speech by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly detailed a planned lockdown of lower Manhattan certain to set new standards for gridlock.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Friday, January 22, 2010
Alerts Raised in the UK and India
(AFP/Getty Images/File/Stephen Lovekin)
India and the United Kingdom have raised their threat levels today. No details have emerged for the UK but India announced their reaction was in response to a possible hijacking plot. Whether the two actions were related is unknown at this time.
Terrorist threat level raised to 'severe'
Britain's terrorist threat level was raised tonight from “substantial” to “severe” - meaning that counter-terrorism agencies believe an attack is “highly likely”. The measure was approved at a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee and announced by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary. The Times understands that the decision to raise the threat level is connected to the conference on Afghanistan taking place at Lancaster Gate, London, next Thursday.
India Issues Terror Alert Over Hijack Plot
Indian airports are on high alert today after officials issued a terror warning of a possible airline hijacking. Security has been increased at all airports, passengers are being subjected to tougher screening and more air marshals will be deployed on flights in India, the Indian home ministry said this morning. Local reports suggest that Air India flights within all of South Asia are being targeted. The alert comes days after U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates met with Indian officials in New Delhi and said that a "syndicate of terror groups" affiliated with al-Qaeda are potentially trying to destabilize the entire region.
Britain's terrorist threat level was raised tonight from “substantial” to “severe” - meaning that counter-terrorism agencies believe an attack is “highly likely”. The measure was approved at a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee and announced by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary. The Times understands that the decision to raise the threat level is connected to the conference on Afghanistan taking place at Lancaster Gate, London, next Thursday.
India Issues Terror Alert Over Hijack Plot
Indian airports are on high alert today after officials issued a terror warning of a possible airline hijacking. Security has been increased at all airports, passengers are being subjected to tougher screening and more air marshals will be deployed on flights in India, the Indian home ministry said this morning. Local reports suggest that Air India flights within all of South Asia are being targeted. The alert comes days after U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates met with Indian officials in New Delhi and said that a "syndicate of terror groups" affiliated with al-Qaeda are potentially trying to destabilize the entire region.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
January 20th Evening Readbook
Handover of security duties, funds for reconciliation to top Afghanistan conference agenda
An international conference on Afghanistan next week will aim to set a tentative timetable to switch security duties from foreign troops to local forces, and seek to spur efforts to reconcile Taliban fighters with the government, Britain's ambassador to Kabul said Wednesday.
Afghan Taliban sceptical of peace talks - ex-envoy
A former top diplomat for the Taliban said a new government plan to persuade insurgents to lay down their arms in exchange for jobs or money was corrupt and would only hinder efforts to reach a peace deal.
Iraq list of excluded candidates has more Shi'ites
More Shi'ite candidates than Sunnis have been barred from Iraq's election because of links to Saddam Hussein's Baath party, politicians said on Wednesday, potentially defusing a row that threatened to reopen sectarian wounds.
Gates: Al-Qaeda has assembled a 'syndicate' of terror groups
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Wednesday that al-Qaeda was using proxy terrorist groups to orchestrate attacks in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.
Gates Says Al Qaeda Seeks to Trigger India-Pakistan War
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said al Qaeda is working with an array of local militant groups to destabilize South Asia and trigger a war between India and Pakistan, an indication of growing U.S. fears about new terror attacks throughout the volatile region.
The latest news from Al Jazeera
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
January 19th Morning Readbook
Taliban Leaders Unlikely to Accept Offer, Gates Says
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that there could be a surge of Taliban followers willing to reintegrate with the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai, but that for now an Afghan government reconciliation with the Taliban leadership was unlikely.
Taliban Strike Heart of Afghan Capital
The Taliban launched a coordinated attack on the Afghan capital Monday, paralyzing the city for most of the day as militants set off explosions, took over buildings and attempted to disrupt the swearing-in of new cabinet ministers.
Gates: US seeks stability between India, Pakistan
The United States would like to help India and Pakistan focus less on each other and more on the terrorism threat, but the two countries prefer to settle their differences themselves, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday
Could a Ban on Sunni Candidates Imperil Iraq's Election?
Like the knee-jerk decision to dismantle the Iraqi army, the U.S. decision in 2003 to ban members of the former ruling Baath Party from joining the new Iraqi government was one of the biggest blunders of the early American occupation of post-Saddam Iraq. It instantly alienated an entire spectrum of civil servants and politicians, many of whom didn't have much loyalty to the old regime and could have been enlisted in the construction of a new government. And because many of them were Sunni, it helped widen the sectarian split in Iraqi society that eventually led to civil war.
