The U.S. Navy admiral who commands all NATO forces worldwide says he and the alliance secretary general are pressing each member to fulfill a specific part of the shortfall in military trainers in Afghanistan. The admiral spoke at a U.S. Senate hearing, where senior members from both parties criticized NATO allies for the shortage. Admiral James Stavridis gave the Senate Armed Services Committee specific numbers. He said the NATO-run command in Afghanistan needed 1,278 trainers for the growing Afghan Army and Police forces, but it has so far received only 541 - a shortfall of 737. "It is absolutely correct to say that NATO has fallen short in providing these vital trainers. What we are doing about it is taking further steps in terms of contacting each of the nations individually and going one-by-one through the precise requirement for each of the nations in terms of where they could most effectively fill in the trainer mix," Stavridis said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, aiming to show progress in the expanded war against insurgents in southern Afghanistan, took a brief and heavily guarded walk Tuesday down a rutted street in this scruffy market town where the Taliban lobbed mortar shells at U.S. forces only months ago. Now Zad was the scene of the first significant military push following President Obama's announcement in early December that he would add 30,000 troops atop 17,000 reinforcements he had already sent to boost the war effort. Marines moved into Now Zad in December and quickly pushed out Taliban fighters who had seized the town four years ago and forced civilians to flee. The current campaign in nearby Marja and the coming fight in much larger Kandahar are patterned on Now Zad, including the effort to recruit support from tribal elders before the fighting starts.
Afghanistan and Pakistan
Visit Reinforces Gates’ Faith in New Strategy - American Forces Press Service
Gates Greets Troops, Tours Afghan 'City that had Been Dead' - Washington Post
Gates: Some Troops Could Leave Afghanistan Early - Associated Press
Gates Visits Afghan Town Recently Seized from Taliban - Associated Press
Gates Visits Afghan Army Training Center - American Forces Press Service
More NATO Trainers Key to Afghan Effort - American Forces Press Service
More Military Trainers Needed in Afghanistan - Voice of America
Fight for Kandahar Won't be Like Fight for Marjah - Christian Science Monitor
Militants Attack Aid Agency in Northwest Pakistan - Voice of America
Gunmen Kill Five in Attack on Charity in Pakistan - The Times
Upset by U.S. Security, Pakistanis Return as Heroes - New York Times
Man Versus Afghanistan - The Atlantic opinion
Iraq
Iraq Postpones Announcing Initial Election Results - Voice of America
Iraqi Officials to Begin Releasing Vote Tallies on Wednesday - New York Times
Dispute Over Candidate Disqualifications Could Mar Legitimacy - Washington Post
Iraq Came Close to Nuclear Arms Deal - Washington Post
Doomsday in Iraq? - Los Angeles Times opinion
It’s Up to Iraqis Now. Good Luck. - New York Times opinion
Iran
U.S. Changing Focus of Iran Policy - Los Angeles Times
Iran Blocks Foreign, Domestic Web Sites - Washington Post
Israel Seeks a Stronger Stance on Iran - Washington Post
Iran's Ahmadinejad Visits Kabul - Voice of America
No Need to Ban the Bomb - Los Angeles Times opinion
United States
Mattis: Future Units Need Balanced Capabilities - American Forces Press Service
Global Threats Demand Broad Response, Admiral Says - AFPS
Africa
Somalia Food Aid Bypasses Needy, U.N. Study Finds - New York Times
Nigeria's Acting President Replaces Security Chief - Voice of America
Nigeria: Christian Villagers Flee Threats of Fresh Attacks - The Times
Ravaged Nigerian Village Is Haunted by Latest Massacre - New York Times
Africom Assists Security, Stability Efforts - American Forces Press Service
Americas
String of Protests to U.S. over Falklands Row - The Times
U.S. to Haiti: Don't Delay Elections - Washington Times
Haiti Moves to Shore Up Aid - Washington Post
U.N. Pays Tribute to 101 Staff Killed in Haiti - Associated Press
Asia Pacific
Border Security Questioned in Indonesia - New York Times
Bali Bombing Suspect Killed in Java Raid - Voice of America
Police Kill Bali Nightclub Bombing Suspect - New York Times
Australian, Indonesian Leaders Discuss Human Trafficking - Voice of America
Myanmar Bars Democracy Advocate From Election - New York Times
Hundreds Held in Tibet Crackdown - The Times
Europe
Delay on Arms Pact Slows Reset of U.S.- Russia Ties - New York Times
Turkey's Ambassador Not Returning to U.S. Yet - Voice of America
Middle East
Biden Urges Israel to Take Risks for Peace - Voice of America
With Biden in West Bank, Settlements Cloud Talks - New York Times
Biden's Israel Visit Takes a Rocky Turn - Los Angeles Times
Biden Slams Israel's Plan to Build New Settlements - Associated Press
U.S. Condemns Plans to Build Housing in E. Jerusalem - Washington Post
Israeli Settlement Plan Threatens to Wreck Talks - The Times
An Eviction Stirs Old Ghosts in a Contested City - New York Times
Checkpoint Misery: Palestinians Grind to Reach Jobs - Associated Press
Egypt's Controversial Top Cleric Dies - Associated Press
The Long War
JihadJane, an American Woman, Faces Terrorism Charges - Washington Post
Pennsylvania Woman Tied to Plot on Cartoonist - New York Times
American Dubbed 'Jihad Jane' is Indicted - Los Angeles Times
Attacks on Detainee Lawyers Split Conservatives - New York Times
5 Myths About Who Becomes a Terrorist - Washington Post opinion
