U.S. CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR BILLIONS BUSH SPENT IN AFGHANISTAN

"The U.S. government knows it's awarded nearly $18 billion in contracts for rebuilding Afghanistan over the last three years, but it can't account for spending before 2007... The finding raises doubts about whether the U.S. government ever will determine whether taxpayers' money was spent wisely in Afghanistan..."
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/10/27/102724/us-cant-untangle-billions-sent.html

$511 MILLION EXPANSION OF KABUL EMBASSY

"The U.S. government will spend $511 million to expand its embassy in Kabul... as a demonstration of America's long-term commitment to Afghanistan..."
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/11/03-5

IRAN CONCERNED OVER HUMAN RIGHTS IN U.S.

"... Police brutality, the mistreatment of prisoners, inmates’ problems in gaining access to lawyers, illegal detentions, discrimination toward minorities, and insults directed toward the sanctities of religions under the pretext of “freedom of speech” are examples of human rights violations in the United States, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman stated...

"... there were 45 executions in the United States in 2009... 2,574 prisoners serving sentences of life without the possibility of parole for crimes committed when they were under age 18... (and) the incarcerated population had reached an all-time high of nearly 2.4 million. The United States continues to have both the largest incarcerated population and the highest incarceration rate in the world..."

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=229665

AFGHAN POLICE UNIT DEFECTS TO TALIBAN

"In Khogeyani, a volatile area southwest of the capital, the entire police force... defected to the Taliban side... 19 officers vanished, as did their guns, trucks, uniforms and food... A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, said the Afghan officers decided to defect after “learning the facts about the Taliban.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/world/asia/02afghan.html?_r=1&ref=world

U.S. BUILDING UP AFGHAN BASES FOR LONG HAUL

"Military construction projects scheduled for com­pletion over the next 12 months will deliver 4 new runways, ramp space for 8 C−17 transports, and parking for 50 helicopters and 24 close air support and 26 intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft... Construction and expansion work at bases... including the mega-bases at Bagram and Kandahar, is ongoing, often at a startling pace. The Army, for example, has indicated it plans to build a 24,000 square-foot, $10-million command-and-control facility as well as a “Joint Defense Operations Center” with supporting amenities... at Bagram Air Base. At bustling Kandahar Air Field... a $28.5 million deal for the construction of an outdoor shelter for fighter aircraft, as well as new operations and maintenance facilities and more apron space... Additional minor construction plans called for the construction of over 12 new FOBs and expansion of 18 existing FOBs... construction was slated to begin on at least three $100 million base projects, including FOB Dwyer, that were not “expected to be completed until the latter half of 2011... (and) the Army sought bids from contractors willing to supply power plants and supporting fuel systems at forward operating bases in Afghanistan for up to five years..."

"The documents reveal plans for large-scale, expensive Afghan base expansions of every sort and a military that is expecting to pursue its building boom without letup well into the future. These facts-on-the-ground indicate that, whatever timelines for phased withdrawal may be issued in Washington, the U.S. military is focused on building up, not drawing down, in Afghanistan..."

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175310/tomgram%3A_nick_turse%2C_base_desires_in_afghanistan/#more

U. S. IN PEACE TALKS WITH TALIBAN

"The United States is helping senior Taliban leaders attend initial peace talks with the Afghan government in Kabul... the American public at some point might have to swallow the idea of reconciliation with the Taliban to achieve peace in Afghanistan... Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, appearing before reporters with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a NATO conference... (said) “We have always acknowledged that reconciliation has to be part of the solution in Afghanistan, and we will do whatever we can to support this process.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/world/asia/15nato.html?_r=2

AFGHAN INSURGENCY GAINING STRENGTH

"The insurgency in Afghanistan is gaining strength... some districts in northern provinces are in danger of slipping beyond control... insurgents are now operating advanced administrations in the south and east..."
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/15/afghanistan.report/index.html?iphoneemail