Afghanistan Conflict Monitor

Disease Threatens Afghan Wheat Crop

'Disease Threatens Afghan Wheat Crop', IPS, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "Agronomists and crop experts fear that an aggressive disease that attacks wheat crops could soon reach Afghanistan, potentially threatening food security and initiatives to curb the cultivation of illicit crops. The Ug99 fungus, so named for its identification in Uganda in 1999, is a strain of black stem rust, a fungus that kills plants by leeching water and nutrients from them. Combating Ug99 is of particular importance in Afghanistan because of the Afghan economy's heavy reliance on the agricultural sector, which accounts for nearly one-third of the country's GDP. Furthermore, 80 percent of Afghanistan's working-age males are farmers, nearly all of whom grow wheat for food or sale. In addition, USAID estimates that over six million Afghanis – nearly one-fifth of the population – do not have enough food. In short, if Afghanistan's wheat crops were faced with Ug99, it could endanger food security and the bedrock of the country's economy. The proliferation of Ug99 also has implications for Afghanistan's drug industry. USAID and U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan have been promoting wheat cultivation as part of a larger strategy to combat narcotics in Afghanistan. One of their newest efforts has involved paying farmers not to grow poppies and encouraging them to grow other crops, including wheat."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'US military's new weapon in Afghanistan: Agriculture', The Statesman, 31 July 2009
'US army's farm program tackles Afghan rebuilding from the ground up', Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2009

Related posts:
'Afghanistan expects biggest wheat harvest in decades', 2 June 2009
'Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector', 28 May 2009
'ADB gives 30 million dollars to rebuild agriculture', 24 November 2008
'Afghan famine poses greater risk than Taliban', 30 October 2008
'Food insecurity in Afghanistan increasing sharply', 14 January 2008

The Future Of Afghanistan And Pakistan: The Development Challenge

Jessica T. Mathews & Douglas Alexander, 'The Future Of Afghanistan And Pakistan: The Development Challenge', Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "The international coalition cannot defeat the Taliban without a strengthened Afghan state. It should work through the Afghan government—rather than international agencies—to increase economic opportunity and foster effective political institutions at the district and province level. Visiting Washington after Afghanistan, UK Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander told an audience the Carnegie Endowment that Afghans need to see their government, rather than the international coalition or non-governmental organizations—or the Taliban—delivering improvements if the Afghan state is going to be viable in the long-term. He cited improved security and increased access to justice as the top development priorities, with health, education, and other basic services as critical but secondary. Alexander also called on the international community to support Pakistan's efforts to combat extremism in the provinces bordering Afghanistan."

To continue reading the event summary, click here.

To continue listening to the event audio, click here [mp3].

See also:
'After decades of conflict, Afghanistan struggles to rebuild itself', ReliefWeb, 31 July 2009
'Time for effective aid in Afghanistan', Foreign Policy in Focus, 30 July 2009
'Miliband to NATO: Step up development effort in Afghanistan', The Guardian, 26 July 2009

Related posts:
'Donor spending practices "shameful": UN', 6 July 2009
'Millions went to failed UK aid projects: Report', 21 May 2009
'Falling short on Afghanistan', 29 April 2009
'Change slow for isolated Afghans', 24 February 2009
'Beset by war, beleaguered by poverty', 22 August 2008

July Is Deadliest Month For US And Allies

'July Is Deadliest Month In Afghanistan For US Forces, Foreign Allies', Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2009

EXCERPT: "The month began with a fatal roadside bombing and ended with word that an American had died of wounds suffered in a firefight. After nearly eight years of warfare in Afghanistan, July proved by far the deadliest month yet for U.S. troops and their foreign allies.Bombs and rocket attacks, ambushes and aviation accidents killed at least 70 foreign troops across the country in July, including 42 Americans. Previously, the highest monthly U.S. toll was 26 in September 2008. July was also the worst month for Britain, the most important U.S. ally in the Afghan war, since the 1980s Falklands War. Twenty-two British soldiers died, spurring soul-searching in a country where a recent poll suggested that a majority of the public considers the Afghan war unwinnable. About two-thirds of the coalition deaths were caused by improvised explosive devices or IEDs, the insurgents' weapon of choice in a fight against a much more powerful enemy."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Black days in July for Afghan mission', Toronto Star, 31 July 2009
'Roadside bombs make for deadly July in Afghanistan', NPR, 31 July 2009
'US troops killed in deadliest month of Afghan war', Reuters, 31 July 2009
'British army surgeons call in US help as casualties rise', The Guardian, 30 July 2009
'Factbox: Military deaths in Afghanistan', Reuters, 28 July 2009

Related posts:
'Afghan forces expansion needed for victory: US commander', 10 July 2009
'Record number of roadside bomb attacks', 8 July 2009
'Afghan insurgent violence accelerates in 2009', 12 June 2009
'British army deaths in Afghanistan overtake Iraq', 5 June 2009
'US commander sees "tough fight" in 2009', 8 December 2008

