Attacked CIA facility supported drone strikes

By Joby Warrick and Pamela Constable

The CIA base attacked by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan this week was at the heart of a covert program overseeing strikes by the agency's remote-controlled aircraft along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, officials familiar with the installation said Thursday. (The Washington Post)

Pakistani army eager to show progress in fight against Taliban

By Pamela Constable

SARAROGHA, Pakistan-- A toy car booby-trapped with explosives, Arabic-language chemistry and electronics texts and hand-written case notes from a Taliban courtroom were among the debris left behind by fleeing Islamic militants in this remote village in the conflicted tribal region of South Waziri... (Pakistani army eager to show progress in fight against Taliban)

Pakistan: Militants attack 2 anti-Taliban figures

By RIAZ KHAN

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Militants staged a pair of attacks against anti-Taliban figures in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing one of the men as part of an escalating campaign to weaken the country's resolve to fight Islamic extremism. (The Washington Post)

High Costs Weigh on Troop Debate for Afghan War

By CHRISTOPHER DREW
The budget implications of President Obama's decision about sending more troops to Afghanistan are adding pressure to limit the commitment, senior administration officials say. (The Washington Post)

Challenger poised to quit race

By Pamela Constable and Scott Wilson

KABUL -- The top challenger to President Hamid Karzai in the Nov. 7 election prepared Saturday to withdraw from the race, complicating President Obama's deliberations over whether to expand the war effort in Afghanistan at a critical moment. (The Washington Post)

Bombings kill 8 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan

By Joshua Partlow

KABUL -- October became the deadliest month for U.S. troops in the eight-year-old war in Afghanistan when two powerful bombs killed eight soldiers and an interpreter in separate attacks Tuesday. (The Washington Post)

14 Americans killed in two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan

By Pamela Constable and Joshua Partlow
KABUL -- In a day of military tragedy and political drama, 11 American troops and three U.S. civilians died Monday in two helicopter crashes in rural Afghanistan, while President Hamid Karzai and his top political rival escalated their dispute over conditions for holding a runoff election scheduled... (The Washington Post)

U.S. tested 2 Afghan scenarios in war game

By Greg Jaffe and Karen DeYoung

The Pentagon's top military officer oversaw a secret war game this month to evaluate the two primary military options that have been put forward by the Pentagon and are being weighed by the Obama administration as part of a broad-based review of the faltering Afghanistan war, senior military... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Launches Full-Scale Offensive

By Karin Brulliard

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 17 -- The Pakistani military launched a major ground offensive Saturday in the insurgent haven of South Waziristan, starting a much-awaited fight that could define the nation's increasingly bloody domestic struggle against Islamist extremism. (The Washington Post)

In Afghan Stability, Abdullah Is Pivotal

By Karin Brulliard

KABUL -- Abdullah Abdullah stood before a roomful of supporters at a hotel here last week, slamming the failings of the Afghan government like a man still on the campaign trail -- which, the presidential candidate insists, he is. (The Washington Post)

A Dogged Taliban Chief Rebounds, Vexing U.S.

By SCOTT SHANE Mullah Muhammad Omar's prospects seemed bleak in 2001. Now, he leads an insurgency that has gained ground in much of Afghanistan against U.S. and NATO forces. (The New York Times)

U.N. Envoy: Accusations of Pro-Karzai Bias Are Untrue

By Joshua Partlow
KABUL, Oct. 11 -- The embattled head of the United Nations mission in Afghanistan on Sunday defended himself against allegations from his former American deputy that he chose to ignore evidence of fraud in last month's disputed elections and acted in a biased manner towards President Hamid Karzai. (The Washington Post)

In Pakistan, Militants Attack Army Bastion

By Shaiq Hussain and Karin Brulliard

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Oct. 10 -- Militants staged a deadly attack on the Pakistani army headquarters Saturday in the most audacious indication yet of their willingness to battle the government -- even at the doorstep of the nation's large and powerful security forces. (The Washington Post)

Emerging Goal for Afghanistan: Weaken, Not Vanquish, Taliban

By Scott Wilson

As it reviews its Afghanistan policy for the second time this year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Taliban cannot be eliminated as a political or military movement, regardless of how many combat forces are sent into battle. (The Washington Post)

