Afghanistan War News Updates -- September 6, 2009

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, left, visits the scene of a disputed NATO airstrike in Afghanistan (Anja Niedringhaus / Associated Press / September 5, 2009)

Barack Obama Rattled As Afghanistan's Decision Day Approaches -- Times Online

The allied commander wants greater effort, but the war looks ever more likely to poison Barack Obama’s presidency

Entertaining a group of US historians at the White House this summer, President Barack Obama revealed that he was beginning to worry about Afghanistan and the prospect that his ambitious domestic agenda would come to be overshadowed by an unpopular and unwinnable war.

It was an odd moment for Obama to be preoccupied by foreign policy – he was in the middle of a ferocious congressional battle over healthcare reforms – yet his concern turned out to be prescient.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

Government gives up hope of more European Nato help in Afghanistan -- The Telegraph
US soldier killed in Afghanistan -- AFP
U.S. Soldier With NATO Coalition Killed in Eastern Afghanistan -- Bloomberg
Militants attack international troops in N Afghanistan -- China View
Six civilians killed in NATO raid: Afghan official -- Yahoo News/AFP
Taliban attacks in north Afghanistan spike -- Washington Times
FACTBOX: Security developments in Afghanistan -- Reuters
IEDs wreak havoc among forces in Afghanistan -- AFP
Gen. McChrystal Visits Afghanistan Site of Deadly NATO Airstrike -- L.A. Times
US general sees strike aftermath -- BBC
US General Visits Air Strike Site in Northern Afghanistan -- Voice of America
U.S. general sure Afghan civilians wounded in airstrike -- CNN
Sole Informant Guided Decision On Afghan Strike -- Washington Post
NATO Begins Investigation of Deadly Airstrike on Fuel Tanks in Afghanistan -- New York Times/AP
US general promises Afghans inquiry into NATO air strike -- AFP
Afghan villagers bury their dead as Taliban watch -- Reuters

'Limited time' to show Afghan war working: Pentagon chief -- AFP
US Official Reaffirms Need for Afghanistan Society Building -- Voice of America
Exhaustion sets in as body count rises in Afghanistan -- The Age
US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 738 -- Washington Post/AP

AFGHANISTAN ELECTIONS

President Hamid Karzai Takes 100% of Votes in Opposition Stronghold -- Times Online
Karzai leads in partial Afghan vote returns -- Yahoo News/Reuters
President Hamid Karzai takes 100% of votes in opposition stronghold -- Times Online
'No date for preliminary Afghan vote results' -- AFP
Afghan Opposition Leader Charges Election Fraud -- AP (video)
Fresh fraud claims in Afghan election -- ABC News (Australia)
Polling records appear to back fraud allegations in Afghanistan presidential election -- Kansas.com

COMMENTARIES, OPINIONS, AND EDITORIALS

Why We’re Getting it Wrong in Afghanistan -- Anthony King, Prospect
Cracking on in Helmand -- Stephen Grey, Prospect
In Afghanistan, Let's Keep It Simple -- Ahmed Rashid, Washington Post opinion.
Afghanistan Isn't Obama's Vietnam, Yet -- Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times opinion.
A Stable Pakistan Needs a Stable Afghanistan -- Frederick W. Kagan, Wall Street Journal opinion.
In Afghanistan, Less Armor May Be More -- Julian E. Barnes, Los Angeles Times
The Afghanistan Abyss -- Nicholas Kristof, New York Times opinion.
Bankrupting the Taliban -- Oliver North, Washington Times opinion.
Obama Should Boost Troops in Afghanistan -- Bonnie Erbe, News and World Report
Commentary: Get real about Afghanistan -- CNN