Afghanistan
Govt's Delays Hinder Recruitment of Taliban Defectors - Washington Post
25 Afghans Killed in Protests, Suicide Attack - Voice of America
Afghan Protesters Clash With Police After NATO Raid - New York Times
Afghans Killed in anti-NATO Protest - BBC News
Day that Claims 28 Lives Shows Range of Violence - McClatchy Newspapers
Tackling Mental Health Problems in Afghanistan - Los Angeles Times
Afghan Dies in Apparent Suicide at Guantanamo - Associated Press
Afghan Detainee Dies at Guantanamo Bay - AFPS
Mobile Exchange Lifeline for Troops at Remote Posts - Stars and Stripes
Pakistan
Gates: U.S. Assistance to Pakistan Should Continue - AFPS
Gates, Mullen: "Pakistan Relationship Must Endure" - Stars and Stripes
Is It Worth It? Pakistan, U.S. Weigh Aid Calculus - Reuters
Gates: No Sign Top Pakistanis Knew of Bin Laden - New York Times
U.S.: 'No Evidence' Pakistan Knew bin Laden's Whereabouts - BBC News
Gates: Somebody in Pakistan Knew About bin Laden - Associated Press
Pakistani Taliban Promising Tougher Fight - Voice of America
Checkpoint In Pakistan Is Stormed By Militants - New York Times
Pakistan, China Premiers Meet Amid Tension with U.S. - Associated Press
Syria
U.S. Sanctions Syria for Human Rights Abuses - Voice of America
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Syrian Leader and 6 Aides - New York Times
U.S. Ratchets Up Pressure on Assad - Washington Post
U.S. Sanctions Syrian President, Top Aides - Los Angeles Times
U.S. Sanctions Target Syria's Assad - BBC News
U.S. Slaps Sanctions on Syria's Assad for Abuses - Associated Press
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Syria's Assad - Reuters
Syrian President Concedes 'Mistakes' in Handling Protests - Voice of America
Syrian Leader Defiant as U.S. Sanctions Bite Deeper - Associated Press
Can a Bloodbath be Avoided? - Washington Post opinion
Libya
NATO Increases Pressure on Pro-Government Forces - Voice of America
U.N. Says Libya is a 'Ticking Time Bomb' - Voice of America
Benghazi Life Reflects Harsh Libya War Reality - Associated Press
Status of Libya's Oil Minister Remains Uncertain - New York Times
Libya Frees Four Western Journalists - Washington Post
The Killing Seas - New York Times opinion
Yemen
Yemeni Leader Refuses Deal - New York Times
Yemen Crisis Deal Collapses Despite U.S. Pressure - Reuters
Egypt
Egypt Revolt: Amnesty International Urges Deeper Probe - BBC News
Egypt's Generals Discuss Revolution - Washington Post
Egypt's Army Says Has No Plans to Pardon Mubarak - Reuters
Iraq
Anger Lingers in Iraqi Kurdistan After a Crackdown - New York Times
As U.S. Military Exits Iraq, Contractors Set to Enter - NPR
Last British Troops Set to Leave Iraq - Washington Post
Iran
Iran Could Play Role in al-Qaida, Post-bin Laden - Associated Press
Diplomats: IAEA Fears Iran Hackers - Associated Press
Hard-Liners Call for Arrest of Ahmadinejad Aide - Associated Press
Israel / Palestinians
U.S., Israeli Leaders Meet on Stalled Peace Talks - Associated Press
Peace Prospects Bleak for Netanyahu U.S. Visit - Reuters
Abbas Taking Greater Risks to Unify Palestinians - Los Angeles Times
Mahmoud Abbas's Formula for War - Washington Post opinion
Making the Land of Israel Whole - New York Times opinion
Middle East / North Africa
Obama to Deliver Major Speech on Changes in Mideast, N. Africa - VOA
Focus Is on Obama as Tensions Soar Across Mideast - New York Times
Obama Hones Middle East Stance - Washington Post
Obama to Announce Billions in Aid for Fledgling Democracies - Stars and Stripes
Obama to Unveil Arab Economic Plan - Agence France-Presse
Obama to Offer Debt Relief to Egypt in Mideast Speech - Reuters
Jordan Takes Slower Path of Dialogue - New York Times
