Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 25, 2010

President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, center, speaking with his chief of staff, Umar Daudzai. Officials say Mr. Daudzai serves as a conduit for Iranian cash into the Karzai government and may be trying to poison Afghan relations with the United States. Ahmad Masood/Reuters

Karzai Admits To Iranian Cash Gifts -- Wall Street Journal

KABUL—Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Monday that Iran has been supplying millions of dollars in bags of cash to his office for years, but that the U.S. government was apprised of this since he personally informed then-President George W. Bush in 2002.

Mr. Karzai told a press conference that his chief of staff and former Afghan ambassador to Tehran, Umar Daudzai, regularly collects the cash from Iranian officials on his orders. He said the money is used for the presidential office expenses.

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More News on Afghanistan

Karzai confirms report of cash payments from Iran -- BBC
Karzai says his office gets cash from Iran, US -- Yahoo News/AP
Karzai: Iran Regularly Gives His Office Cash -- Military.com/AP
Karzai 'slush fund comes from Iran' -- The Australian/AFP
Karzai's bags of cash a conundrum for the U.S. -- Washington Post
Cash and keeping friendly relations in Afghanistan -- BBC
Why Karzai readily admits receiving bags of Iranian cash -- Christian Science Monitor

NATO: Service Member Killed in Eastern Afghanistan -- New York Times
600 foreign troops killed in Afghanistan in 2010 -- Breitbart/AFP
Troop deaths in Afghanistan hit 600 -- Al Jazeera
2010 coalition death toll in Afghanistan hits 600 -- CNN
600 coalition deaths in Afghanistan so far -- UPI

Despite successful U.S. attacks on Taliban leaders in Afghanistan's northwest, insurgency remains in control -- Washington Post
NATO Airstrike Kills 15 in Afghanistan -- Voice of America
Coalition forces kill 15 in raid targeting senior Taliban leader -- CNN
8 enemy deaths, 46 shootings: War by the numbers -- Washington Post
Gunmen kidnap Dutch aid worker and Afghan driver -- Yahoo News/AP
An Afghan Taliban commander feels NATO's heat, but it could backfire -- L.A. Times
Corporal details Marines’ hard life in southern Afghanistan -- Boston.com/AP
U.S. military treats many soldiers' wounds 'in theater' -- L.A. Times
Photographer Joao Silva injured in Afghanistan -- The Telegraph

Afghan President Stands By Private Security Ban -- Voice of America
Afghan President Says ‘Firm’ on Private Security Ban -- Voice of America

Afghanistan: Talks with the Taliban Still Face Hurdles -- Yahoo News/Time Magazine
Holbrooke: Nothing close to formal peace talks in Afghanistan -- CNN
Taliban fighters may be granted amnesty under an Afghan reintegration plan -- The Australian
U.N. Will Help, But Not Discuss, Afghan Peace Talks -- New York Times/Reuters
Pakistani security officials want role in Afghan talks -- Washington Post

Afghanistan Exit: 2014 -- Joe Klein, Time Magazine
Who can broker a deal with the Taliban? -- Julian Borger, The Guardian
Afghan warlords prepare to rearm as Taliban arrive for peace talks in Kabul -- The Telegraph
What About Afghan Women? -- Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times