Afghanistan
The Karzai empire, villas in Dubai and fears over Afghan aid
Source : Richard Spencer, James Kirkup & Damien McElroy | The Guardian
10 Sep 2010
The family of Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, has been linked to more than a dozen expensive homes in the Gulf, raising fears that Western aid money sent to Afghanistan is being misused.
The Daily Telegraph today reveals a property empire in Dubai assembled at a cost of £90 million that is owned or occupied by close relatives and associates of Mr Karzai.
US soldiers 'killed Afghan civilians for sport and collected fingers as trophies'
Source : Chris McGreal | Guardian
08 Sep 2010
Twelve American soldiers face trial over a secret "kill team" that allegedly blew up and shot Afghan civilians at random and collected their fingers as trophies.
Five of the soldiers are charged with murdering three Afghan men who were allegedly killed for sport in separate attacks this year. Seven other soldiers are accused of covering up the killings as well as a violent assault on a new recruit who exposed the murders when he reported other abuses, including members of the unit smoking hashish stolen from civilians.
Afghan foreign troops death toll hits 500 for 2010
Source | Arab News
KABUL | 07 Sep 2010
The number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan this year has reached at least 500, compared with 521 in all of 2009, according to an independent monitoring site on Monday and a tally compiled by Reuters.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said an ISAF service member was killed in an insurgent attack in the east on Sunday. No other details were immediately available.
Karzai says Afghanistan needs Russia's support
Source : Denis Dyomkin | Reuters
SOCHI : Russia | 18 Aug 2010
Afghan President Hamid Karzai sought President Dmitry Medvedev's help for his nation on Wednesday, two decades after Moscow ended a disastrous conflict there that cost the lives of about 15,000 Soviet troops.
Russia, which analysts say is seeking to increase its influence in Afghanistan and the surrounding region, hosted Karzai and Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari for talks on security and drugs.
Australia plans Afgan pullout in 2 years
Defense minister announces troops to leave after 9 year presence.
Source | AP
23 Jun 2010
Australia may start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in two years if its mission to train Afghan soldiers goes as planned, the defense minister said Wednesday.
The timetable, while loose, was the most detailed yet given by Canberra for bringing troops home from an almost nine-year-old war that is increasingly unpopular among Australians. And it added pressure on a US administration struggling to show progress against a stubborn insurgency, while losing key allies along the way.
