De seneste posts fra danske RSS feeds og weblogs på Overskrift.dk om tag'et afghanistan http://www.overskrift.dk Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:01:46 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.overskrift.dk/images/overskrift.gif http://www.overskrift.dk Overskrift.dk http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/-NrLEfHLVVk/ US drone strike kills al Qaeda?s chief in Pakistan US missiles on Thursday, February 09, 2012 killed al Qaeda?s chief in Pakistan, one of Americans? main targets and wanted for attacks that killed scores of people. Badr Mansoor, who according to sources used to send fighters to Afghanistan and ran a training camp in North Waziristan, was killed in a pre-dawn drone strike on a compound near the Afghan border. ?He died in the missile attacks overnight in Miranshah. His death is a major blow to al Qaeda?s abilities to strike in Pakistan,? a senior Pakistani official said. His death was confirmed by one of his loyalists. ?Badr Mansoor was killed in the missile attack,? a militant among his group confirmed by telephone. Intelligence officials in North Waziristan said Mansoor had been killed, but other Pakistani officials were not sure. ?We?re not sure. We cannot give confirmation just like that,? one of them told on condition of anonymity. A US drone attack targeting a militant compound, killed four insurgents in North Waziristan, early morning on Thursday, security officials said. Two missiles hit the compound located in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, near the Afghan border, according to official sources. The incident and death toll were confirmed by intelligence sources. ?Taliban fighters had started hiding here in rented buildings and those killed are believed to be militants,? one official said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. Officials said the death toll could rise because of damage to buildings next to the one targeted by the drone. This strike followed a drone attack, earlier, on Wednesday on a compound in Tappi, 10 kilometres (six miles) southeast of Miranshah, which security officials said killed 10 insurgents. Ammar Ahmad NewsPakistan.pk Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:05:14 +0100 http://kristen1967.eftertanke.dk/2012/02/09/skal-psykologers-tavshedspligt-sta-over-loven/ Psykolog Merete Lindholm er ved Københavns Byret idømt til at betale dagbøder på 500 kroner de næste 3 måneder, eller indtil hun giver informationer om hvad en udsendte militærtolk har sagt til hende. Hun har nægtet at udtale sig med henvisning til tavshedspligten. Forsvarets Auditørkorps vil have psykologen til at fortælle om det iforbindelse med efterforskningen af tortur af fanger i Afghanistan. http://www.etik.dk/artikel/450706:Tavshedspligt–Tvangsboeder-skal-faa-psykolog-til-at-tale?all=1 http://www.etik.dk/artikel/434778:Tavshedspligt–Psykologers-tavshedspligt-under-pres Jeg kan godt forstå Merete Lindholms henvisning til tavshedspligten om ikke vil udtale sig, men spørgsmålet er ikke om der i nogen situation kan være nødvenlig at bryde den som f.eks i denne alvorlige sag om muligt tortur af fanger i Afghanistan. Afgørelsen i Byretten kan dog være med til at undergrave psykologers tavshedspligt, samt i lignende situationer er udsendt i krigsområder. Og er risikoen nu ikke at denne afgørelsen kan bruges af myndighederne i andre sager til at bryde psykologers tavshedspligt?, kan have betydning for almindelige danskere, der går til psykologsamtale/terapi måske af frygt vil lade være med at gå til psykolog fordi vedkommende kan blive tvunget til at bryde tavshedspligten. Det er underligt at Dansk Psykologforening som er fagforening for alle psykologer i Danmark støttede hende i begyndelsen, men har åbenbart fået kolde fødder sætter deres troværdighed på spil ved at hun ikke har opbakning fra sin fagforening længere. Både på ene side har jeg forståelige for anklagerens argument for at bryde tavshedspligten, men på den anden side er jeg ikke spor tvivl om afgørelsen faktisk kan misbruges til at udhule psykologers tavshedspligt generelt til skade for klienterne.   