AfghanPak War News Updates -- March 10, 2009

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (R) receives visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden at NATO headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 10, 2009.(Xinhua/Wu Wei)

U.S. General Says Allies ‘Not Winning’ Afghan War -- New York Times

PARIS — As the United States prepares to commit 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan, the commander of NATO and American forces there said on Monday that the coalition was “not winning” the war against the resurgent Taliban in parts of the country.

Gen. David D. McKiernan’s assessment echoed that of President Obama who said in an interview that the United States was not winning the Afghan war and who raised the possibility of the American military reaching out to moderate elements of the Taliban, much as it did with Sunni militias in Iraq.

In an interview published in the French newspaper Le Figaro on Monday, the French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, took the idea further, saying the West should accept a pro-Taliban leadership if Afghans choose such an administration in elections set for next August.

Read more ....

More News On The AfghanPak Conflict

Bomb kills 4 civilians in southern Afghanistan -- AP
NATO 'Struggling in Afghan South' - BBC News
Clearing the Tangi: Task Force in Afghanistan Takes Troubled Valley - AFPS
Australia: Defence Reviews Rules of Combat - The Australian
US Halted Some Afghan Raids Over Concern on Deaths -- New York Times
Latest Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan begins final journey home -- Canadian Press
Less body armor might be the answer in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP
Canada's PM Harper redefines Afghan 'victory' -- Toronto Star
Biden discusses Afghanistan with NATO, EU -- Yahoo News/AP
Biden calls for joint commitment on Afghanistan from NATO allies -- China View
Karzai trip may push Iran to join US-led Afghan talks -- AFP
Pakistan urges Iran to help stabilise Afghanistan -- Daily Times
Obama's Outreach to Adversaries Takes Unexpected Turn With Taliban Approach -- FOX News
Tories Agree with Obama Stance on Taliban Talks - Canadian Press
Talking With the Taliban: Obama Idea Draws Skepticism -- Time Magazine
Taliban executes Pakistani troops in Mohmand -- Long War Journal
Violence Flares Near Pakistan, Afghan Border - Voice of America
'Militants Die' in Pakistan Clash - BBC News
Pakistan tribesmen sign peace deal -- Al Jazeera
Pakistani Tribe Signs Pact to Cooperate With Officials -- New York Times
Winning the peace in Pakistan's tribal areas -- BBC
Russian advice on Afghanistan: build roads, don't drop bombs -- McClatchy
The Obama Doctrine -- Washington Post opinion
In Afghanistan, Less Can Be More -- New York Times opinion
US-NATO Immersion Course -- Washington Times opinion
The Not-So-Great Game -- Weekly Standard opinion
US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 589 -- AP