Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 9, 2012

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta greets members before a meeting of the NATO defense ministers and members of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels, Oct. 9, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Panetta Argues For Staying The Course In Afghanistan -- Foreign Policy

Panetta is in Brussels to talk Afghanistan with the allies. Amid the spate of insider attacks and criticism from President Hamid Karzai, Panetta and Gen. George Allen, the ISAF commander, are attempting to smooth all the ruffled feathers among NATO defense ministers. Panetta told reporters traveling with him that the U.S. and ISAF generally have put measures in place to minimize the chances of more insider attacks, which have frayed nerves and undermined the U.S.-Afghan military bond.

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More News On Afghanistan

ISAF Joint Command daily operational update, Oct. 9 -- ISAF
ISAF Joint Command daily operational update -- Dvids

Panetta, Allen to reassure NATO on insider attacks -- AP
Panetta, Gen. Allen head to NATO, will reassure ministers on Afghanistan insider attacks -- FOX News/AP
Nato ministers review costly commitments before Afghan pullout -- First Post
NATO looks beyond Afghan combat mission -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters
NATO Says 2014 Transition to New Afghan Mission on Target -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Report: Afghanistan 'Far From Ready' for 2014 Transition -- Voice of America
Afghanistan's government 'could collapse' after 2014 - report -- BBC
Afghan government could 'collapse post-NATO' -- Al Jazeera
Kabul, UN dismiss ICG fears of government collapse -- DAWN/AFP
Afghanistan rejects report on govt collapse after NATO withdrawal -- China Daily/Xinhuanet

Discontent Over Renaming of Kabul College Turns Into Violence -- New York Times
Afghan Addicts Help Run Daring New Restaurant in Kabul -- Reuters
Bond of brothers: Ex-soldiers enlist Afghans to craft military themed flip-flops -- NBC

One Eye on Our Allies: The Overdue Talk About Afghan Insider Attacks -- Brandon Caro, Daily Beast
Hope for Afghanistan 'declining' -- Ben Farmer, Sydney Morning Herald
U.S. troops 'confused' about Afghanistan strategy -- WND
U.S. casualties in Afghanistan September 2012: A closer look -- OpEdNews