Afghanistan War News Updates -- January 15, 2011

U.S. Army soldiers Staff Sgt. Chad Kair, Sgt. 1st Class Travis Leonhardt and Sgt. 1st Class Charles Houston coordinate security during a meeting to discuss improvement projects in the Daymirdad district, Wardak province, Afghanistan, Jan. 9, 2011. The soldiers are assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Sean P. Casey

In Afghanistan, Less Snow Coincides With Uptick In Violence This Winter -- Washington Post

KABUL - The first snow of the winter that fell in Kabul this week was a welcome dusting for the war planners at NATO headquarters.

The level of violence across the country has so far been higher than in previous winters, a phenomenon U.S. military officials attribute at least in part to unseasonably warm weather. At one morning briefing this week, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David H. Petraeus, was shown aerial photographs of the lack of snow on the country's rugged mountains, which has allowed Taliban fighters more freedom of movement than usual for the season, according to a U.S. military official.

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More News On Afghanistan

Report: Security Situation in Southern Afghanistan Fundamentally Changed -- Voice of America
Seven Afghan taxi drivers killed by roadside bomb -- Reuters
Bomb kills 7 in Afghanistan -- CNN
Roadside bomb kills 7 in southern Afghanistan -- AP
UPDATE: Afghan, coalition forces target Taliban leader in Helmand -- Dvids
U.S. marine kills Afghan policeman after dispute -- Yahoo News/Reuters
US Marine kills Afghan policeman after dispute -- Washington Post/AP
Sixteen NATO tankers torched in Pakistan -- Yahoo News/AFP
20 NATO tankers torched in Pak’s Balochistan -- Indian Express
Pakistan shootings and tanker attacks fuel crisis fears -- The Guardian
U.S.-Pakistan differ over Afghanistan -- UPI
Pakistani Official Says Taliban Can Outwait the West -- Voice of America
Life in Afghanistan not easy: soldier -- The Intelligencer
Afghan fuel protests outside Iranian embassy -- BBC
US-NATO Killings of Civilians in Afghanistan -- Global Research
2011 a year of challenges for U.S. in Afghanistan -- Xinhuanet
Stick to the Afghanistan deadline -- L.A. Times editorial