Flashpoint: Wikileaked
U.S. diplomatic cables
released by the web site Wikileaks show that the International Committee
of the Red Cross secretly briefed U.S. officials in 2005 about Indian
security forces' use of electrocution, beatings, and sexual humiliation
against detainees in Indian-administered Kashmir, and the ICRC was
frustrated with Indian officials for not halting the "continued ill
treatment of detainees" (Guardian, BBC, Tel). As recently as 2007, cables show that U.S. officials were concerned about human rights abuses in the valley.
The
cables also reveal that Rahul Gandhi, who the Guardian calls the "crown
prince of Indian politics" and a likely candidate for prime minister,
told the U.S. ambassador to India Timothy Roemer at lunch last year that
Hindu extremists may be a bigger threat to India than Lashkar-e-Taiba,
the Pakistan-based Islamist militant group responsible for the deadly
2008 Mumbai attacks (Guardian).
Gandhi, under fire from the rival BJP party, clarified his remarks via a
statement from the Congress party asserting that he views terrorism of
all types as a threat to India (NDTV, HT).
Expanding the drone war
For the second day in a row, suspected U.S. drone strikes
were reported in the Pakistani tribal agency of Khyber, a rarely
targeted area, and the three strikes are said to have killed up to 26
alleged militants (Reuters, ET, AFP, BBC, AP, CNN, Geo, Geo).
The first strike reportedly targeted the headquarters of
Lashkar-e-Islam, a local militant group that sometimes allies with the
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and sources say that a commander called
Marjan, alias Fauji, was killed. The NYT reports today that the Obama
administration plans to step up attacks on militants in Pakistan's
tribal regions, because although gains have been made in the last year,
"progress has not come fast enough," which "means even more" drone
strikes (NYT). For more about the insurgencies in Khyber, click here (NAF).
The
Post reports that the U.S. has refrained from using drone strikes to
attack a madrassa on the edge of Miram Shah, the main town in North Waziristan,
where some 90 percent of this year's drone strikes have occurred,
because of concerns about potential "violent backlash" if a religious
compound is targeted (Post).
U.S. officials say Manba Ulom is an operational hub for the Haqqani
insurgent network, but Pakistani officials claim they have raided the
madrassa and found no evidence of militant activity. The CIA's station
chief in Islamabad has reportedly been pulled out of Pakistan for safety
reasons after receiving threats to his life (AP).
Taliban
fighters have blown up a girls' school in the northwest Pakistani city
of Peshawar, the tenth such attack in recent months (Daily Times).
Mortars fired from Orakzai agency into Hangu, a town known for
sectarian clashes, reportedly killed six, as Shias observe Ashura across
Pakistan (ET, ET).
Reviews of the review
In
brief public remarks about Afghanistan yesterday, U.S. President Barack
Obama said that the the war is "on track" and al-Qaeda is "hunkered
down," but cautioned that the conflict remains a "very difficult
endeavor" (AJE, AFP, NYT, McClatchy, LAT, FT, Times, Independent, Guardian, Tel).
Alissa Rubin observes some factors that were left out of the White
House's five-page summary of the review process: how to reconcile the
facts that the areas of Afghanistan that have seen progress are those
with more troops and "parts of the country with fewer troops are showing
a deterioration of security;" the "starkly different timelines" in
Washington and in Kabul; and shortcomings in governance, corruption, and
justice (NYT).
A Taliban spokesman emailed a statement about the strategy review,
asserting, "It is a failed strategy, not only on the military side but
also in civilian and administrative affairs. Public services in
Afghanistan have failed. Corruption, insecurity and also the civilian
casualties are a result of failed American strategy" (AP).
In
order to ease tensions with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, top U.S. and
NATO commander in Afghanistan Gen. David Petraeus has reportedly
revised secret guidelines for night raids in the country by putting in
place more safeguards to protect Afghan civilians, as the strategy
review "singled out night raids' usefulness in recent months" (WSJ).
And Germany will start withdrawing its 4,800 troops from Afghanistan as
soon as next year with the aim of ending its mission there by 2014 (NYT).
The
AfPak Channel has a handful of bonus reads about the review process: an
"Afghanistan in review" package of four pieces assessing various
aspects of the war (FP). AfPak Channel editor Peter Bergen comments on the Afghan war for CNN, and reviews Bob Woodward's Obama's Wars for TNR (CNN, TNR).
Safer combat
British
troops in Afghanistan are reportedly being issued what have become
known among the soldiers as "combat codpieces," anti-blast undergarments
designed to protect the pelvic area against damage from roadside bombs (Independent). The equipment is based primarily on silk and inspired by armor worn by Genghis Khan's Mongol warriors in the 13th century.
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