Kim Thomassen Kim Thomassens Eftertanke.dk weblog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:01:50 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Karrierekick/~3/rkE5PkZc19w/ Pensioneret psykolog er dømt for ikke at ville bryde sin tavshedspligt. En tolk i det danske militær kom hjem fra Afghanistan med en række hårde oplevelser i baggagen. Men selvom psykolog Merete... se mere på karrierekick.dk Karrierekick Karrierekick - Uddannelse / karriere / inspiration / rådgivning Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:22:31 +0100 http://karrierekick.dk/?p=3001 Pensioneret psykolog er dømt for ikke at ville bryde sin tavshedspligt. En tolk i det danske militær kom hjem fra Afghanistan med en række hårde oplevelser i baggagen. Men selvom psykolog Merete Lindholm hørte detaljer i sine samtaler med tolken har hun nægtet at udtale sig i retten. Det er i dag blevet til en dyr beslutning for Merete Lindholm. Tre måneders dagbøder á 500 kroner kommer det til at kost. Samlet set løber det op i 45.000 kroner, skriver Politiken.dk. Med henvisning til sin tavshedspligt har psykologen nægtet at udtale sig. Og på trods af bøderne vil Merete Lindholm ikke give op, vurderer en tidligere kollega, der var mødt op for at støtte hende i Københavns Byret. “Merete er en fighter og giver ikke så nemt op. Det pres, hun udholder, er helt enormt, men hun er en stærk pige,” siger Per Bach til Politiken.dk. Men den store udgift for at holde munden lukket kommer dog som et chok for hende. Hun er ifølge Politiken rystet over bøden størrelse. “Det er jo svært for en pensionist,” siger hun om at betale 45.000 kroner. Kilde: pol.dk I samarbejde med Newspaq Af Jonas Sloth Bach Karrierekick KarriereKick Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:22:31 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/PTIwxqF951I/ Bin Laden?s death reduces resistance for US troops, says Western Security Official A Western security official has expressed that lack of funds and Osama bin Laden?s death has reduced resistance for US troops. He said that number of foreign fighters attracted to Pakistan-Afghanistan jihad has considerably reduced after the death of Bin Laden. On the condition of anonymity, a security official told that the number of foreign jihadists is reducing, but at the same time, he warned that a large number of Pakistanis are eager to fill their space. According to an article by AFP, the official said, ?Over the past six months, young Frenchmen there have nearly all left Pakistan. There were 20 to 30 of them, who had either converted (to Islam) or had links to the Maghreb; today there are hardly any left,? ?Other European countries whose nationals used to go to Pakistan to join the jihad have drawn the same conclusion ? a drastic reduction over recent months,? he added. He also said that the ?Arab Spring? rebellions long with a number of jihadists moved to Libya to unite in the fight to dethrone Muammar Qaddafi from authority. ?Fighting in Afghanistan is also less attractive because of the idea that the Afghan taliban want to concentrate more on home fighting and that world jihad is less and less their cup of tea,? the official said. For Frank Cilluffo, who collaborated ?Foreign Fighters? for the Homeland Security Police Department, ?first and foremost, military actions, including the use of drones, has made the environment less hospitable to foreign fighters traveling to the region, by disrupting al Qaeda?s (and associated entities?) training camps and pipelines.? A researcher, Paul Cruickshank cites Ustadh Ahmad Faruq, who is the Al-Qaeda Spokesman, admitting that they have lost their freedom in a number of regions due to the lack of funds and unexpected and frequent drone attacks. Nevertheless, Cruickshank said, ?But the conflict is still going on in Afghanistan and in the radical circles it is still viewed as a very legitimate jihad. So it?s likely that the number of volunteers is going to be diminished, but as long as there are US soldiers to fight, I don?t think it?s going to dry up entirely.? Mursil Mehmood Butt NewsPakistan.pk Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:16:29 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292996 Tiden nærmer sig, hvor vi må gøre boet op efter Irak- og Afghanistankrigene. I den anledning skrev min kollega professor Sten Rynning en udmærket kronik i Information den 30. januar. Hans hovedpointe er, at den danske debat om krigene styres af jura, mens krigens politiske mål forbliver dunkle. Spørgsmålet er imidlertid, om det er så enkelt at få de politiske mål til at styre krigen. Vil man have et svar, er det værd at konsultere den tyske krigsfilosof Carl von Clausewitz. En af Clausewitz? mest kendte doktriner er, at »krig er forlængelse af politik men iklædt andre midler.« Krig kunne således være et politisk middel, men udgør i sig selv et andet middel. Den pointe er fatal. Og den er afgørende. Gorm Harste Nyheder fra information.dk | information.dk Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:26:25 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292996 Tiden nærmer sig, hvor vi må gøre boet op efter Irak- og Afghanistankrigene. I den anledning skrev min kollega professor Sten Rynning en udmærket kronik i Information den 30. januar. Hans hovedpointe er, at den danske debat om krigene styres af jura, mens krigens politiske mål forbliver dunkle. Spørgsmålet er imidlertid, om det er så enkelt at få de politiske mål til at styre krigen. Vil man have et svar, er det værd at konsultere den tyske krigsfilosof Carl von Clausewitz. En af Clausewitz? mest kendte doktriner er, at »krig er forlængelse af politik men iklædt andre midler.