Free Republic

Kabul (Reuters) - The Afghan president is angry at being kept in the dark over a deal to free five Taliban leaders in exchange for a captured U.S. soldier, and accuses Washington of failing to back a peace plan for the war-torn country, a senior source said on Monday. The five prisoners were flown to Qatar on Sunday as part of a secret agreement to release Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who left Afghanistan for Germany on the same day. :snip: "The president is now even more distrustful of U.S. intentions in the country," said the source close to President Hamid...

The Afghan president has ordered US special forces to leave Wardak province within two weeks. The decision was being taken due to allegations of disappearances and torture by Afghans considered to be part of US special forces, said a spokesman for Hamid Karzai. The strategically significant, central province of Wardak has been the recent focus of counter-insurgency operations. A US statement said it took all allegations of misconduct seriously. But the US could not comment specifically on this latest development "until we have had a chance to speak with senior government officials", the statement by a spokesman for US special...

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan, March 8, 2010 – Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met in Kabul today to discuss the challenges still facing Afghanistan and the increasing opportunities in the country. Gates and Karzai discussed the major operation under way in Helmand province during their talks at the presidential palace before meeting with reporters in a joint news conference. Karzai approved and devoted significant Afghan troops to the operation in Helmand, which is blunting Taliban momentum in the country, Gates said. Other positive developments include additional military and civilian support from the international community, increasing pressure...

On meeting Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today in New York Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told the Republican VP candidate, "You're gorgeous!"

President Bush and President Karzi will hold a joint news conference at 11:30AM ET

KABUL (AFP) Sep 20, 2002 An anti-aircraft missile found on the outskirts of the Afghan capital was aimed along the flight path of civilian passenger jets using Kabul's airport, a government information official said Friday. Afghan police acting on intelligence found the missile armed and ready to fire at Maidan Shahr in Wardak province west of Kabul, said Sidiq Ullah Tawhidi, deputy director of the information service. "It was on the flight path of commercial jets, but the target may just as easily have been military planes belonging to coalition forces in Afghanistan," Tawhidi told AFP. "There had been a...