Afghanistan War News Updates -- July 16, 2009

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal spoke to Marines and Afghan soldiers and police officers last week in Helmand Province. Eros Hoagland for The New York Times

Warning From General On End To Afghan Combat -- The New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — The new American commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday that United States Marines had faced less resistance than expected in their operation to clear Taliban safe havens in the south, but that British troops just to the north were running into fiercer fighting than anticipated.

The commander, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, also said that he was surprised by the resilience of pockets of Pashtun militants in western and northern Afghanistan, areas that he expected to be relatively calm but that now needed more troops and stronger local governance.

General McChrystal’s assessment one month into his command does not only reflect the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the fight in Afghanistan. It also underscores the challenges facing American commanders and diplomats as they work with allied and Afghan officials to carry out the Obama administration’s new war strategy here.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

July is deadliest for US-led forces in Afghanistan -- AP
July equals deadliest month of Afghan war -- Reuters
Vehicle accident leaves 2 NATO soldiers dead in N Afghanistan -- China View
Turkish commander, soldier killed in Afghanistan -- AFP
Civilians among several killed in Afghanistan -- AFP
NATO Afghanistan commander concerned about north and west -- Washington Post
Taliban Insurgents Reemerge -- Washington Post
Helicopter shortage hurts UK in Afghanistan-report -- Reuters
General Sir Richard Dannatt told to keep out of helicopter politics -- Times Online
Scarcity of Copters Fuels British Debate Over War -- New York Times
Gordon Brown facing fresh pressure on helicopters for Afghanistan -- Times Online
Gordon Brown faces grilling over Afghanistan helicopters -- The Telegraph
Taliban uses Afghan fear to fight surge -- Washington Times
Clinton to Taliban: Forsake al Qaeda -- Washington Times
Clinton extends hand to Taliban who quit battle -- AFP
Photo Captures Marine Escaping Afghan Blast That Killed His Comrades -- FOX News
U.S. Forces Warn Taliban In Afghanistan: Release Soldier Or Else -- Memri
Q. and A. on the War in Afghanistan -- The New York Times
At Jail in Bagram, A Detainee Protest -- Washington Post
Target the Drug Lords in Afghanistan, Not the Farmers -- Brookings
In the Heat of Afghanistan, Shades of Iraq -- FOX News
The Baptist and the Mullah Launch a Faith-Based Attack on the Taliban -- Wall Street Journal
US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 664 -- AP
FACTBOX-Military deaths in Afghanistan -- Reuters