« Krig kunne således være et politisk middel, men udgør i sig selv et andet middel. Den pointe er fatal. Og den er afgørende. Gorm Harste Nyheder fra information.dk | information.dk Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:26:25 +0100 http://arbejderen.dk/artikel/2012-02-08/nato-tropper-forkl-der-sig-som-civile -- Ingen beskrivelse -- admin Arbejderen Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:56:45 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/teUDWyspidA/ The three neighbouring nations; Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who are set to be the biggest players after the US endgame, have called a trilateral summit to discuss the issues of common interest and regional cooperation. Pakistan is going to host this event on February 16. The presidents of three states will join hands and heads to figure out what they can gain once America pulls out of Afghanistan and how they can live with peace and prosperity while protecting one another?s interests. This is indeed the right and ripe time to do all this. The trio has taken a nice decision. At this juncture, when America is thinking to wrap up a decade-old ?war on terror?, these three countries can personate a significant role in ensuring peace in the region in the long run and hampering India?s nefarious designs to meddle into Afghanistan on the name of reconstruction and development. Everybody knows that the trio is enriched with natural resources including fossil fuels, metals and water treasures. These resources are so enough that they can cater the energy and agricultural needs of the region for hundreds of years provided they are exploited properly and fairly. Moreover, threesome holds great strategic importance in international trade. Strait of Hurmoz and Gawadar Port can jointly halt almost 60 percent of the trade activities. Just imagine how strong their position will be if they do so. As far as Afghanistan is concerned, it is the main trade corridor between India and the Central Asian nations. Pakistan?s trade conveys also need the same route. Thus, it can get unbelievable advantages by cashing out this blank cheque properly. Apart from all these things, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran have a lot to share among themselves. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan can perk up their industrial and agricultural growth by using Iran?s cheap gas. Furthermore, they can exchange of number of trade commodities and earn huge revenues. One thing which I would like to suggest on this forum is that the trio must join hands with China and form a strong regional bloc which will surely be a rock-solid defence against intrusions and a great cash card for the region. The tree heads of the states, who are going to meet by the end of next week, should not waste this opportunity in media sessions and showpiece gossips, rather they must think, plan and decide the fate of the region seriously. It is indeed a need of the hour. Sharjeel Ahmad NewsPakistan.pk Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:05:38 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/2qm5ci0xF7M/ Taliban reject US claims of Mullah Omer writing to Obama The Afghan Taliban denied that their supreme leader Mullah Omar wrote to the White House last year. The White House received a letter in 2011, purported from Mullah Omar, asking the United States to deliver prisoners whose transfer is now central to American efforts to broker peace in Afghanistan, an Obama administration official said. "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan rejects this baseless rumour with the strongest of words," a statement on the Islamist group’s website said. The letter, intended for President Barack Obama, reportedly expressed impatience that the White House had not transferred five former senior Taliban officials out of Guantanamo Bay military prison. The White House itself was "sceptical" the letter was actually from Mullah Omar, the official said, though others within the administration believed it was authentic. "Hoping for surrender from the Afghan people is an unrealistic wish and a goal which could not be achieved by America in the past ten years," said a statement, attributed to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. After