Oct 27 Survey Finds Afghans Optimistic, But Still Troubled by Security By Larisa Epatko A nationwide poll of Afghans released Tuesday by The Asia Foundation found more Afghans feel the country is moving in the right direction but are still concerned about security and local rebuilding projects. Continue reading
Oct 27 Iran Seeks Big Changes in Uranium Deal By Online DA Iran vowed Tuesday to seek "important changes" in a United Nations plan that would require it to ship its enriched uranium out of the country for processing abroad, raising alarm among Western governments involved in nuclear talks with the country. Continue reading
Oct 27 October Afghan War's Deadliest Month for U.S. By Dave Gustafson Eight U.S. troops were killed in multiple bombings Tuesday in southern Afghanistan, making October the deadliest month of the war for U.S. forces since its start in 2001. Continue reading
Oct 26 Former CIA Officer Weighs In on Afghan Strategy By Dan Sagalyn As the Obama administration considers changes to its Afghan war strategy, former CIA operative Marc Sageman discusses working in Afghanistan and what the new strategy should entail. Continue reading
Oct 23 Conversation: 'A New Way Forward' Through Cultural Exchange By Arts Desk From "American Idol" to "Afghan Star," art and entertainment can be powerful tools for cultural exchange. That's the argument in the recent report, "A New Way Forward," which calls for the utilization of the arts to build a better relationship… Continue reading
Oct 23 Iran Produces Counterproposal to U.N. Nuclear Deal By Larisa Epatko Iran sidestepped a Friday deadline on a U.N.-drafted agreement that would ship much of the country's uranium to Russia for enrichment, saying it would prefer instead to buy nuclear fuel from foreign suppliers for a reactor to make medical isotopes. Continue reading
Oct 23 NATO to Move Toward More Troops, Afghan Aid By Dave Gustafson Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking at a NATO conference in Slovakia, said Friday that allies are moving toward sending more troops and civilian aid to Afghanistan. Continue reading
Oct 22 Afghan Opium's 'Devastating' Impact Outlined in U.N. Report By Larisa Epatko A new U.N. report describes Afghanistan as producing 92 percent of the world's opium market, feeding 15 million addicts and funding Taliban insurgents and terrorist organizations. Continue reading
Oct 21 Brazil Works to Clamp Down on Drug Violence Ahead of Olympics A firefight between drug gangs and the downing of a police helicopter in Rio de Janeiro last weekend heightened concerns about the city hosting the Olympic Games in 2016. Seth Kugel of GlobalPost provides an update in this Reporter's Podcast. Continue reading
Oct 21 Under Nuclear Deal, Russia Would Process Iran's Enriched Uranium By Larisa Epatko A draft deal -- up for Iranian approval by Friday -- would require Iran to send most of its existing enriched uranium to Russia for processing, in an attempt to delay Tehran's ability to make a nuclear weapon. Continue reading