Afghanistan War News Updates -- August 23, 2011

RIVER SURVEY - U.S. service members survey the Tarnek River in Shah Joy, Zabul province, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2011. The service members are assigned to the Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul. U.S. Air Force photo by by Senior Airman Grovert Fuentes-Contreras

Afghanistan Set To Get Huge Supply Of Military Gear -- Washington Post

KABUL — NATO’s war planners call it the “iron mountain,” the $2.7 billion mass of military equipment that will be dropped on Afghanistan over the next eight months. But will the mountain be tall enough?

Between now and next March, the U.S.-led coalition will deliver 22,000 vehicles, including 514 new four-wheeled “mobile strike force” armored vehicles yet to be used in Afghanistan, 44 airplanes and helicopters, 40,000 weapons, and tens of thousands of radios and other pieces of communications gear. “It’s an enormous amount of equipment, vehicles and weapons,” said one U.S. military official.

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More News On Afghanistan

Combined Force in Khost Province Kills Insurgents -- US Department of Defense
FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, Aug 23 -- Alertnet
Afghan Villagers Stone a Taliban Commander to Death -- New York Times
2 Taliban killed by Afghan villagers after slaying -- SFGate/NYT
US drone crashes in north Afghanistan -- Press TV
Afghans Try to Revive Key Projects Hit by Attacks -- New York Times/AP
Afghan leader orders more security after attacks -- CTV
Schools For Suicide Bombers -- Strategy Page
Afghan forces need help post-pullout: commander -- Yahoo News/AFP
Afghanistan reshuffles Parliament -- UPI
Afghanistan election panel expels 9 lawmakers from parliament -- L.A. Times
Hundreds Of Afghans Protest UN Over Vote Dispute -- Radio Free Europe
Germany: 2 Citizens Missing in Afghanistan -- FOX News/AP
Two Germans missing in Afghanistan - German Foreign Minister -- Reuters
Missing German mountain climbers 'kidnapped' in Afghanistan -- Deutsche Welle
Soldier wounded in combat, loses home in tornado -- AP
Daunted Afghans Find Refuge in Former Foe Russia -- New York Times
U.S. troops may stay in Afghanistan until 2024. What's the point? -- Jack Cafferty, CNN
Twisting tales behind Afghanistan's British Council attack -- Nushin Arbabzadah, The Guardian
Factbox: Military deaths in Afghanistan -- Reuters