1013 Civilian Deaths In The First Six Months Of 2009

'Afghanistan: Mid Year Bulletin on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, 2009', United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan - Human Rights Unit, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "Armed conflict is particularly prevalent in the South, South-East, East, Central, and Western regions of the country. It is also spreading into areas formerly relatively tranquil, such as the North and North-East. As the conflict intensifies and spreads, it is taking an increasingly heavy toll on civilians, as the growing civilian death toll registered by UNAMA Human Rights each year since 2007 indicates. In the first six months of 2009, UNAMA recorded 1013 civilian deaths, compared with 818 for the same period in 2008, and 684 in 2007 (see graph #1 below). This represents an increase of 24% of civilian casualties in the first six months of 2009 as compared to the same period in 2008. Both Anti-Government Elements and pro-government forces are responsible for the increase in civilian casualties. UNAMA Human Right figures indicate that more civilians are being killed by AGEs than by PGF. In the first six months of 2009, 59% of civilians were killed by AGEs and 30.5% by PGF. This represents a significant shift from 2007 when PGF were responsible for 41% and AGEs for 46% of civilian deaths."

To continue reading the report, click here [pdf].

See also:
'Civilian toll rising in Afghanistan, UN says', The New York Times, 31 July 2009
'In Afghanistan, Taliban kills more civilians than US', The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2009
'Afghan insurgent attacks leave 17 dead, many hurt', AFP, 31 July 2009

Related posts:
'Record number of security incidents in June 12-18', 28 July 2009
'Afghan blast kills 25, half of them children', 9 July 2009
'Afghan civilian casualties must be cut: US, NATO', 12 June 2009
'Civilians and the international security strategy', 3 April 2009
'UN: Afghan civilian deaths jumped 40 percent', 17 February 2009

Tripartite Agreement On Voluntary Repatriation

'Pakistan, UNHCR To Work For Afghan Refugees Voluntary Repatriation', China View, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR will work closely for a comprehensive strategy of voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees while creating conducive conditions in Afghanistan for their resettlement and reintegration, a Pakistani minister said Thursday. After attending the 17th session of the Tripartite Commission on Afghan refugees between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Pakistan's Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Najamudin Khan, emphasized in a press release for effective measures to ensure sustainable voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees. The minister said the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and their repatriation to Afghanistan has been reviewed in the meeting comprehensibly. Pakistan delegation led by the minister visited Kabul on July 27-29 to attend the three-party meeting."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Afghanistan, Pakistan and UNHCR met to explore sustainable Afghan returns', ReliefWeb / UNAMA, 28 July 2009
'The humanitarian crisis in Pakistan', US Department of State, 29 July 2009
'UNHCR suspends Afghan repatriation', BBC News, 28 July 2009

Related posts:
'Afghan refugees' repatriation begins: UNHCR', 8 July 2008
'Returnees may become refugees again: Ministry', 19 June 2008
'Pakistan's Afghan refugee repatriation plan could fuel militancy', 18 April 2008
'540,000 refugees expected to return in 2008 and 2009: UNHCR', 5 December 2007

Afghan, Pakistani Conflicts Spilling Into Central Asia?

'Afghan, Pakistani Conflicts Spilling Into Central Asian States?', The Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "A spate of militant clashes in Tajikistan may indicate that the conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan are spilling beyond their borders – a top concern for neighboring Central Asian nations and Russia. The rise in violence comes as Pakistan wraps up an assault on militants in the north and Western forces intensify a campaign against insurgents in Afghanistan ahead of an Aug. 20 election. The offensives may be pushing foreigners fighting in either country to flee the conflict and return home. 'The situation at the Afghan border may deteriorate ahead of elections,' Interior Minister Abdurakhim Qahorov warned last week. 'Different criminal groups may try to seek temporary refuge in neighboring countries, including ours.' The issue of regional security was raised at a Thursday summit in Dushanbe with the presidents of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Russia. '[Terrorism] threatens my brother's country. It threatens my country and our neighborhood,' Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said Wednesday in Dushanbe."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Tajik summit to tackle security', BBC News, 30 July 2009
'Russia aims to spur Afghan region economy, win aid', Reuters, 30 July 2009
'Taming Tajikistan's eastern valleys', ISN, 28 July 2009

Related posts:
'Tajikistan agrees US supply route', 21 April 2009
'Russia conference to focus on drugs, terrorism', 26 March 2009
'Afghanistan and regional instability: A risk assessment', 28 March 2008

Problems Plague Rebuilding Of War-Torn Afghanistan

'Problems Plague Rebuilding Of War-Torn Afghanistan', The Associated Press, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "The special inspector general overseeing tens of billions of dollars in Afghanistan reconstruction projects is warning of a lack of direction and communication among the U.S. agencies handling the work. Inspector General Arnold Fields says that coordination between the Americans and the Afghans is also poor, leading to a disjointed effort that risks wasting U.S. tax dollars and slowing progress on critically needed improvements to the country's transportation, agriculture and energy production. 'There isn't always a direct connection between what the Afghans feel that they need and what the reconstruction effort is delivering,' says Fields, who returned July 19 from his fifth trip to Afghanistan since he was appointed last year. Since 2002, the U.S. has committed $32 billion to Afghanistan's reconstruction. With President Barack Obama ordering more civilian and military personnel there to quash a growing insurgency, that figure is expected to rise to nearly $50 billion by 2010, according to a quarterly report released Wednesday by Fields' office."