Afghan Strategy Divides Lawmakers

By Scott Wilson

Congressional leaders left a rare bipartisan meeting with President Obama on Tuesday divided over what strategy the administration should adopt to fight an increasingly unpopular war in Afghanistan and how quickly it must do so to protect U.S. forces already on the ground. (The Washington Post)

The Distance Between 'We Must' and 'We Can'

By JAMES TRAUB
The war in Afghanistan reignites a classic debate: on one side an imperative for victory, on the other the risks of overreach. (The New York Times)

Eight U.S. Troops Die in Attack on Afghan Outpost

By Joshua Partlow

KABUL, Oct. 4 -- Firing rockets and rifles, Taliban militiamen attacked American and Afghan military outposts in a daylong siege on Saturday that killed eight U.S. soldiers and two Afghan security forces in one of the deadliest battles in months, according to U.S. and Afghan officials. (The Washington Post)

U.S. Says Taliban Has A New Haven in Pakistan

By Pamela Constable

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- As American troops move deeper into southern Afghanistan to fight Taliban insurgents, U.S. officials are expressing new concerns about the role of fugitive Taliban leader Mohammad Omar and his council of lieutenants, who reportedly plan and launch cross-border strikes from ... (The Washington Post)

U.S., Allies Vow Support for Karzai

By Karen DeYoung

The United States and NATO countries fighting in Afghanistan have told President Hamid Karzai's government that they expect him to remain in office for another five-year term and will work with him on an expanded campaign to turn insurgent fighters against the Taliban and other militant groups. (The Washington Post)

Top General Denies Rift With Obama on Afghan War

By THOM SHANKER and ERIC SCHMITT
The senior American commander in Afghanistan said in an interview that he welcomed the fierce debate that has emerged over how to carry out the war. (The New York Times)

Inquiry Into CIA Practices Narrows

By Carrie Johnson, Jerry Markon and Julie Tate

The Justice Department's review of detainee abuse by the CIA will focus on a very small number of cases, including at least one in which an Afghan prisoner died at a secret facility, according to two sources briefed on the matter. (The Washington Post)

First Full Afghan Tally Gives Karzai 54% of Vote

By Pamela Constable

KABUL, Sep. 16 -- The Afghan national election commission, in its first full tally of ballots cast in last month's presidential race, announced Wednesday that incumbent Hamid Karzai had won 54.6 percent of the vote, a margin large enough for him to win reelection and avoid a runoff against his to... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan's Army Said to Be Linked to Many Killings By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH Two months after the Pakistani Army gained control of the Swat V

By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH
Two months after the Pakistani Army gained control of the Swat Valley, bodies have been dumped on the streets in what rights advocates and residents say is the work of the military. (The New York Times)

U.S. Gives New Rights To Afghan Prisoners

By Karen DeYoung and Peter Finn

Hundreds of prisoners held by the U.S. military in Afghanistan will for the first time have the right to challenge their indefinite detention and call witnesses in their defense under a new review system being put in place this week, according to administration officials. (The Washington Post)

U.S. in Delicate Spot as Fraud Claims Mount in Afghan Vote

By MARK LANDLER and HELENE COOPER
The Obama administration is trying to balance an effort to investigate vote fraud allegations with its interest in maintaining good relations with President Hamid Karzai.(The New York Times)

NATO Airstrike in Afghanistan Kills Up to 90

By FRANK JORDANS

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan -- An American war jet blasted two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in northern Afghanistan on Friday, killing up to 90 people, including insurgents and dozens of civilians who had rushed to the scene to collect fuel, Afghan officials said. (The Washington Post)

Gates May Be Open To Troop Increase

By Ann Scott Tyson

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates indicated Thursday that he is open to increasing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, voicing a shift in his position as the administration ponders a military assessment expected to lead to a formal request for additional forces. (The Washington Post)

U.N. Agency Finds Evidence of Drug Cartels Forming in Afghanistan

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr.
But the U.N. report also says that Afghanistan's production of opium declined by 10 percent this year, a rare bit of good news. (The New York Times)

