NATO plots Afghan-Pakistan strategy

NATO countries must create a comprehensive approach to oust al Qaeda, the Taliban and other extremists from Afghanistan and Pakistan, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday after a meeting with NATO members. “The imperative of a comprehensive approach with a strong civilian and diplomatic effort is necessary because we know there is no purely military solution to either Afghanistan or Pakistan,” Biden told reporters at a news conference after the sessions at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

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Talking with the Taliban: Obama Idea Draws Skepticism

Seeking alliances with more moderate Taliban elements against al-Qaeda is not a new idea in the Afghanistan-Pakistan context, but until now it is one that has typically drawn a skeptical response — from U.S. officials who have regularly cast doubt on the wisdom of Pakistan pursuing such agreements

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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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Court rejects alleged Mumbai gunman’s translation plea

An Indian court Monday rejected a plea by the alleged Mumbai attacker who asked for an Urdu translation of the 11,000-page document detailing the charges against him, public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told CNN. The court turned down Mohammad Ajmal Kasab’s request after the prosecution argued that the court was not legally obligated to translate the charge sheet into the language of an accused person, Nikam said. Kasab, 21, is accused of being the only one of 10 gunmen to survive the siege on Mumbai in late November, which left more than 160 people dead.

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Is talking to Taliban the right approach?

President Obama says the United States is open to reaching out to some moderate voices in the Taliban, but critics say that’s not the right approach. In an interview published in the New York Times this weekend, Obama said some military leaders believe that part of the success in Iraq has come from reaching out to Sunni militants there. The president said while the situation in Afghanistan is much more complex, there may be some comparable opportunities in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Obama: Don’t fear the future

President Obama can’t assure that the economy will bounce back this year, but he says he will "get all the pillars in place for recovery this year." Obama made the pledge in a 35-minute interview — largely focused on the economy and the war in Afghanistan — with The New York Times aboard Air Force One on Friday, according to a story published Saturday.

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Family mourns Pakistani policeman killed in terror attack

Eleven-year-old Hassanin stares at a photo of his uncle in quiet disbelief that the man in the picture lost his life just two days ago. “He was big man, healthy,” the boy says in halting English. “My uncle, very good policeman, I miss him

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U.S. calls for conference on Afghanistan

The United States is calling for a conference on Afghanistan and the broader regional challenge to take place March 31, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Thursday. Clinton made the announcement in her first address as secretary of state to the North Atlantic Council at NATO.

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