more than a decade of war, Washington and its allies are announcing plans to steadily withdraw their troops amid doubts about the ability of the Afghan government and its nascent security forces to confront ongoing violence. Last week, U.S. Defence Secretary surprised Kabul by suggesting the American combat mission could end in 2013; well ahead of the end-2014 deadline agree with Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the exit of foreign combat troops. "The U.S. is committed to the Lisbon timetable, which means that combat operations by international and Afghan forces are fully resourced and capable as necessary until the end of 2014 and beyond," U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker said in a statement. Ammar Ahmad NewsPakistan.pk Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:14:40 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292892 Regeringen har endnu en gang udsat den bebudede kommissionsundersøgelse af Danmarks krigsdeltagelser i Irak og Afghanistan. Undersøgelsen skulle have været skudt i gang i januar, men blev så udsat til februar. Og nu meddeler Justitsministeriet så, at kommissoriet for undersøgelsen først bliver klar »engang i marts«. Tidligere forsvarsminister Gitte Lillelund Bech (V) undrer sig over regeringens smøleri. »Jeg synes egentlig, at regeringen skulle se at komme i gang med den undersøgelse. Det er i alles interesse at få kortlagt, om Danmark har overholdt folkeretten i forbindelse med udlevering af fanger til irakiske og afghanske myndigheder« siger hun. Charlotte Aagaard Irak-krigen | information.dk Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:29:33 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292892 Regeringen har endnu en gang udsat den bebudede kommissionsundersøgelse af Danmarks krigsdeltagelser i Irak og Afghanistan. Undersøgelsen skulle have været skudt i gang i januar, men blev så udsat til februar. Og nu meddeler Justitsministeriet så, at kommissoriet for undersøgelsen først bliver klar »engang i marts«. Tidligere forsvarsminister Gitte Lillelund Bech (V) undrer sig over regeringens smøleri. »Jeg synes egentlig, at regeringen skulle se at komme i gang med den undersøgelse. Det er i alles interesse at få kortlagt, om Danmark har overholdt folkeretten i forbindelse med udlevering af fanger til irakiske og afghanske myndigheder« siger hun. Charlotte Aagaard Nyheder fra information.dk | information.dk Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:29:33 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292892 Regeringen har endnu en gang udsat den bebudede kommissionsundersøgelse af Danmarks krigsdeltagelser i Irak og Afghanistan. Undersøgelsen skulle have været skudt i gang i januar, men blev så udsat til februar. Og nu meddeler Justitsministeriet så, at kommissoriet for undersøgelsen først bliver klar »engang i marts«. Tidligere forsvarsminister Gitte Lillelund Bech (V) undrer sig over regeringens smøleri. »Jeg synes egentlig, at regeringen skulle se at komme i gang med den undersøgelse. Det er i alles interesse at få kortlagt, om Danmark har overholdt folkeretten i forbindelse med udlevering af fanger til irakiske og afghanske myndigheder« siger hun. Charlotte Aagaard Nyheder fra information.dk | information.dk Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:29:33 +0100 http://soldaternyt.dk/2012/02/nar-krigen-giver-styrke/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nar-krigen-giver-styrke Om mindre end et år vil Martin Aaholm løbe tre kilometer under 15 minutter på sine proteser. I 2009 mistede han begge ben, da han trådte på en IED i Afghanistan. Siden har Martin kæmpet for at nå et bestemt mål: "Jeg vil helbredsgodkendes til forsvaret, så jeg kan blive sendt ud igen. Jeg går allerede nemt fem kilometer på de nye ben. Og jeg bliver ved med at presse, så længe jeg trækker vejret," siger han. Martin har en sjælden viljestyrke, men han er ikke alene. For nok handler de fleste nyheder om selvmord og skader på sindet, når vi hører om veteranerne fra Irak og Afghanistan. Men psykologer og forskere begynder at finde en modsat historie. En del soldater kommer hjem fra krigen styrket på psyken og selvtilliden og bruger erfaringerne til at opnå forbavsende resultater videre i livet. "Vi taler om post traumatic growth. Det kan give personlig udvikling, når du mestrer de vanskelige situationer, der opstår i krig. Derfor tror jeg vi i fremtiden vil se mange, som klarer sig ret godt oven på et voldsomt traume," siger Mette Bertelsen, psykolog ved Forsvarets Veterancenter. Samme analyse har ph.d. Faezeh Zand ved Institut for Psykologi på Københavns Universitet. Hun har dokumenteret, at de hårde