Saddam's Cousin 'Chemical Ali' Sentenced to Death
Pakistani 'Al Qaeda' scientist trial begins in NY
The trial of a Pakistani neuroscientist educated in the United States and accused of trying to kill US personnel in Afghanistan was due to start Tuesday in New York. US authorities say Aafia Siddiqui, 37, is an Al Qaeda-linked, would-be terrorist who tried to murder American officers on July 18, 2008, after she was detained by security services in Afghanistan.
Five Americans in Pakistan Allege Torture
Five young Americans arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of trying to join militant Islamist groups allege they are being tortured in custody.
The main headlines on Al Jazeera
Friday, December 25, 2009
December 25th Afternoon Readbook
REUTERS/Zohra BensemraTaliban Sends Out Video of G.I. Caught in Afghanistan
The Taliban released a video of a captured American soldier on Friday, the second to surface since he was seized in southern Afghanistan about six months ago.
Afghan trucks to India allowed to pass through Pakistan
For the first time, Pakistan has agreed in principle to allow Afghan trucks carrying goods for a third country to pass through Pakistan's territory and the decision is to help Afghanistan's exports, mainly perishables, to India by land route as the trucks can now travel right up to Wagah border, according to informed sources.
Soviet veteran recalls Afghan war
Pakistan Remands Suspected American Militants for More Questioning
Investigators in Pakistan are getting more time to question five young Americans suspected of trying to join a militant group.
Sectarian Violence Continues in Iraq
Attacks in the capital and the southern town of Hilla killed at least 26 in Iraq on Thursday and Friday, with religious-tinged violence ticking up as Christmas coincided this year with one of Shiite Islam's most important observances.
The latest news from Al Jazeera
Thursday, December 24, 2009
December 24th Morning Readbook
Afghan Shi'ite Muslims flagellate themselves with chains during an Ashura procession in Kabul December 24, 2009. Ashura, a 10-day-long event, commemorates the death of Prophet Mohammad's grandson Imam Hussein in battle 1,300 years ago. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani Report Says Afghan Drug Effort Lacks Strategy
The United States-led counternarcotics effort in Afghanistan, viewed as critical to halting the flow of funds to the Taliban and curtailing corruption, lacks a long-term strategy, clear objectives and a plan for handing over responsibility to Afghans, the State Department inspector general said in a report released Wednesday.
Afghan police mistakenly kill parliament member
The lawmaker and his son are killed in an ambush that had been set to find a wounded insurgent commander in Baghlan province, in Afghanistan's north.
Major Militant Attacks in Pakistan Since October
A look at major attacks in Pakistan since the start of October:
-- Dec. 24: Suicide bomber kills four near government buildings in the main northwest city of Peshawar.
-- Dec. 22: Suicide bomber kills three at the Peshawar Press Club.
-- Dec. 15: Suicide car bomber kills 33 near a lawmaker's home in the Punjab province town of Dera Ghazi Khan.
Holbrooke: I am not working on India-Pakistan ties
Making it clear that he is not an envoy for India-Pakistan ties, the United States Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, on Wednesday said he gave great importance to India in the region and constantly consulted it on the Obama administration’s Af-Pak policies.
World Digest: Shiites, Christians killed in bombings in Iraq
Bomb attacks targeted Iraqi Christians and Shiite Muslims on Wednesday, killing at least eight people and wounding 48 ahead of religious observances that will take place under heavy guard.
UPDATE: Iraq Has "Master Plan" To Boost Oil Exports - Oil Min
Iraq is working on a "master plan" to construct new infrastructure to boost the country's oil export capacity, after the award earlier this year of 10 large contracts to international oil companies, the country's Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said Wednesday.
Yemen Claims 30 Killed in Raid on al Qaeda
Yemeni authorities say military operations targeting al Qaeda hideouts have killed more than 30 suspected militants, including important leadership figures in the organization.
The latest news from Al Jazeera
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The U.S. and Pakistan: Fairweather Friends
Labour Party Pakistan activists shout slogans during a protest in Lahore against the US President Barack Obama's Afghan policy. Although Pakistan is central to US strategy for the region, Washington has had a tough time dealing with a skittish military and political establishment in Islamabad that is wary of Washington's goals in neighboring Afghanistan. (AFP/File/Arif Ali)Christopher Hitchens has an outstanding article on the U.S. relationship with Pakistan. From a COIN perspective, he asks a simple question with no simple answer, "Who is in charge of policy in the area?" Unity of command is one of the basic COIN principles most often cited from Robert Komer's Bureaucracy Does Its Thing: Institutional Constraints on U.S.-GVN Performance in Vietnam.
Hitchens goes on to describe the poisonous nature of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship.
This is, and always was, a sick relationship, and it is now becoming dangerously diseased. It's not possible to found a working, trusting, fighting alliance on such a basis. Under communism, the factory workers of Eastern Europe had a joke: "We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us." In this instance, the Pakistanis don't even pretend that their main military thrust is directed against the common foe, but we do continue to pay them. If we only knew it, the true humiliation and indignity is ours, not theirs.
