Gates Hopes Taliban Think U.S. Will Leave Afghanistan In interviews conducted in Australia, where public support for the war in Afghanistan is faltering, Secretary Gates made it very clear that only one option exists, and that is to maintain an increased US/NATO presence in Afghanistan past the July 2010 date ...

The narrative is set for the Administrations pending Afghanistan Policy Review slated for this December – who to believe whether sufficient progress is currently being made, the lack of viable options to address the ongoing threat that emanates from Pakistan’s tribal regions, and how soon will Karzai’s government be capable ...

Sure, “Bloody Sunday” shows sports helmets need fixing. But what still resonates for me is the shocking state of our young warriors’ helmets and the little attention paid to the “Bloody Days” everyday in Afghanistan and Iraq. The key issues of course are what’s being done to prevent these egregious ...

The Washington Post reports how social media and instant communications are rapidly changing the way the military community learns of events that happen halfway around the world.  Highlights:

• At  Fort Campbell, Kentucky Emily Franks was playing with her toddler when a soldier called from Afghanistan with devastating news. A massive ...
  
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Todd Pitman, correspondent for the AP, wrote an article that was syndicated on Yahoo News commenting on the impact of the long Afghan War on a new generation of troops. Highlights:

• Lance Cpl. Jacob Adams was in 5th grade math class when hijacked jetliners slammed into the World Trade ...
  
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In an alarming article written by C. Todd Lewis and issued by the Army News Service, 1 in 5 troops may be undeployable by 2012. Highlights:

• By the time the Army meets its goal to have Soldiers home for twice the time they're deployed, the service could face the ...
  
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In a fascinating article by Staff Writer, Andrew Higgins, the Washington Post published an article on November 1 which chronicles the background of an unusual $3 billion fuel contract awarded by the US Department of Defense ("DoD") to companies whose ownership is apparently not well known to the government.  The ...

The New York Times reported yesterday on the coordinated bombings that are appearing on a more frequent basis in Baghdad.  Highlights:

• Insurgents unleashed attacks across Baghdad on Tuesday night, setting off more than a dozen coordinated bombs in a bloody declaration of their ability to thwart the government’s efforts ...
  
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The Stars and Stripes reports that US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry cites progress and requests more "assets" at the Afghan border.   Highlights:

• Nine years into the Afghan war, efforts to monitor the border with Pakistan have met with little success; massive amounts of bomb-making chemicals, drugs, weapons and enemy fighters ...
  
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In an article published by the Washington Post on November 2, it would appear that the Afghan government falls short in Kandahar.  A "learning" experience for the US military. Highlights: 

• Despite months of American prodding, the Afghan government has failed to fill dozens of key positions in Kandahar, leaving ...
  
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The Army Times had an interesting article on Equipping the soldier of the future.  Found below are key highlights of the article and SFTT's analysis. Key Highlights and SFTT Analysis:

• The Army has been pushing to identify gear soldiers need or want, find the best solutions and field them ...
  
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The Washington Post analyzes the impact of the 2010 Mid-term Elections and its impact on current administration policies. SFTT Analysis:

• To be clear, SFTT is an apolitical and non-partisan organization, regardless of the 2010 mid-term election results, or any future elections for that matter.  However, it is prudent to monitor ...
  
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