Military News:
–U.S. troop morale is down, as noted by high rates of suicides .
–Now that Britain is pulling out of Iraq, they plan to focus more on Afghanistan.
–Germany loses three soldiers; in roadside attack, and discuss their determination and their options. The British lose a diplomatic security contractor; and the U.S. loses 12 troops on Thursday.
–An AP article that titularly is about Barack Obama is actually a report on civilian deaths in Afghanistan. Though the U.S. or NATO does not keep figures on civilian deaths (either a mistruth or a mistake) AP does: 231 civilians were killed by militants; 286 by troops; and 20 in crossfire, unattributable to either party.
–Wednesday, August 15th: New offensive against Taliban in Tora Bora. The London Daily Telegraph developed this illustration some time ago, but it sure looks relevant:
Hostage, Incorporated:
–Two S. Korean hostages released. That means there's 19 left.
Opium:
–New Counternarcotics strategies sound the same as old counternarcotics strategies. This is a must-read article by Mr. Weitz over at World Politics Review, complete with maps, and, new UNODC figures estimating another rise in opium production, this time by 15%.
Diplomacy:
–The power that Iran and Pakistan have over Afghanistan's outcomes are more related to state failure than state power, at Ramblin’ Gal.
–Mr. Ahmadinejad cements that friendship with Afghanistan by visiting Mr. Karzai before heading over to Turkmenistan and Bishkek.
–U.S. would certainly take out al-Q targets in Pakistan, but not in a way that would make Pakistan angry. But Pakistan seems to be already upset at the prospect: a highly literate editorial at Pakistan Daily.
Reconstruction:
–The Army Corps of Engineers are still building decent roads, via CENTCOM.
—Australia's work in Uruzgan, at My State Failure blog.
History:
–Reported here at FPA Central Asia and at In Transit to Afghanistan: 'the Pakistan Papers’.
Photos, Diagrams: Pakistan Times; Sunday Telegraph; AFP through BBC.