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Mexican standoff between Pentagon and Wikileaks

The Pentagon has contacted a lawyer purporting to represent WikiLeaks but said it would not negotiate a “sanitised” release of a huge cache of classified documents held by the whistleblower’s website, a letter released on Wednesday shows. The Pentagon released the letter from its general counsel after WikiLeaks said the US military was willing to…

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Petraeus ignites political fight : Afghanistan no graceful exit yet

Gen. David Petraeus, in an interview with The New York Times, says he didn’t go to Afghanistan to preside over a “graceful exit” from the war there. Petreaus is campaigning to win over Americans who are quickly growing skeptical of the U.S.’s ability to win in Afghanistan. The general said the war plan had been…

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The Supermodel Shines Light on War Crimes Trial

Editor`s note: Christopher Santora worked as a prosecutor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone from 2002 to 2005 in cases against various faction leaders from the country’s 11-year war. He also served as prosecutor from 2007 to 2010 in The Hague, Netherlands, in the case against former Liberian President Charles Taylor, and was involved…

American dillema over India Kashmir Pakistan relationships

India and Pakistan’s failure to resolve Kashmir could see a huge escalation of violence, and derail an Afghan settlement Reviving tension over the divided territory, claimed in its entirety by both sides and the spark for two previous wars, has already upset Indo-Pakistan peace talks. More importantly for Britain and the US, a new Kashmir…

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Afghanistan: Boots on the Ground Assessment

Reflecting on my coverage of the latest UN report released on Tuesday showing a 31 per cent increase in overall Afghan civilians casualties, a couple of questions raised in my mind about the overall chances for success by the US-led coalition. Number-crunchers from the UN’s Assistance Mission Afghanistan (UNAMA) now say the Taliban and other…

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Islamophobia rages in New York City

A fierce controversy is raging in the United States over plans to build an Islamic community and outreach centre, including a mosque, in Lower Manhattan, several blocks from “Ground Zero” – the site where the World Trade Centre stood when it was attacked on September 11, 2001. The controversy started when the Cordoba Initiative, led…

West depends on Pakistani intelligence but ISI military still have links to Afghan Taliba

Sajjan Gohel, International Security Director for the London-based Asia-Pacific Foundation. STORY HIGHLIGHTS * UK engagement with Pakistan part of recognition of the country’s importance * West depends on Pakistani intelligence but ISI, military still have links to Afghan Taliban * Pakistani military sees Afghanistan in terms of its “strategic depth” * Concern also that Pakistan…