Taliban Surprising U.S. Forces With Improved Tactics

By Karen DeYoung

The Taliban has become a much more potent adversary in Afghanistan by improving its own tactics and finding gaps in the U.S. military playbook, according to senior American military officials who acknowledged that the enemy's resurgence this year has taken them by surprise. (The Washington Post)

Accusation of Brazen Ballot-Stuffing Casts New Doubt on Karzai

By DEXTER FILKINS
Allegations by tribal elders in a southern Afghan district represent the most serious that have so far been publicized against Hamid Karzai.(The New York Times)

Seven Days That Shook Afghanistan

By DEXTER FILKINS
At the end of a violent week, doubts about the legitimacy of the election may cost more than battle losses. Troops can't replace faith in the government. (The New York Times)

Many Women Stayed Away From the Polls In Afghanistan

By Pamela Constable

KABUL, Aug. 30 -- Five years ago, with the country at peace, traditional taboos easing and Western donors pushing for women to participate in democracy, millions of Afghan women eagerly registered and then voted for a presidential candidate. In a few districts, female turnout was even higher than... (The Washington Post)

U.S. General Calls for New Strategy Against Taliban

By JASON STRAZIUSO

KABUL -- The commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan said Monday in an assessment of the war that a new strategy was needed to fight the Taliban, while NATO officials disclosed he is expected to separately request more troops. (The Washington Post)

Increasing Accounts of Fraud Cloud Afghan Vote

By CARLOTTA GALL
International election observers who have been working for months in Afghanistan said the problem was systemic and institutional corruption.(The New York Times)

Karzai Using Rift With U.S. to Gain Favor With Afghans

By HELENE COOPER
As American concerns mount about reports of widespread electoral fraud, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan is portraying himself as the one candidate willing to stand up to the United States. (The New York Times)

Message to Muslim World Gets a Critique

By THOM SHANKER
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in a military journal that government efforts to counter Islamist ideology "lack credibility." (The New York Times)

Accusations Of Vote Fraud Multiply in Afghanistan

By Joshua Partlow and Pamela Constable

MAZAR-E SHARIF, Afghanistan -- One week after Afghanistan's presidential election, with the winner still undeclared, increasing accusations of fraud and voter coercion threaten to undermine the validity of the results, deepen dangerous regional divisions and hamper the Obama administration's goal... (The Washington Post)

Alleged Drug Ties of Top Afghan Official Worry U.S.

By JAMES RISEN and MARK LANDLER
The dilemma of how to grapple with Gen. Mohammad Qasim Fahim, President Hamid Karzai's running mate, says much about the struggle the U.S. has had in dealing with corruption in Afghanistan. (The New York Times)

On Afghanistan, Political Test for Obama

By Scott Wilson and Joshua Partlow

President Obama is caught between two important constituencies as he recalibrates his policy in Afghanistan -- the generals who want more troops, and the base of his own party, whose tolerance for a worsening conflict is quickly evaporating. (The Washington Post)

Mullen: Afghan Fight 'Serious and Deteriorating'

By Karen DeYoung

The situation in Afghanistan is "serious and deteriorating," Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen said Sunday, as the Obama administration awaits an assessment by the new U.S. commander there and a possible request for more troops. (The Washington Post)

U.S. Fears Rifts if Afghanistan Vote Goes to Runoff

By HELENE COOPER and CARLOTTA GALL
Rather than demonstrate stability justifying an expanded American commitment in Afghanistan, the election underscored the challenges that the country faces. (The New York Times)

U.S. drone strike kills 12 in Pakistan

By Haji Mujtaba

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone fired two missiles into Pakistan's North Waziristan region on the Afghan border on Friday, killing at least a dozen people, Pakistani intelligence agency officials said. (The Washington Post)

Afghans Vote, Against Backdrop of Threats

By Pamela Constable and Joshua Partlow

KABUL, Aug. 20 -- Defying Taliban threats to bomb polling stations and maim voters, millions of Afghans cast ballots Thursday in a presidential election that was relatively peaceful and orderly despite widespread predictions of violence and fraud. (The Washington Post)

