19 December SWJ Roundup
Afghanistan
U.S. Afghan Troop Surge Buys Time But Not Victory – Associated Press
New Violence Grips Afghanistan as German Leader Visits – Voice of America
Germany’s Merkel Makes Unannounced Visit to Afghanistan – BBC News
NATO Kills 20 Insurgents in Eastern Afghanistan – Associated Press
Twin Attacks Target Afghan Security Forces – Los Angeles Times
Militants Kill Afghan Soldiers – New York Times
Bomb Kills 2 Afghans in Attack in Kandahar – New York Times
Foreign Troop 2010 Toll Hits 700 In Afghanistan – Reuters
In Arghandab, Standing Guard While Government Takes Root – Stars and Stripes
Reassuring Hands: Crew’s Urgent Flight Into the Afghan Desert – New York Times
The War’s Real Report Card – Los Angeles Times opinion
Pakistan
Pakistan Denies Outing U.S. Spy – Voice of America
Pakistan Says It Didn’t Tell Spy’s Identity – New York Times
Pakistan Denies ISI Revealed Name of CIA Station Chief – Washington Post
Naming of CIA Agent to Cause U.S.-Pakistan Friction – Los Angeles Times
Pakistan Spy Agency Denies it Exposed CIA Chief – Associated Press
China Counters U.S. Criticism Of Pakistan as PM Ends Visit – Reuters
Korean Peninsula
U.N. Security Council Emergency Meeting to Discuss Korea – Wall Street Journal
U.N. Security Council to Meet Over Korea Crisis – Reuters
China Steps Up Pressure on Koreas – Voice of America
U.S. Envoy Bill Richardson Warns of Korea Tinderbox – BBC News
Seoul Unfazed by North Korea’s Threats over Military Drills – Los Angeles Times
Bad Weather Delays Drill by South Korea – Associated Press
South Korea Plans to Proceed with Military Drill – New York Times
South Korea Not Scrapping Drill Despite Threat – Reuters
Iraq
Politics in Iraq Casts Doubt on a U.S. Presence After 2011 – New York Times
Iraqi PM to Name New Cabinet Monday – Voice of America
Parliament Vote Puts Iraq Closer to a New Government – New York Times
Iraq’s Main Sunni Bloc to Participate in Government – Washington Post
U.N. Reports Christians Flee Central Iraq in Thousands – BBC News
Grim Xmas for Iraqi Christians as Many Flee North – Associated Press
Iraq Entices Investors to Bid for Power Profits – Associated Press
Iran
Mullen: U.S. `Very Ready’ to Counter Iran on Nukes – Associated Press
New Iranian FM: Improving Ties to Islamic Countries a Priority – VOA
Iran Fetes New Foreign Minister Ahead of Nuclear Talks – Los Angeles Times
Sacked Iran FM Unaware He Was to Be Fired – Associated Press
Iranian President Announces Start to Subsidy Cuts – Associated Press
Police in Iran Streets as Subsidies Are Cut – Associated Press
Confirmed: Suspicion of Iran is Universal – Washington Times opinion
WikiLeaks
Swedish Police Report Details Case Against Assange – New York Times
Bank of America Stops Handling Wikileaks Payments – BBC News
Now Comes Don’t Read, Don’t Tell – Stars and Stripes opinion
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Senate Moves to Repeal Ban on Gays in Military – Voice of America
Senate Votes to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ – Stars and Stripes
Senate Repeals ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ – New York Times
Senate Repeals ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy – Los Angeles Times
Senate Repeals ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ – Washington Times
Senate Votes to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ – Washington Post
DADT Repeal: Political, Cultural Fights Remain – Wall Street Journal
President Hails Vote to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Law – AFPS
‘Don’t Ask’ Remains in Effect as Gates, Mullen Tackle Plan – AFPS
Navy and Marine Corps Green Revolution – New York Times opinion
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
Person of the Year: SSGT Salvatore Giunta – New York Times
United States
Obama Urges Swift Approval of START Treaty – Voice of America
Arms Control Treaty Proceeds as Language Remains Intact – New York Times
Obama Promises START Treaty Won’t Limit Missile Defense – Washington Post
Obama Vows to Press on as Senate Blocks DREAM Act – Voice of America
Defeat of Immigration Measure Reveals Failed Strategy – Washington Post
Dream Act Vote Rebuffs Immigration Policy – New York Times
Dream Act’s Failure in Senate Derails Immigration Agenda – Los Angeles Times
Senate Rejects Legalization for Illegal Immigrant Students – Washington Times
Richard Holbrooke, Thirsting for a Role in History – New York Times
So Now it’s Terrorism? – Washington Times editorial
Africa
Ivory Coast President Gbagbo Orders U.N. Peacekeepers Out – VOA
Ivory Coast Strongman Orders Out U.N. Force – New York Times
Gbagbo Orders Peacekeepers to Leave Ivory Coast – BBC News
Ivory Coast’s Gbagbo Tells U.N. To Leave, Ban Refuses – Reuters
Sudan President Accused of Hiding Billions of Dollars – Voice of America
ICC: Sudan’s President Bashir ‘Siphoned Off Millions’ – BBC News
Prosecutor: Sudan’s Al-Bashir Stole Billions – Associated Press
Fighting In Sudan’s Darfur Forces 12,000 to Flee – Reuters
Zimbabwe’s Mugabe: Party Ready to Regain Dominance – Associated Press
Mugabe Threat to Nationalise U.S. and U.K. Zimbabwe Firms – BBC News
Zimbabwe Health Care, Paid With Peanuts – New York Times
Western Sahara Foes Still At Odds But to Speed Up Talks – Reuters
Americas
Mexican Drug Cartels Find Youths to be Easy Prey – Los Angeles Times
Mexico: Anti-Crime Crusader’s Family’s Business Torched – Associated Press
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez is Granted Decree Powers – Washington Post
U.S., Venezuela at Odds on Ambassador, Chavez Powers – Associated Press
Bolivia Charges 39 over Alleged Plot to Kill Morales – BBC News
Raul Castro Says Cubans Must Back Economic Reforms – BBC News
Haiti Election Results Could Be Delayed for Weeks – Associated Press
Asia Pacific
Is China (Finally) Building an Aircraft Carrier? – Wired
China Pressed to Account for Uighurs’ Fate – New York Times
Europe
Obama Reaffirms Deployment of Long-range Missile Defenses – Washington Times
Russian Military to Participate in NATO Drills Next Year – Xinhua
Moscow Police Arrest 500 to Deter Protests – Associated Press
Lukashenko Dominates Belarus Election Day – Voice of America
Strongman Lukashenko Aims to Win Another Belarus Poll – BBC News
Belarus’ Authoritarian Leader Seeks New Term – Associated Press
Belarus: Veneer of Pluralism Emerges with the West in Mind – New York Times
Kosovo PM Named in Human Organ Scandal – Voice of America
Judges Reinstate Travel Ban for Kosovo Ex-Leader – New York Times
Middle East
U.S., Bahrain Discuss Regional Security Issues – Voice of America
U.S. Commander Mike Mullen Reassures Gulf States on Iran – BBC News
Israeli Airstrike Kills Militants in Gaza – New York Times
Israeli Air Strike Kills Five in Gaza Strip – BBC News
HRW: Palestinian Communities Stifled by Israel – Associated Press
South Asia