Nov 20th, 2008 · Said Jawad, Afghan ambassador to the U.S., defended talks between his country's government and the Taliban. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said he thinks the way to achieve stability is by reaching out to the Afghan people.
Nov 18th, 2008 · What direction might the U.S. military campaign against the Taliban take? President-elect Obama has said he will shift resources from Iraq to Afghanistan. Retired Army Col. John Nagl, an expert on counterinsurgency, surveys the prospects.
Nov 10th, 2008 · President-elect Barack Obama will have to grapple with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He will have to decide whether to negotiate with members of the Taliban as a way of stemming the violence in Afghanistan. The idea is supported by the new chief of the U.S. Central Command, Gen. David Petraeus, who used a similar tactic as part of a broader strategy in Iraq.
Nov 5th, 2008 · In Afghanistan, the U.S. Embassy invited scores of Afghans to watch the U.S. election results at a party in Kabul. The party was held at the Serena Hotel, where a well-planned Taliban bombing and gun attack in January grabbed world headlines.
Oct 30th, 2008 · Taliban militants have stormed the Information Ministry in the heart of Kabul, killing at least five people. It was the most brazen attack in the Afghan capital since last summer's suicide bombing at the Indian Embassy.
Oct 20th, 2008 · Reports last month of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban raised eyebrows in several world capitals, but it turns out there were no formal negotiations. There are signs, however, that both sides are more interested in peace talks than ever before.
Oct 10th, 2008 · Thousands of Pakistanis are fleeing to Afghanistan to avoid a military launch against the Taliban. Pakistani soldiers are going door-to-door in the area demanding that Afghan refugees, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades, go back to Afghanistan as well. Afghan officials question how many more refugees they can house and feed in the midst of a food shortage.
Oct 9th, 2008 · A draft report from U.S. intelligence agencies says Afghanistan faces a "downward spiral" as Taliban fighters threaten stability in the region. They're conducting more sophisticated attacks, increasingly encroaching on government and working more closely with al-Qaida, it says.