Last week's rare intelligence briefing for the Pakistani parliament was meant to unite MPs behind President Asif Ali Zardari's terror strategy, but seems to have been an utter failure. While members of the opposition were already calling for an end to cooperation with...
SOFA Faces Increasingly Thorny Path in Iraqi Parliament
The Bush Administration and Iraqi negotiators may have completed a final draft of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), but its prospects for approval in the Iraqi parliament seem to grow more questionable by the minute. Aides of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki...
Afghan Forces See Growing Defections to Taliban
As the fighting in Afghanistan continues to worsen, Al Jazeera reports that a growing number of members of Afghan security forces are switching sides and joining the Taliban. The article focuses on Sulieman Ameri, a member of Afghanistan's police border patrol in...
Report: NATO Air Strike in Helmand Kills At Least 25 Civilians
Last Updated 10/16 9:25 PM EST NATO forces launched an air strike in Nad Ali District, Helmand Province early this afternoon. According to local officials, the attack killed between 25 and 30 civilians. Local residents took some of the bodies to Lashkar Gah to...
US Drone Strikes Kill At Least Six in South Waziristan
This morning, US drones fired multiple missiles on two homes in the district of Ladha, South Waziristan Agency, killing at least six and injuring five others. Pakistani officials say that two "extremist commanders" were among those killed, but they lacked information...
Former FM: Taliban May Split With al-Qaeda Over Afghan Peace
Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil, a former Foreign Minister for the pre-invasion Taliban government in Afghanistan, says that the Taliban might cut ties with al-Qaeda in the course of reconciliation talks with the post-war government, though the move should not be a...
Pakistani Taliban Offers to Lay Down Arms for Peace
Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Maulvi Omar has offered negotiations with the Pakistani government "without any conditions." The Pakistani government has previously offered such negotiations, but demanded that the TTP first lay down their arms and agree to...
88 Militants, Six Afghan Police Killed in Helmand Clashes
In multiple attacks across Afghanistan's restive Helmand Province, Afghan and coalition forces reportedly killed 88 militants. Six Afghan police also died in the conflict. As is often the case, Taliban forces disputed the toll, claiming they had killed 12 police and...
US, Iraqi Negotiators Finalize SOFA, Pact Still Faces Long Road to Final Approval
US and Iraqi officials say that the final draft of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) has been completed, and has been submitted to Iraq's political leadership for a long, arduous approval process. While the overall terms of the agreement were not publicly...
NIE Paints “Very Bleak” Pakistan Picture
As Pakistan observes "Defence Day," the United States is putting the finishing touches on a National Intelligence Estimate on Pakistan. And while much as the NIE on Afghanistan the document is expected to remain classified, those privy to the contents of the document...