Afghanistan “far from ready to assume responsibility for security” for 2014 withdrawal

By Paul Mutter The International Crisis Group has issued a report strongly critical of the expectations being advanced by US policymakers that Afghanistan will be “stable” enough by 2014 for a handover of national security to Kabul: A repeat of previous… Continue Reading

‘Bags of money’ from Iran to Karzai mean little

The media has been buzzing about the admission from both Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai and Iran that the latter passed the former bags of cash, apparently in euros. The allegations were first brought to light by New York Times correspondent… Continue Reading

The Daily Talking Points

News and views on U.S.-Iran relations for October 25, 2010: Commentary: Max Boot blogs that, in light of Hamid Karzai’s acknowledgment that he receives $2 million a year from Iran, “the Iranians have attempted similar dollar diplomacy in Iraq, Lebanon,… Continue Reading