Italians bribed Taliban to not attack their forces?

An interesting twist: did Italians bribe the Taliban to not attack their forces? Even more interesting, the French claim that this had a negative impact on their security environment...http://ping.fm/xzWz3

Crisis of confidence around the Afghan campaign

The Guardian has a good article comparing the current Afghan campaign to the pitfalls of the Soviet occupation: http://ping.fm/DgZQw

Not surprisingly, the media is now seeing Kabul as the new Baghdad, and giving it much higher priority: http://ping.fm/Zwjer

Tough to say whether Pakistan is in the fore- or background at this point...: http://ping.fm/A19ez

Civilian Goals Largely Unmet in Afghanistan

'WASHINGTON — Even as President Obama leads an intense debate over whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, administration officials say the United States is falling far short of his goals to fight the country’s endemic corruption, create a functioning government and legal system and train a police force currently riddled with incompetence.'

http://ping.fm/Kv7Wb

Norwegian Security Contractors Death Sentence - DRC

'Two Norwegian security contractors convicted of murder and espionage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will tomorrow begin an appeal against their death sentences. Joshua French, 27, who spent part of his early childhood in Margate and holds dual British citizenship, was arrested with Tjostolv Moland, 28, in eastern Congo in May after their driver was found shot dead. The men denied shooting Abedi Kasongo in the head, and said he had been killed during an attack by unknown gunmen.'

More here: http://ping.fm/SLPml

UN-backed Congo military offensive a 'humanitarian disaster'

UN-backed Congo military offensive a 'humanitarian disaster' - http://htxt.it/m40n

'Afghanistan - the Civil-Military Fusion Centre'

Nothing new in this article, but digs into a new NATO concept of the 'Civil-Military Fusion Centre' - http://htxt.it/ibyr

Civilian 'surge' in

Civilian 'surge' in Afghanistan fails to meet expectations - http://htxt.it/Pp7L

VOICE seems to have

VOICE seems to have published their position on civil-military relations in humanitarian action in May 2009 - http://htxt.it/hpCH

Quantitative look at

Quantitative look at security incidents in Darfur over 2009 - 10 dead, 22 wounded, 95 carjackings... read on - http://htxt.it/OOaO

Always on the cusp o

Always on the cusp of new technology, NATO considers a Second Life virtual world for training and day-to-day business of the Alliance: http://htxt.it/9T1W

NATO adopts defensive driving to win Afghan hearts and minds

'Top general in Afghanistan directs troops to respect Afghan traffic rules, drive defensively at appropriate speeds in an effort to win over population' - http://htxt.it/q9cP

Afghan insurgent forces are becoming “narco-cartels”

'There is growing evidence that some Afghan insurgent forces are becoming “narco-cartels” — that view drug profits as more important than ideology. http://htxt.it/imO1

NYT - 'Contractors O

NYT - 'Contractors Outnumber U.S. Troops in Afghanistan' - http://htxt.it/2fn0

Year 8 in Afghanista

Year 8 in Afghanistan, UN SRSG announces: "The piecemeal approach is not going to get results. Enough is enough with the piecemeal approach." http://htxt.it/n0We

Aid Workers to support intelligence training for Af-Pak?

Wired has a good article on the not-very-new concerns about mixing up the civilian and military realms - 'Spooks to Tap Aid Workers for Af-Pak Knowledge?' - http://htxt.it/99iB

Interesting glimpse

Interesting glimpse of how the Pentagon (potentially) profiles reporters to help shape their war coverage: http://htxt.it/Piyk

'2 Peacekeepers in D

'2 Peacekeepers in Darfur Seized'- http://htxt.it/Alc1

OXFAM issues a sermo

OXFAM issues a sermon on poverty, security spending and famine in Afghanistan, the punch line apparently being 'more aid needed, must be spent better': http://htxt.it/1e58

'Peacekeeping Civili

'Peacekeeping Civilians Kidnapped In Darfur' - http://htxt.it/wMr4

UN considers broad r

UN considers broad rethink of peacekeeping strategy - 'an increasingly costly operation that in some parts of the world is failing to meet the tough challenges set for it' - http://htxt.it/rktQ