Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 31, 2009

Much to ponder: President Obama at the White House this week Photo: Reuters

Obama Asks Military For More Afghan Options: Report -- AFP

WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama has asked the Pentagon for more options on troop levels in Afghanistan including sending less than the roughly 40,000 new soldiers requested, The Washington Post said Saturday.

Citing two unnamed US officials, the newspaper said the request came at Obama's meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the White House on Friday.

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More News On Afghanistan

Obama Meets Joint Chiefs to Review Afghanistan Strategy -- New York Times
Obama asks military for options -- L.A. Times
Obama meets with military top brass -- Brisbane Times
Obama Seeking Options on Forces -- Washington Post.
President looking for new troop options -- MSNBC

Killed British officer warned of shortage -- BBC
Commander issued helicopter warning weeks before Afghanistan death -- The Guardian
Highest-ranked Army officer to die in Afghanistan foresaw dangers that killed him -- The Telegraph

Army commander: Afghan training crucial to success -- AP
SKorea planning troop deployment to Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP
Korea confirms troops are going to Afghanistan -- Joong Ang Daily
Taliban leader rejects U.S. attempts to lure away fighters with money -- CNN
John Burns on Ahmed Wali Karzai and the C.I.A. -- New York Times
UN guard killed in Afghanistan hailed as hero -- AP
Another Canadian soldier at start of Afghanistan tour killed -- National Post
Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan -- CBC

Karzai team in crisis talks to avert vote boycott -- CNN
Afghan challenger won't participate in runoff if his conditions aren't met -- L.A. Times
Sources: Abdullah to pull out of Afghan runoff -- Yahoo News/AP
Abdullah 'may quit Afghan poll' -- BBC
Abdullah poised to boycott Afghan run-off -- Yahoo News/AFP
Fraud surrounds women voters in Afghan election -- Yahoo News/AP

Commentaries And Analysis

Obama: Seeing bodies of fallen returned to U.S. will affect his Afghanistan decision -- Dallas News/AP
Bush says Afghan war must be won to stop 'tyranny' -- Yahoo News/AFP
Walkom: Afghanistan sacrifices may have been in vain -- Thomas Walkom
U.S. debates Afghanistan in public way -- Lisa Van Dusen, LFP Press
Zakaria: U.S. needs to test McChrystal request -- Fareed Zakaria
The Tenacity Question -- David Brooks, New York Times