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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (89486)	10/10/2008 12:32:46 PM
From: Steve Lokness	Respond to of 542597

Meanwhile while much of America struggles to grasp our economic morass, much of America (including Rice) remains in lala land when it comes to Afghanistan and this increasingly dangerous place. Intelligence study finds chaos in Afghanistan: report Thu Oct 9, 2008 6:46pm EDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence agencies conclude in a draft report that Afghanistan is in a downward spiral and they doubt whether the Kabul government can stem the Taliban's rise, The New York Times reported on Thursday. The classified report says corruption inside President Hamid Karzai's government and an increase in attacks by militants operating from Pakistan have accelerated the breakdown in central authority in Afghanistan, the Times said, citing U.S. officials familiar with the document. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said intelligence agencies had been asked to have a close look at Afghanistan, but said she had not seen the report. The White House said the document, known as a National Intelligence Estimate, had not been finalized. "Afghanistan is a difficult place. It has made progress since 2001. We have all talked about new circumstances that have arisen there and we are doing a review to look to see what more we can do," Rice told reporters. Agencies across the U.S. government, including the State Department and Pentagon, have launched a review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan seven years after U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban government. "We are looking also at what we can do to be both supportive of the ministers that President Karzai has put up. We are looking to see where some of the strengths are and how we need to support those strengths and also how we can help the Afghans where there are weaknesses," Rice said. reuters.com Also good article on Iraq; smh.com.au

To: TimF who wrote (89486)	10/10/2008 12:33:51 PM
From: Steve Lokness	Respond to of 542597

Meanwhile while much of America struggles to grasp our economic morass, much of America (including Rice) remains in lala land when it comes to Afghanistan and this increasingly dangerous place. Intelligence study finds chaos in Afghanistan: report Thu Oct 9, 2008 6:46pm EDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence agencies conclude in a draft report that Afghanistan is in a downward spiral and they doubt whether the Kabul government can stem the Taliban's rise, The New York Times reported on Thursday. The classified report says corruption inside President Hamid Karzai's government and an increase in attacks by militants operating from Pakistan have accelerated the breakdown in central authority in Afghanistan, the Times said, citing U.S. officials familiar with the document. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said intelligence agencies had been asked to have a close look at Afghanistan, but said she had not seen the report. The White House said the document, known as a National Intelligence Estimate, had not been finalized. "Afghanistan is a difficult place. It has made progress since 2001. We have all talked about new circumstances that have arisen there and we are doing a review to look to see what more we can do," Rice told reporters. Agencies across the U.S. government, including the State Department and Pentagon, have launched a review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan seven years after U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban government. "We are looking also at what we can do to be both supportive of the ministers that President Karzai has put up. We are looking to see where some of the strengths are and how we need to support those strengths and also how we can help the Afghans where there are weaknesses," Rice said. reuters.com Also good article on Iraq; smh.com.au