Biography claims Imran Khan and Benazir Bhutto were romantically involved

A new biography of Imran Khan has claimed the former international cricketer and Benazir Bhutto, the assassinated former Prime Minister of Pakistan, were romantically involved while they were both students at Oxford University.(The Telegraph )

Search for the real villain of Partition divides India again

In Pakistan he is known as Quaid-e-Azam or "Great leader". But in India, and beyond, there are those who have considered Mohammad Ali Jinnah as little more than a criminal, a man whose unyielding insistence on a separate country for Muslims led to the brutal division of a nation and... (The Independent)

Going Jinnah’s way

The expulsion of former Indian foreign minister Jaswant Singh from the Bharatiya Janata Party could not have come as a surprise to him. He had said last week that having written an adulatory account of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in his seminal book on the Quaid-i-Azam, he was ‘prepared for the noose.’ (Dawn)

'We Don't Have Any Alternative to Karzai'

By Joshua Partlow

BATI KOT, Afghanistan, Aug. 18 -- From the gravel lot where he repairs cars, Babarak Shinwari can see the spot where the suicide bomber killed three of his cousins last year. At his home nearby, where his four children live without electricity, he says he prays to God for a president who can bring... ('The Washington Post)

Threats by Taliban May Sway Vote in Afghanistan

By DEXTER FILKINS
The insurgents' campaign against this week's election may cost President Hamid Karzai vital support from his fellow Pashtuns. (The New York Times)

Pentagon Worries Led to Command Change

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran

In mid-March, as a White House assessment of the war in Afghanistan was nearing completion, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met in a secure Pentagon room for their fortnightly video conference with Gen. David D. McKiernan, the top... (The Washington Post)

Ahead of Vote, Afghans in U.S. Backing Candidates From Afar

By Tara Bahrampour

Late at night, after he gets home from his job managing an Afghan restaurant in Alexandria, Mir Farid Hashimi makes long-distance calls, trying to convince relatives in Afghanistan that despite the hard times there, Hamid Karzai should keep leading the country. (The Washington Post)

Pre-Vote Blast in Kabul Signals Taliban Intent

By Joshua Partlow

KABUL, Aug. 15 -- A suicide car bombing outside the U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan's capital Saturday was the most serious indication yet of the Taliban's designs to disrupt Thursday's presidential election through violence. (The Washington Post)

In Helmand, Caught Between U.S., Taliban

By Ann Scott Tyson

MIANPOSHTEH, Afghanistan -- U.S. Marines pushing into Afghanistan's southern Helmand province are running up against a skeptical Afghan population heavily influenced by Taliban insurgents, signaling a long campaign ahead. (The Washington Post)

U.S. Ambassador Seeks More Money for Afghanistan

By Karen DeYoung and Greg Jaffe

The United States will not meet its goals in Afghanistan without a major increase in planned spending on development and civilian reconstruction next year, the U.S. ambassador in Kabul has told the State Department. (The Washington Post)

Afghanistan's story is like a Greek tragedy: Riaz M Khan

Analysts Expect Long-Term, Costly U.S. Campaign in Afghanistan

By Walter Pincus

As the Obama administration expands U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, military experts are warning that the United States is taking on security and political commitments that will last at least a decade and a cost that will probably eclipse that of the Iraq war. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan's No. 1 Enemy: Ex-Ally Bent by Al Qaeda

By CARLOTTA GALL and ISMAIL KHAN
The terrorist reportedly killed in a missile strike on Wednesday is perhaps the most prominent example of a Taliban fighter who turned against his country. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Taliban Chief May Have Been Killed

By Joby Warrick

Baitullah Mehsud, the al-Qaeda-allied Taliban commander who rose to become one of Pakistan's most feared terrorists, may have been killed in a U.S. airstrike inside Pakistan this week, U.S. officials said Thursday. (The Washington Post)

Officials: Taliban chief's wife killed by missile

By ISHTIAQ MAHSUD and NAHAL TOOSI

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan -- A suspected U.S. missile strike killed a wife of Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud at his father-in-law's house Wednesday, Pakistani intelligence and military officials said. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Christians shut schools to mourn killings