missioner for nogle soldater kan føre til markant og målbar personlig udvikling. Et nyt menneske Resultaterne er publiceret i undersøgelsesrapporten ?Forudsigelig Resiliens? fra 2011. Men faktisk er fundet en tilfældighed, fortæller psykologen i sit kontor. Egentlig var studiets formål at undersøge, hvorfor nogle soldater vender hjem med svære traumereaktioner, mens andre bedre tackler krigens hårde hændelser. Tesen var, at  traumereaktionerne kan forudsiges, hvis soldatens trivsel og evne til at håndtere kritiske situationer kortlægges, før han tager ud. Faezeh Zand undersøgte i alt tyve soldater, som stod foran deres første mission i Afghanistan. Populationen var lille, men det kvalitative studie var grundigt, forklarer hun. De første undersøgelser foregik, lige før soldaterne rejste, mens anden og tredje fase fandt sted hhv. kort efter hjemkomsten og halvandet år efter. Faezeh Zand gennemførte lange interviews med soldaterne og udførte adskillige tests af bl.a. personligheden. Det var her, der ventede psykologen en overraskelse, da resultaterne fra sidste fase lå klar. [quote]Der var flere, hvor der var tale om en absolut berigelse efter missionen. Personlighedsprofilen havde ændret sig så markant, at du ikke ville tro, det var den samme person - Faezeh Zand, Institut for Psykologi ved Københavns Universitet[/quote] Testen målte soldaterne på 30 personlighedstræk. Udviklingen blev målt på, hvor mange træk der ændrede sig i positiv retning efter missionen. Ud af de tyve soldater var der fire cases af posttraumatisk vækst, og for to var udviklingen  ?meget markant?, står der i rapporten. Faezeh Zand peger på to målinger af én soldats personlighed på sin computerskærm: "Før missionen viser testresultatet profilen af en person, som er lidt forpint, utilfreds, meget indadvendt og socialt hæmmet. Men han kommer til at udvikle selvtillid og social kompetence; en person, der træffer modne beslutninger i forhold til sin fremtid og karriere," konstaterer hun. Spørgsmålet er, hvordan de voldsomme oplevelser veksles til den følelse af styrke, som psykologen finder i soldaterne? Trænet til traumer Veterancentrets Mette Bertelsen har et bud. Også her har forskerne noteret sammenhængen mellem krise og vækst i sindet. Forbindelsen bonnede ikke mindst ud i en undersøgelse af Hold 7 i Afghanistan, hvor forskerne bad soldaterne vurdere  deres oplevelser på to skalaer. Den ene angav, hvor belastede de følte sig af missionen, den anden, hvor berigede de var. Næsten hver tredje soldat havde en høj score på begge skalaer og mente altså, at de voksede af udsendelsen trods de hårde oplevelser. Ifølge Mette Bertelsen er årsagen todelt. For det første  tog traumet aldrig magten fra dem. For det andet var de forberedt hjemmefra. "Alle kan knække, hvis en hændelse er for voldsom. Men når du kun til kanten af den grænse, føler mange en udvikling, fordi de oplever, at de kan handle i forhold til den svære situation," siger hun. ?Empowerment? er det begreb, Mette Bertelsen bruger om den følelse af kontrol, der er et vigtigt element i forbindelse med de positive eftervirkninger. Soldaterne har  trænet til hudløshed, hvordan de skal reagere, når kuglerne flyver. I krigen oplever de, at træningen virker. Psykologen giver et eksempel, hun har hørt fra de sanitetsfolk, der yder førstehjælp, når ulykkerne sker. Det er så let at træne hjælpen på en dukke herhjemme, forklarer soldaterne. "Men de opdager, at de faktisk redder liv, når de lægger en årepresse eller stikker en finger i skudsåret på en såret kammerat. Det giver en utrolig tilfredsstillelse." Forberedelsen adskiller soldaterne fra andre mennesker, der som eksempel bliver torpederet af en bil i trafikken, men ikke har nogen redskaber til at gribe traumet an. For nogle soldater skubber hændelserne dem endda langt videre i livet. Sociale højdespringere Både Faezeh Zand og Mette Bertelsen kender eksemplerne. Veteranen Martin Aaholm er blandt de skadede soldater, der har sprængt rammerne for genoptræning. Soldater, som har frygtet skolen hele livet, bryder med den sociale arv og vælger ambitiøse uddannelser f.eks. på universitetet. Og officererne rekrutteres typisk til lederstillinger i det private erhvervsliv. "Jeg taler om en gruppe, som gennemgår en særlig udvikling, fordi de har lært at tage stilling på en ansvarlig måde i afgørende situationer. Den modenhed kan samfundet bruge, siger Faezeh Zand. I adskillige år har Hærens Konstabel- og Korporalforening systematisk kortlagt soldaternes kompetencer i et samarbejde med AMU Fyn (Center for Arbejdsmarkedsuddannelser). Derfor kender formand Flemming Vinther præcis soldaternes bidrag i den civile verden: "Vi hører fra arbejdsgiverne, at de er meget målrettede og leverer varen i deres job. Det er stærke mennesker, som ved, hvad de vil med deres liv, og er villige til at påtage sig et kæmpe ansvar for at føre en opgave i mål." [divider] Ovenstående artikel er oprindeligt bragt i Hovedorganisation for Officerer i Danmarks medlemsblad Danske Officerer i blad 1/2012. Journalist Sanne Maja Funch har forfattet den. Artiklen er bragt på SoldaterNyt efter tilladelse fra HODs redaktion.    