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20 Jun 2009 13:25

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World: NYT reporter David Rohde escapes a Taliban kidnapping. Whoa!

  • 7 months in captivity of the Taliban in Pakistan in Afghanistan source

16 Jun 2009 22:35

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U.S., World: Currently weaving through Congress: A big war-spending bill

  • $106 billion to fight wars in Iraq & Afghanistan source

31 May 2009 10:58

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U.S., World: The U.S. is throwing more Taliban-fighting troops in Afghanistan

  • 4,000 more American troops are coming in July source

25 May 2009 10:40

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Tech, U.S.: Remember on Memorial Day with a Google Earth add-on

“Map the Fallen” is really effing elaborate and really effing sad to look at. It’s definitely a great way to remember. source

21 May 2009 23:48

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Offbeat, U.S., World: And now, the lighter side of the war on terror: Pink boxers

  • Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage.
  • Defense Secretary Robert Gates • On a soldier who leapt to his post in Afghanistan wearing pink boxers, leading to a hilariously awesome photo of our boys unashamed to fight in any condition. Normally, we’d be wary of putting this post next to a post like the previous one. But we admit it. The quote is just too awesome. • source

14 May 2009 08:51

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Politics, U.S.: Congressional Dems are worried about Obama’s foreign strategy

  • With respect to Afghanistan and Pakistan, I am extremely dubious that the administration will be able to accomplish what it wants to accomplish.
  • Rep. David R. Obey, D-Wisconsin • On the war on terror and the perceived lack of progress inherited from the Bush administration by the Obama administration. Obey, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, compares the situation to Nixon and the Vietnam War, and says Obama has a year to show progress. • source

13 May 2009 23:10

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U.S., World: Obama to world: You don’t need to see those torture photos

  • Apparently, he was afraid of rocking the boat a little too much. The photos, which document the abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan by U.S. military, could tick off the Muslim world at large, Obama was told by his military advisers. So rather than cause a buttload of fresh drama, Obama chose to keep the photos sealed. Probably a smart move on his part. We can live without seeing photos of waterboarding. source
 

06 May 2009 21:42

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Offbeat, World: The only pig in Afghanistan has even fewer friends than before

Thanks to swine flu, the pig – which is seen as unclean in Islamic culture – is now quarantined. Some pig. source

09 Apr 2009 20:43

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U.S., World: Obama’s asking for money again. This time, it’s for war.

  • $83.5 billion to fund an exit strategy for the Iraq war source

19 Mar 2009 00:32

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U.S.: The military’s stop-loss policy is ending in 2011 (finally)

  • If we had to point to one policy that has placed the most strain on our troops and their families, and adversely affected the morale and readiness of our forces, it would be stop-loss.
  • Jon Soltz • An Iraq war veteran and the chairman of VoteVets.org, on the news that the stop-loss policy would end in 2011. The hugely unpopular policy has kept soldiers from being able to exit the military on time. It was put in place in part because the military struggled with keeping troop counts up in the wake of two large-scale wars. It also inspired a well-known film. • source