Threats
Top Afghanistan Commander Pushes for Flexibility in Troop Drawdown
Sen. John McCain implores the Gen. John Campbell to ask president to rethink plan.
Threats
What If I Was Able Stop the Afghanistan War?
The story of my last-ditch effort to talk the Taliban and Washington out of a war.
Business
Afghan Reconstruction Audits Saved More Than $1 Billion, Watchdog Says
The Defense Department has saved or repurposed $1.1 billion in taxpayer funds since 2008, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said Tuesday. By Charles S. Clark
Ideas
If Only America Cared About Actual Wars as Much as War Movies
America loves 'American Sniper,' but there are consequences when a nation is so disengaged with its own wars. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Business
Lockheed Contractor Must Repay $27.5M for Overcharging Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
A Lockheed Martin contractor agrees to repay the government for overbilling for its products and services to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. By Charles S. Clark
Threats
What Does ‘Security’ in Post-2014 Afghanistan Really Mean?
It’s not just about troops on the ground and the readiness of the Afghan security forces. By Catherine Powell
Threats
US Releases Four Afghan Detainees From Guantanamo
The U.S. prison in Guantanamo still holds 63 men who have been cleared for release. By Allen McDuffee
Business
Nearly $1 Billion Spent To Elevate Afghan Women May Have Been Squandered
Neither the State Department nor USAID could identify any results from the $850 million spent to improve the lives of women in Afghanistan. By Charles S. Clark
Threats
An Especially Deadly Day in Afghanistan
Taliban militants continue to take advantage of the vulnerability created by the U.S. withdrawal. By Allen McDuffee
Business
7 Ways the $104 Billion Reconstruction Effort in Afghanistan Could Fail
Corruption leads the list of ‘potent threats’ to Afghanistan’s post-war future—but it’s far from the only challenge. By Ben Watson
Threats
Hagel Visits Afghanistan Amid a ‘Spike’ in Violence
Chuck Hagel is in Kabul on what is likely his last trip as defense secretary. By Gordon Lubold
Threats
How Afghans Feel About the Direction of Their Country
A poll of more than 9,000 Afghans revealed three-quarters of the population still fear for their lives during routine, everyday travel. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Threats
Obama Orders Expanded US Role in Afghanistan
Caught between the Pentagon's demands, a promise to end a war, and the fallout in Iraq, President Obama is allowing the military to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan next year. By Allen McDuffee
Threats
Corruption in Afghanistan Is Getting 'Significantly Worse'
The top watchdog for reconstruction in Afghanistan says it 'seems like nobody is responsible for anything.' By Jordain Carney
Threats
Pentagon Counter-IED Group Heads to Iraq as Attacks Surge
The Joint IED Defeat Organization will deploy to Baghdad help stop roadside bomb attacks, but will have to rely on Iraqi soldiers to disable and destroy bombs. By Marcus Weisgerber
Threats
As End Looms, US Warns Afghan Troops Taking ‘Unsustainable’ Casualties
While NATO curbs its mission, Afghanistan’s troop fatalities and attrition are placing enormous strains on Kabul’s security forecast. By Ben Watson
Business
After $18M, US Halts Work on Half-Renovated Prison in Afghanistan
The State Department paid a contractor $18 million to renovate the aging facility, but canceled the contract with only half of the work completed. By Charles Clark
Threats
US Troops Leave Helmand Province in Afghanistan
American and British forces pulled out of the province, effectively ending operations in one of most violent parts of the country. By Adam Chandler
Ideas
More Than 6,000 Afghan Interpreters Are Stuck in Bureaucratic Limbo
Unless lawmakers act soon, the U.S. program to get Afghan translators to safety will end on Dec. 31. By Emerson Brooking and Janine Davidson
Business