Kenneth Jensen SoldaterNyt Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:05:15 +0100 http://universalgeni.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/video-artikel-walid-phares-om-gidseltagningen-i-egypten/ Universalgeni Veritas Universalis Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:32:44 +0100 http://arbejderen.dk/artikel/2012-02-07/antallet-af-dr-bte-civile-stiger -- Ingen beskrivelse -- admin Arbejderen Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:09:35 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/abhUlo12orE/ US Army Colonel bashes US claims of success in Afghanistan A US Army officer has accused the American military of painting a misleading picture of progress in the war in Afghanistan while glossing over the Kabul government?s many failings. Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis deliberately broke ranks with the official portrayal of the war after spending a year in the country, issuing a grim assessment and accusing his superiors of covering up the harsh realities that plague the mission. ?What I saw bore no resemblance to rosy official statements by US military leaders about conditions on the ground,? Davis wrote in an article published in Armed Forces Journal, a private newspaper not affiliated with the Pentagon. ?Instead, I witnessed the absence of success on virtually every level,? he wrote under the headline, ?Truth, Lies And Afghanistan: How military leaders have let us down.? Local Afghan government officials are failing to serve the Afghan population and their security forces are reluctant to fight insurgents or are colluding with the Taliban, he wrote. ?How many more men must die in support of a mission that is not succeeding and behind an array of more than seven years of optimistic statements by US senior leaders in Afghanistan?? he said in his article. Davis has also reportedly shared his pessimistic view with some members of Congress and written a classified version of his article for the Defence Department, a highly unusual move that he expects will anger his commanders and short-circuit his professional career. The Pentagon politely disagreed with Davis?s portrayal of the war but stopped short of suggesting any disciplinary action. ?Lieutenant Colonel Davis is obviously entitled to his opinion,? spokesman George Little told reporters, adding that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ?has very strong confidence in his commanders in Afghanistan, as they provide assessments of what?s happening on the ground in the war.? Ammar Ahmad NewsPakistan.pk Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:31:38 +0100 http://universalgeni.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/video-audio-walid-phares-om-egypten-og-iran/ Universalgeni Veritas Universalis Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:29:28 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/nEcgQjSRwPY/ Imran Khan fears a civil war in Afghanistan Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan has shown his concerns about the future of Afghanistan and feels that the NATO forces are going to leave behind a big mess, which could result in a civil war. The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan back in 2001 after the 9/11 incident but they have miserably failed to suppress Taliban. Recently, the US has changed its stance towards the Taliban as the US Vice-President; Joe Biden said that war on terror is against Al-Qaida and not Taliban. The US has shown inclination to start the dialogue with Taliban. On the other side of the coin, Northern Alliance has been an ally of the US in the war against terror and has been ruling Kabul since the last decade. Imran, who is fast emerging as one of the most popular political leaders of the country, fears that there may be a civil war in Afghanistan after the NATO forces evacuate South Asia. Same kind of a scenario occurred after the Soviets left Afghanistan back in late 1980s and early 1990s. However, Imran thinks that the situation may be worse this time because of a stronger Afghan Army.     