Afghanistan War News Updates -- January 27, 2010

German soldiers partol near Kunduz, Afghanistan, in October. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that Germany plans to send 500 more troops. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

Afghan Planning Faces Grim Realities -- Wall Street Journal

Foreign Ministers to Discuss Foreign Role in Afghanistan, but With a Weak Government in Kabul, Hopes Are Muted.

Foreign ministers will meet in London on Thursday hoping to provide Afghanistan with political support to go with the military surge and convinc e war-weary publics that governments are laying the groundwork for eventual withdrawal.

But with President Hamid Karzai's cabinet incomplete and the Taliban insurgency strong, the conference will likely leave the impression that foreign forces will be in Afghanistan for a long time to come.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

Aims of the London conference on Afghanistan -- BBC
Karzai: Afghanistan aims to reduce burden on allies soon but needs sustained support -- Canadian Press
Karzai Warns 'Military Solution Alone' Not Viable -- Voice of America
Hamid Karzai to urge UN to ease Taliban sanctions -- BBC
U.N. Eases Sanctions on Five Taliban Leaders -- BBC News
Russia Won't Block U.N. Terrorism List Removal Efforts -- Washington Post
U.S. Wrestling With Prospect of Olive Branch for Taliban -- New York Times
Holbrooke says US to back Taliban reintegration -- Yahoo News/AP
NATO Says Conference will Raise Millions to Pay Taliban -- Daily Telegraph
Afghanistan, allies to launch new effort to return Taliban to society -- L.A. Times
Afghan Taliban defiant despite peace overtures -- AFP

China vows to continue support to Afghanistan's reconstruction -- Xinhuanet
Dangerous to name Afghan withdrawal date: Merkel -- Yahoo News/AFP
NATO Struggling to Fulfill Commitments for More Troops -- Washington Post
Germany to Send 500 Extra Troops to Afghanistan -- Wall Street Journal/AP
NATO finalizes Afghan transit deal with Kazakhstan -- Reuters
Australian sentenced to death in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP
NATO Aid Effort Puts Lives at Risk, Say Charities -- The Times
Afghanistan Aid Strategy Must Change Say Aid Groups -- Voice of America

Q+A-Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan tops $1 trillion -- Reuters
Hamid Karzai a Dud, Says US Envoy Karl Eikenberry -- The Australian
Afghan Leader’s Hat Is Losing Its Cachet -- New York Times
Taliban for sale? -- Ralph Peters, New York Post