Tunisia Lifts Overnight Capital Curfews - BBC News
Writing the Middle East's New Narrative - Washington Post opinion
Al Qaeda
Gates, Mullen Want End to Disclosures of Raid Details - Washington Post
Al-Qaida Releases Posthumous bin Laden Audio - Voice of America
Websites Air Audio Purportedly Recorded by bin Laden - CNN News
In Message, Bin Laden Praised Arab Revolt - New York Times
Bin Laden Audio Praises Arab Protests - Associated Press
CIA Flew Stealth Drones to Monitor bin Laden House - Washington Post
Iran Could Play Role in al-Qaida, Post-bin Laden - Associated Press
Al Jazeera: Al Qaeda Names Adel as Interim Chief - Reuters
Piracy
Navy: Helo Fires on Pirate Skiff, Killing 4 - Navy Times
U.S. Department of Defense
Gates Budget Review to 'Force Discussion' of Risk Analysis - AFPS
Pentagon Arms Chief, Industry in Talks on Bomber - Reuters
DOD Makes Progress in Civilian Hiring Reform - AFPS
Canada
Canada Names New Foreign Minister - Associated Press
International Monetary Fund
U.S. Finance Official Calls for Interim IMF Chief - Voice of America
South Africa Says New IMF Chief Should Be From Developing Nation - VOA
Dominique Strauss-Kahn Resigns From IMF - New York Times
Strauss-Kahn Resigns as Head of IMF - Washington Post
Facing Sex Charges, IMF Chief Resigns - Los Angeles Times
IMF Chief Quits over Sex Charge - BBC News
New Bail Hearing for Strauss-Kahn - BBC News
Lawyers Push for Bail to Free Former IMF Leader - New York Times
Strauss-Kahn's IMF Future Hinges on Bail Hearing - Associated Press
Africa
U.N.: Sudan Jets Bomb Darfur Village - BBC News
DR Congo Rape Study 'Questionable' - BBC News
Americas
Clinton Aims to Improve Ties With Latin America - New York Times
Gunmen Kill 9 in Mexican Gulf Coast State - Associated Press
Guatemalan Forces Hunt Killers After Farm Massacre - BBC News
Guatemala Police Detain Alleged Zeta Leader - Associated Press
Venezuelan Political Journalist Murdered - Reuters
Asia Pacific
Top General Visits Pentagon, "China No Threat to U.S." - Stars and Stripes
General Says Beijing Won't Challenge U.S. Military - New York Times
PLA General: China 'Will Not Match' U.S. Military Power - BBC News
U.S., China Military Officials Call Talks Frank, Fruitful - AFPS
Japan Economy Back in Recession - BBC News
Senior U.S. Diplomat in Myanmar to Meet New Gov't - Associated Press
Thais Remember Bangkok Protests - BBC News
Europe
Russia Threatens Nuclear Build-up over U.S. Missile Shield - CNN News
Russia's Medvedev Promises Election Decision 'Soon' - BBC News
Russia's Medvedev Meets the Press - Washington Post
Key Question Left Open as Medvedev Faces Media - New York Times
Queen Offers Sympathy to Irish Victims of Troubles - BBC News
Chance to Deal Belarus's Dictator a Blow - Washington Post editorial
Comments
Another night raid gone wrong, or right, in Takhar province causes rioting that kills 12 and injures dozens. This seems to be another act in a weekly performance. ISAF raids a place and kills some people they say were miscreants and whom the locals say were innocent.
I don't think whether the night raid killed the right or wrong people is the point anymore. It caused a riot in which lots of people were killed and can't help but be a disaster for the ISAF and triumph for Taliban & Co. Even when the night raids get the right people, if the political climate is such that they can be used by parties to incite riots, if that was indeed the case, then they aren't worth it. And if they get the wrong people...
If I were a political agitator for Taliban & Co., I would pray to Allah every day thanking him for the night raids and asking him to keep them coming. They are net political wins for the insurgents.