To continue reading the article, click here.

To continue reading the fourth Quarterly Report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) to the United States Congress, click here.

See also:
'US studies Afghan health successes', USA Today, 15 July 2009

Related posts:
'Enhancing Afghan Reconstruction', 15 May 2009
'Rebuilding Afghanistan will be long, costly effort', 25 March 2009
'Bottom-up approach needed in Afghanistan: Report', 17 February 2009
'Attacks on aid challenge Afghan reconstruction', 18 September 2008

Taliban Vows To Disrupt Afghan Election

'Taliban Vows To Disrupt Afghan Election', VOA News, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "The Taliban says it intends to disrupt Afghanistan's upcoming presidential elections, and is calling on Afghans to boycott the vote and attack foreigners. In a statement posted on the Internet Thursday, the extremist group calls the August 20 election an 'American process' meant to deceive the Afghan people. The Taliban says, instead of going to 'fake election centers,' Afghans should 'go to jihadi trenches' to free their country from 'invaders.' The group calls on Taliban fighters to launch operations against 'enemy centers' and prevent people from going to the polls by blocking roads. The statement comes two days after gunmen ambushed a convoy carrying a campaign manager for Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah. And one of President Hamid Karzai's vice presidential running mates escaped unharmed after Taliban insurgents attacked his convoy Sunday."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Taliban urge Afghan poll boycott', BBC News, 30 July 2009
'Security remains main challenge for upcoming election', China View, 30 July 2009
'GIs hunt Taliban ahead of elections', CSB News, 29 July 2009
'Voter security to hinge on Afghan forces', The Washington Times, 29 July 2009
'Campaigning Karzai makes security priority', AFP, 29 July 2009

Related posts:
'UN urges Taliban not to disrupt polls', 28 July 2009
'Secretary General: 10,000 NATO troops for elections', 17 June 2009
'Afghan, NATO forces build security plan for election', 5 May 2009
'"Seeds of democracy have been sown": Report', 24 March 2009
'Taliban strategy aims to cut NATO logistics, undermine elections', 5 February 2009

More US Troops May Be Needed

'More US Troops May Be Needed In Afghanistan, Says Pentagon Advisor', VOA News, 29 July 2009

EXCERPT: "A member of the strategic assessment team working with the new U.S. military commander in Afghanistan says the U.S. government and its allies need to be more realistic about what is needed to win the Afghan war, and he says that may include more troops. Senior Washington analyst Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies says the United States and its allies need to take the Afghanistan war more seriously. He says they need to be honest about the security and development problems they have allowed to fester in recent years, and about the resources that will be needed to reverse the situation. Cordesman is recently back from Afghanistan, where he joined other experts on a team advising the new U.S. commander, General Stanley McChrystal, on how to move forward. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Cordesman declined to speak directly about the strategic assessment team's deliberations, but he suggested he believes more U.S. troops are needed."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Request for more troops in Afghanistan likely, source says', CNN, 29 July 2009
'US officials warned Pakistan on Taliban spillover', The Associated Press, 29 July 2009
'US reaches out to second tier of Taliban leaders', DAWN, 29 July 2009

Related posts:
'The Afghanistan campaign: Can we win?', 23 July 2009
'Beyond the surge: Policy options for Afghanistan', 21 July 2009
'US surge "will lead to spike in conflict"', 29 May 2009
'New US administration, new directions', 13 March 2009

Spain Willing To Increase Afghan Force

'Spain Says It's Willing To Increase Afghan Force', The New York Times, 29 July 2009

EXCERPT: "Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero said Wednesday that Spain was willing to increase its troops on long-term assignment in Afghanistan, in what appeared to be a gesture of support to the Obama administration. Spain's Socialist government has long resisted calls from the United States and other NATO allies to increase its Afghan force. Mr. Zapatero said the move could be achieved by prolonging a temporary deployment of forces who had been sent to help with security in Afghanistan ahead of the Aug. 20 presidential election. 'We've always been willing to provide additional troops in order to support elections, as we are doing currently,' Mr. Zapatero said in an interview in his office in the Moncloa Palace here. 'And if there is the need to sustain a greater number of presences in Afghanistan, we are willing to do so.'"

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Spanish defence minister on surprise Afghan visit', AFP, 27 July 2009

Related posts:
'Spain could double foreign troop deployments', 11 December 2008
'Spanish crown prince visits troops in Afghanistan', 17 June 2008
'Spanish troops will remain in Afghanistan as long "as necessary": Defence Minister', 3 January 2008