Imran said, "My fear is that they are going to leave a far bigger mess than was left by the Soviets when they left because there could be a civil war there now. The army now is well armed and from the Northern Alliance. The Pashtuns with the Taliban are not armed they are with the majority. Once they (Nato) leave there is going to be a civil war, a power struggle there exactly like what happened after the Russians left. Hundreds of thousands of people died." While talking about the rising popularity of PTI, Imran believes that all the other parties are trying to stop the popularity of his party but he thinks that only mismanagement on his part can result in his failure, otherwise no party can beat PTI.   ?We have reached the point that all the Opposition parties together are not going to stop us. if we get ourselves organised. if we select the right candidates nothing can stop us," the cricketer turned politician added. Yasir Hashmi NewsPakistan.pk Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:10:39 +0100 http://soldaternyt.dk/2012/02/usa-bliver-i-afghanistan-til-2014-som-planlagt/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=usa-bliver-i-afghanistan-til-2014-som-planlagt Den amerikanske forsvarsminister Leon Panetta annoncerede onsdag, at alle amerikanske tropper vil overgå til en såkaldt 'advise and assist'-rolle midt i 2013. Derefter lød der hurtigt kritik i amerikanske medier, og både CTV og Reuters kørte historier om at den amerikanske tilbagetrækning, således ville ske et år tidligere end planlagt. Flere koalitionslande udtrykte også undren, skønt ingen officielt ville lægge navn til det. Panetta: Planen ikke ændret Men Leon Panetta forsvarede sig med, at planen ikke var ændret. I følge forsvarsministeren har det nemlig hele tiden været planlagt, at de amerikanske styrker skal overgå til en støttende og uddannende rolle i løbet af 2013. Herefter ville en gradvis tilbagetrækning ske, og sidste amerikanske fodtudse skulle således forlade Afghanistan i 2014. Det er fuldstændig samme tidslinje som alliancens øvrige NATO-partnere følger. Samme manøvre som i Irak Til sammenligning, så brugte USA samme fremgangsmåde i den netop overståede Irak-krig. Her gik der 16 måneder, fra at amerikanske tropper stoppede med egentligt kamphandlinger, og til de sidste støttende tropper forlod landet. Flere militære analytikere påpeger, at samme mønster kan gentage sig for Afghanistan. Hvis USA planlægger på at trække sine sidste soldater ud sidst i 2014, så vil kamphandlingerne ophøre i august 2013: Det minder meget om den procedure, som Leon Panetta netop har fremlagt i onsdags. Briterne bliver til 2015 Mens stort set alle deltagende NATO-lande forventes ude i 2014, har Storbritannien valgt at fastholde tropperne indtil 2015. Beslutningen har dog mødt en del kritik, men den engelske forsvarsminister Philip Hammond fortalte sent i 2011, at kun sådan ville afghanerne være bedst klædt på til at overtage sikkerheden.   Kenneth Jensen SoldaterNyt Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:09:34 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292669 Det er ikke kønt, at det skal tage både en krig og jetjager at få skudt den vigtigste udenrigspolitiske undersøgelse i nyere tid i gang. På femte måned fedter regeringen rundt i, hvordan den lovede kommissionsundersøgelse af Danmarks krigsførelse i Irak og Afghanistan skal strikkes sammen. Siden oktober måned har Forsvars-, Udenrigs- og Justitsministeriet vidst, at nu var det alvor med den undersøgelse, som socialdemokrater, SF?ere og radikale har lovet vælgerne i mere end ni år. Charlotte Aagaard Irak-krigen | information.dk Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:59:36 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292669 Det er ikke kønt, at det skal tage både en krig og jetjager at få skudt den vigtigste udenrigspolitiske undersøgelse i nyere tid i gang. På femte måned fedter regeringen rundt i, hvordan den lovede kommissionsundersøgelse af Danmarks krigsførelse i Irak og Afghanistan skal strikkes sammen. Siden oktober måned har Forsvars-, Udenrigs- og Justitsministeriet vidst, at nu var det alvor med den undersøgelse, som socialdemokrater, SF?ere og radikale har lovet vælgerne i mere end ni år. Charlotte Aagaard Nyheder fra information.dk | information.dk Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:59:36 +0100 http://www.information.dk/292669 Det er ikke kønt, at det skal tage både en krig og jetjager at få skudt den vigtigste udenrigspolitiske undersøgelse i nyere tid i gang. På femte måned fedter regeringen rundt i, hvordan den lovede kommissionsundersøgelse af Danmarks krigsførelse i Irak og Afghanistan skal strikkes sammen. Siden oktober måned har Forsvars-, Udenrigs- og Justitsministeriet vidst, at nu var det alvor med den undersøgelse, som socialdemokrater, SF?ere og radikale har lovet vælgerne i mere