Afghanistan War news Updates -- February 3, 2010

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE - U.S. Army soldiers conduct preventive maintenance checks after firing illumination rounds over Nawa valley, Afghanistan, Jan. 25, 2010. The soldiers are assigned to Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II

U.S. Military Officers Could Face Punishment Over Ambush In Afghanistan -- Washington Post

A military investigation into an ambush that left nine Americans dead recommends that the Army consider taking disciplinary action against three U.S. commanders who oversaw the 2008 mission to send troops to the remote Afghan outpost, defense officials said Tuesday.

The investigation into the bloody battle at Wanat, near the border with Pakistan, was undertaken last fall at the urging of Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Nine soldiers were killed and 27 wounded during the attack at the outpost, which raged for several hours. Among the dead was 1st Lt. Jonathan Brostrom, whose father, a retired Army colonel, pushed for more than a year to persuade the Pentagon to launch a probe of the battle.

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More News On Afghanistan

Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Southern Afghanistan -- New York Times
Afghan bomb attack kill US soldiers -- BBC
Bomb kills two US soldiers in Afghanistan: NATO -- AFP

Marines brace for battle in southern Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AFP
Marines, Afghan army plan massive assault on Taliban -- L.A. Times
US Marines, Afghan and NATO forces brace for battle in Afghan Taliban stronghold -- Today Online

Karzai Seeks Saudi Help for Taliban Peace Talks -- Voice of America
Karzai, in Saudi Arabia, Pursues Taliban Talks -- Wall Street Journal
Afghan government pursues talks with Taliban leaders -- McClatchy News
Afghan leader cancels meeting with top Muslim body -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Can Saudi Arabia help with Taliban peace talks? -- Christian Science Monitor

Pentagon Behind Obama Schedule for Deploying Troops to Afghanistan -- FOX News
Pentagon taps 4,100 for Afghan surge this summer -- Stars And Stripes
Pentagon: 18,000 more troops in Afghanistan by spring -- Washington Post
U.S. expects 18,000 more soldiers in Afghanistan by spring -- National Post

Up to 80 percent of Afghan Taliban not hardcore: UK -- Reuters
Taliban Thinks It's Winning, Joint Chiefs Chairman Tells Congress -- NPR
Mullen: Afghanistan success window small -- Washington Times
Pakistan could be key to Taliban reconciliation -- Yahoo News/AP
With Raw Recruits, Afghan Police Buildup Falters -- New York Times
Nato seeks to redress Afghan police shortfall -- DAWN

Next 18 months vital in Afghanistan -- Press Association
Beware talks with Taliban -- Edmonton Journal editorial
Taliban – terrorists or not? Not always easy to say -- Daily Times editorial
The contradictions in Afghanistan -- H.D.S. Greenway, Boston.com