Commentary: Deals with Taliban could be dangerous

It is a longstanding cliché that there is no military solution in Afghanistan, only a political one. (CNN) — It is a longstanding cliché that there is no military solution in Afghanistan, only a political one. Linked to this is the newer, related notion, rapidly becoming a cliché, that the United States should start making deals with elements of the “reconcilable” Taliban.

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Shot British troops wanted final pizza

The British soldiers who were killed in Northern Ireland over the weekend had already packed their bags for Afghanistan and changed into desert uniforms when they were shot, a top British military officer said Monday. “Some of them decided to order a final takeaway pizza before they departed,” Brigadier George Norton said from the base where they were killed. “It was then that the brutal attack took place.

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Two British troops murdered in N. Ireland

Two British military members were killed and another four people wounded in a "serious shooting incident" at an army base in Northern Ireland, police said. The shooting happened late Saturday in Massarene, in County Antrim, one of the six counties that make up Northern Ireland

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Will Clinton’s Overture Get Iran to Cooperate?

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement that Iran would be invited to a summit on Afghanistan has been greeted as a possible icebreaker in the tense relationship between Washington and Tehran. Iran is weighing whether to accept the invitation, its foreign minister said Friday, and will deliver its response next month. The overture should be consistent with the new Washington ethos: seeking Iran’s cooperation on stabilizing Afghanistan — a goal both sides desire — can help end the nuclear standoff between the two countries

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Study: Iraqi widows struggle in new roles as breadwinners

While violence decreases across Iraq, women in the war-ravaged country face worsening hardships as warfare has thrust them into the role of family breadwinners, an aid group’s survey said. In a release dated Sunday coinciding with International Women’s Day, Oxfam International issued, “In Her Own Words: Iraqi Women Talk About Their Greatest Concerns and Challenges.” Many women have been widowed and have had to run their families because their husbands “had been killed, disappeared, abducted or suffered from mental or physical abuse,” the survey says. As a result, many have been unable to earn a decent living.

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Proof of ancient Malaysian civilization found

Researchers with a Malaysian university said they have uncovered evidence of an iron industry that dates to the 3rd Century, A.D., and proves that ancient civilizations in Southeast Asia were more advanced than once thought. In its annual report on human rights, the U.N. warned conditions were deteriorating in the war-ravaged country despite U.S.-led efforts after the 2001 removal from power of the hardline militia.

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Report: More young girls face rape in Afghanistan

Rapes targeting girls as young as seven are on the increase in Afghanistan where conditions for women are little better than under the Taliban, the U.N. and rights groups say. In its annual report on human rights, the U.N

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