More than ten years after it began, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has announced a "mid-2013" end to combat operations in the Afghan War, the longest in US history. [more inside]
posted by theodolite on Feb 1, 2012 - 51 comments

Casualties in Afghanistan decreasing?! After a push into Taliban-controlled territory resulted in 103 Coalition casualties in June, casualties have fallen steadily and significantly, to 59 casualties last month -- lower than in September last year. October also is on track for lower casualty levels than in the year prior. With secret talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Taliban intermediaries, reports of significant security gains based on tips from informers, improved ANA training and military capability, and a chaotic, bustling Kabul trying to cope with rapid growth, could the country be on the path to gradual stabilization?
posted by markkraft on Oct 6, 2010 - 43 comments

Bizarre results showing elevated levels of NON-depleted uranium in Afghan civilians who showed symptoms of uranium poisoning following Operation Enduring Freedom. "Uranium levels found in the Afghan civilians’ urine are 4-20 times higher than those of a control group and the isotopic signature is that of Non-Depleted Uranium. The only explanations of this finding are either anomalous geological and agricultural conditions (fertilizers) or the presence of uranium extracted from the front-end of the fuel or weapons production cycles. [...] There are no geological, commercial and agricultural phenomena or activities and uses in the environs of the contaminated populations that might explain the contamination." This is very odd. [via wrh; these preliminary results are unpublished but UMRC’s Gulf War Veterans’ studies are in peer-reviewed journals]
posted by Bletch on Jun 29, 2003 - 13 comments

And when you think "the people of Afghanistan" think "the Jews in the concentration camps." Despite the barrage, I think this is worth posting. It's a post from the DaveNet mailing list, by an Afghan American writer (via Mark at boing boing) I don't know if I would trust the opinions on military actions in the second part - but the first part is well worth reading. I know many MeFiers are knowledgeable about world affairs, but this is a nice concise account for those who don't know about Afghanistan - or perhaps to pass along.
posted by sixdifferentways on Sep 14, 2001 - 20 comments