This will continue to get nastier and more corrupt and degrading until we recognize that our long-term ally in Asia is not Pakistan but India. And India is not a country sizzling with self-pity and self-loathing, because it was never one of our colonies or clients. We don't have to send New Delhi 15 different envoys a month, partly to placate and partly to hector, because the relationship with India isn't based on hysteria and envy. Alas, though, we send hardly any envoys at all to the world's largest secular and multicultural democracy, and the country itself gets mentioned only as an afterthought. Nothing will change until this changes.
You can read the full article here.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
December 13th Morning Readbook
Image obtained from IntelCenter of Al-Qaeda's new video featuring American-born operative Adam Gadahn speaking in English. The video denies the organisation was behind a recent deadly string of attacks in Pakistan that have killed hundreds of civilians. (AFP)Terrorist recruiters leverage the Web
From YouTube to Pakistan: N.Va. men allegedly drafted to fight U.S. troops abroad. Pakistani authorities on Saturday were searching for an insurgent figure believed to have aided five Northern Virginia men who allegedly tried to join al-Qaeda, saying the case could help unravel a growing network of terrorist recruiters who scour the Internet for radicalized young men.
Terror probe leads FBI to India, Pakistan
On tips from a U.S. man, agents make an urgent trip after learning of possible Mumbai-style attacks. Also, U.S. charges implicate the involvement of ex-Pakistan military officers.
To Beat Al Qaeda, Look to the East
IN testimony last week before Congress, the American ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, insisted that President Obama’s revised war strategy will “build support for the Afghan government,” while Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top American commander there, vowed that it will “absolutely” succeed in disrupting and degrading the Taliban.
Pakistan kills about 22 militants, eyes new fronts
Pakistani troops have killed about 22 militants in the Kurram region on the Afghan border, officials said on Sunday, after the government said new fronts against militants in the northwest might be opened.
No boon for U.S. firms in Iraq oil deal auction
Critics said the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq said was driven by oil, but United States oil majors were largely absent from an Iraqi auction of oil deals snapped up instead by Russian, Chinese and other firms.
FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Dec 13
FALLUJA - A parked car laden with explosives blew up near the home of Saad al-Shimery, a tribal council leader, wounding him, two of his children and two guards in the city of Falluja, 50 km (35 miles) west of Baghdad, police said. Twelve people were also wounded in the attack.
BAGHDAD - Multiple rockets or mortars struck the heavily fortified Green Zone late on Saturday, the U.S. military said.
MOSUL - A car packed with bombs exploded near an Iraqi army recruiting centre, killing one recruit and wounding 19 people in east Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - Gunmen in a car killed an off-duty police officer in the Shalchiya district in central Baghdad on Saturday, police reported.
TIKRIT - A roadside bomb wounded one security guard on Saturday in the city of Tikrit, 150 km (95 miles) north of Baghdad, police said. (Compiled by the Baghdad newsroom)
The latest news from Al Jazeera
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
December 9th Morning Readbook
(REUTERS/Stringer)Baghdad bombs kill 127 as Iraq vote is set
As Iraqi officials prepared to announce a date for delayed national elections, car bombs detonated Tuesday at government buildings and in crowded Baghdad streets, killing at least 127 people and wounding nearly 500.
Iraq parliament calls session over deadly bombings
Iraq's parliament is asking security officials to appear before a special session to answer questions over security lapses that allowed bombers to strike government sites. The spokesman for the parliament speaker says lawmakers want Iraq's ministers of defense and interior to appear at Thursday's session, called over the attacks the previous day that killed at least 127 people.
Some of the deadliest attacks in Iraq
Some of the deadliest militant attacks in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003:
***Three of the ten deadliest terrorist attacks in the Iraq war occurred following the U.S. forces withdrawal from Iraqi cities this summer.
Baghdad attacks put Iraq security back in spotlight
US’s long view in Afghanistan troubles Congress
Senior administration officials signaled yesterday that the United States will continue to commit a significant number of troops and substantial funding to Afghanistan for many years to come, despite a July 2011 deadline set forth by the president last week to begin a drawdown.
McChrystal supports new strategy in Afghanistan
The general in charge of the war in Afghanistan said Tuesday he expects to know by this time next year whether the new troop buildup is reversing Taliban momentum and he believes he will be able to draw down forces in 2011 without asking for more.
12 killed in twin blasts in Pakistan
At least 12 people including four security men and eight civilians were killed and 20 others injured as twin bomb blasts ripped through an army area in the central Pakistani city of Multan on Tuesday, police said.
FBI takes US terror probe to India and Pakistan
The FBI is sending a team to Pakistan and India as part of an inquiry into an American man accused of sizing up targets ahead of last year's deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital.
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