By ASIF SHAHZAD

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani Christians have closed their schools and colleges across the country for three days starting Monday to mourn and protest the killings of eight of their religious brethren, leaders of the minority community said. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Valley Tries to Heal, and Fears Dark Battles Ahead

By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH
Since residents returned to the Swat Valley after the army fought the Taliban, there are signs that a new insidious conflict may be afoot and that it could take months to play out. (The New York Times)

'You Have to Learn This Now'

By Pamela Constable

KABUL -- On a bleak and sweltering plain littered with rusty Soviet tanks, pairs of grimacing military recruits crawled beneath a barbed-wire net one recent morning, dragging their rifles through the dust. Two trainers followed, shouting at them to move faster and stooping to correct their moveme... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Injects Precision Into Air War on Taliban

By ERIC SCHMITT
Sophisticated imagery and accurate weapons have helped reduce civilian casualties. (The New York Times)

U.S. unsure on success of Pakistan's Swat offensive

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It is unclear if Pakistan's offensive in Swat has killed off Taliban insurgents or simply scattered them, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, adding a note of caution to U.S. praise for the effort. (The Washington Post)

Ahu & Me: A Dog Is Lost, Hope Is Found In Pakistan

By Pamela Constable

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- I almost missed her at first, a small dusty dog curled up under a taxi in a crowded airport. But when I whistled, she poked her head out and looked up with a faintly hopeful expression. She had a slender face and huge brown eyes, like a doe. (The Washington Post)

With Stubborn Chaos in Swat, Land Owners Stay in Exile

By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH The reluctance of landowners to return to the Swat Valley is a blow to the Pakistani military's campaign to restore stability to the region. (The Washington Post)

Serious Challenger Emerges in Afghan Race

By CARLOTTA GALL Dr. Abdullah Abdullah is the one candidate who has a chance of forcing President Hamid Karzai into a runoff. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Seeks More U.S. Military Aid

By Joshua Partlow
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 22 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on Wednesday called on the United States to provide real-time intelligence, unmanned aircraft technology and other military assistance to help his country combat the Taliban without relying on attacks from U.S. drones. (The Washington Post)

Pakistani Prime Minister Calls for More U.S. Assistance

By Joshua Partlow
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 22 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday called on the United States to provide real-time intelligence, unmanned aircraft technology and other military assistance to help Pakistan combat the Taliban without relying on attacks from U.S. drones. (The Washington Post)

Coordinated Attacks in Afghanistan Kill 6

By CARLOTTA GALL and RUHULLAH KHAPALWAK The Taliban claimed responsibility as eight suicide attackers assaulted government compounds on Tuesday. (The New York Times)

Pentagon Seeks Prison Overhaul in Afghanistan

By ERIC SCHMITT A U.S. military review calls for overhauling the troubled American-run prison at Bagram Air Base, which has become an ominous symbol for Afghans. (The Washington Post)

India Visit Leaves Officials for Last Day

By Glenn Kessler
MUMBAI, India, July 18 -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reached out to the full spectrum of Indian society Saturday, sharing petits fours with corporate titans, including a man building a $1 billion home, and later munching nuts with rural women who embroider clothing for just dollars a... (The Washington Post)

Political Rivals Agree to Work Together for Pakistan's Sake

By Joshua Partlow and Aoun Sahi
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 17 -- Pakistan's leading opposition figure, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, met with President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday, following a Supreme Court ruling that acquitted Sharif of hijacking charges during a coup against his government a decade ago. (The Washington Post)

India, Pakistan PMs to meet, Mumbai attacks cloud talks

By Rina Chandran
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - The prime ministers of India and Pakistan meet in Egypt on Thursday for talks which Islamabad hopes will pave the way to the resolution of all disputes with its rival. (The Washington Post)

Tough Times for Smugglers at Pakistan's 'American Market'

By Joshua Partlow
PESHAWAR, Pakistan Not that they really have the right to complain, but these are also dire economic times for smugglers and gun runners. (The Washington Post)

Another Insurgency Gains in Pakistan

By CARLOTTA GALL A conflict in Baluchistan, a vast and restless province in Pakistan's southwest, is distracting the government from its crackdown on the Taliban and Al Qaeda. (The New York Times)

