AP - The U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan has led to a dog surge — and unexpected problems in procuring high-quality dog food with enough protein and nutrients for hundreds of canines used to find explosives and perform other energy-intensive missions.
Afghanistan timetable may be too short to achieve its aims but too long to hold American public support, observers say.
In Afghanistan's presidential election in August, one of the ripest areas for fraud was women's voting. Analysts say the same is likely to be true again in the Nov. 7 runoff.
AP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai's top challenger in disputed elections alleged Tuesday the embattled head of state engineered the resignation of a chief fraud investigator to cast doubt over a process that may force a runoff vote.
Afghanistan's drug economy is pervasive, linking farmers, heroin traffickers, and the Taliban.
As President Obama huddles with key military advisers to talk about a strategy in Afghanistan, top officials charged with protecting the homeland on Wednesday pointedly stressed the danger from terrorists in the Afghan-Pakistan border area.
Concern is rising in Congress and among military families that a new strategy that emphasizes protecting Afghan civilians is leading to a sharp increase in U.S. troop deaths.
AP - Charges of fraud in Afghanistan's presidential election are extensive enough that they could sway the final result, and the number is likely to grow, the commission investigating complaints said Sunday.
Reuters - Afghanistan's presidential election was generally fair but not entirely free because of Taliban intimidation and violence that kept turnout low in the south, European monitors said on Saturday.