end ni år. Charlotte Aagaard Nyheder fra information.dk | information.dk Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:59:36 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/Txx0_9ahvsM/ The United States? plan to wind down its combat role in Afghanistan a year earlier than expected relies on shifting responsibility to Special Operations forces that hunt insurgent leaders and train local troops, according to senior Pentagon officials and military officers. These forces could remain in the country well after the NATO mission ends in late 2014. The plan, if approved by President Obama, would amount to the most significant evolution in the military campaign since Mr. Obama sent in 32,000 more troops to wage an intensive and costly counterinsurgency effort. Under the emerging plan, American conventional forces, focused on policing large parts of Afghanistan, will be the first to leave, while thousands of American Special Operations forces remain, making up an increasing percentage of the troops on the ground; their number may even grow. The evolving strategy is far different from the withdrawal plan for Iraq, where almost all American forces, conventional or otherwise, have left. Iraq has devolved into sectarian violence ever since the withdrawal in December, which threatens to undo the political and security gains there. Pentagon officials and military planners say the new plan for Afghanistan is not a direct response to the deteriorating conditions in Iraq. Even so, the shift could give Mr. Obama a political shield against attacks from his Republican rivals in the presidential race who have already begun criticizing him for moving too swiftly to extract troops from Afghanistan. Unlike in Iraq, where domestic political pressure gave Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki reason to resist a continued American military presence into 2012, in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai and his senior aides have expressed an initial willingness to continue a partnership with the United States that includes counterterrorism missions and training. Senior American officials have also expressed a desire to keep some training and counterterrorism troops in Afghanistan past 2014. The transition plan for the next three years in Afghanistan could be a model for such a continued military relationship. Hamza Jahangir NewsPakistan.pk Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:41:22 +0100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newspakistanpk/~3/myCPCB-Txdo/ US praises Pakistan Foreign Minister Khar?s visit to Afghanistan Welcoming Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar?s visit to Afghanistan, the State Department said the United States supports efforts towards improved ties between the two South Asian countries in wide-ranging areas. ?It seems to have been a good and well-timed visit,? State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said at the daily briefing, adding that Washington awaits debriefing from officials of both countries on the visit to Kabul by Pakistani foreign minister this week. The United States, she said, has ?always supported good neighbourly relations, dialogue and collaboration? between Pakistan and Afghanistan on advancing their security, political and economic relations.?There have been very positive statements from the visit about Pakistan?s support (on) Afghan-owned process of reconciliation. That is something that the Afghans have wanted to hear and we think will be helpful to the process,? the spokesperson noted. Responding to a question about statements that Pakistan would be willing to help bring Afghan groups including the Haqqanis to the negotiating table as part of  efforts to help Afghanistan as Kabul wants, the spokesperson replied. ?As you know, when the Secretary (Clinton) was in Pakistan and with the interagency delegation, one of our main asks at that time was that we do more with regard to the Haqqani Network. So positive statements of commitment in that regard, whether they?re made to us, whether they?re made to Afghanistan, that?s a good thing.? Answering a question in the context of US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta?s stated goal to end American combat operations in Afghanistan by next year, the spokesperson reiterated Washington?s commitment to long-term engagement with Afghanistan and the region. She added the US remains committed to NATO deadline of 2014 goal of completely transferring security responsibilities to the Afghans and that any progress on transition depends on the ground realities. Ammar Ahmad NewsPakistan.pk Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:18:41 +0100