U.S. Inaction Seen After Taliban P.O.W.'s Died

By JAMES RISEN Bush administration officials are said to have repeatedly discouraged efforts to investigate a mass killing by the forces of an American-backed warlord. (The New York Times)

U.S. General Sees Afghan Army, Police Insufficient

By Greg Jaffe and Karen DeYoung

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the newly arrived top commander in Afghanistan, has concluded that the Afghan security forces will have to be far larger than currently planned if President Obama's strategy for winning the war is to succeed, according to senior military officials. (The Washington Post)

Trampled by the 'Civilian Surge'

By Anna Husarska
Why the latest surge in Afghanistan could do more harm than good. (The Washington Post)

Suspected U.S. Drones Kill at Least 44 in Pakistan

By Joshua Partlow and Haq Nawaz Khan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 8 -- For the second consecutive day, unmanned U.S. spy planes pounded suspected Taliban targets in the South Waziristan region of Pakistan on Wednesday, killing at least 44 people, according to a Pakistani official. (The Washington Post)

7 US troops killed throughout Afghanistan - Yahoo! News

KABUL – Bombs and bullets killed seven American troops on Monday, the deadliest day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in nearly a year — and a sign that the war being fought in the Taliban heartland of the south and east could now be expanding north. (Associated Press)

Piecing Together an Immigrant's Life the U.S. Refused to See

By NINA BERNSTEIN The story of a detainee and his death, kept in official oblivion for three years, shows how 9/11 changed the stakes for those tangled in U.S. immigration laws. (The New York Times)

Afghan-Pakistani Hostility Impedes U.S. Troops

By Greg Jaffe
ON THE AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN BORDER -- Lt. Gabe Lamois's mission sounded simple: Hike down the hill to the Pakistani Frontier Corps' border post, inform the commander there that U.S. and Afghan troops were going to be moving through the area at 3 a.m., and hike back up the hill. (The Washington Post)

Marines Deploy on Major Mission

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, July 2 -- Thousands of U.S. Marines descended upon the volatile Helmand River valley in helicopters and armored convoys early Thursday, mounting an operation that represents the first large-scale test of the U.S. military's new counterinsurgency strategy in Afghani... (The Washington Post)

Key in Afghanistan: Economy, Not Military

By Bob Woodward
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- National security adviser James L. Jones told U.S. military commanders here last week that the Obama administration wants to hold troop levels here flat for now, and focus instead on carrying out the previously approved strategy of increased economic development,... (The Washington Post)

Deadly Ambush Could Indicate Threat to Pakistan's Army

By Joshua Partlow
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 29 -- The Pakistani military is at war with the Taliban, but the ambush that killed 16 soldiers in the tribal region of North Waziristan on Sunday was still somewhat unexpected. (The Washington Post)

Taliban Losses Are No Sure Gain for Pakistanis

By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH The Pakistani military has claimed success in the Swat Valley, but the stability may be threatened by the militants' decision to flee, possibly to return later. (The New York Times)

Pakistani violence spreads to Kashmir

By Abu Arqam Naqash
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Two soldiers were killed on Friday in the first suicide bombing in Pakistani Kashmir, while three people were killed and seven wounded in two bomb blasts in a militant-infested areas near the Afghan border. (The Washington Post)

Suicide bomber kills 2 troops in Pakistani Kashmir

By RYAN LUCAS
ISLAMABAD -- Officials say a suicide bomber has killed at least two soldiers in the Pakistani part of Kashmir. (The Washington Post)

Senate votes to triple non-defense aid to Pakistan

By JIM ABRAMS
WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted Wednesday to triple nonmilitary aid to Pakistan in hopes of bolstering economic and political stability there and to help change the negative attitudes of many Pakistanis toward America. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan's Plans for New Fight Stir Concern

By Pamela Constable
CAMP JALOZAI, Pakistan -- As they bake in a sea of plastic tents under the relentless sun, families displaced by the recent army campaign against Taliban forces in the Swat Valley have a single, burning question about the Pakistani government's plans for a far more ambitious military assault against... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan's Victory Described as a Gift to a Nation

By HUW RICHARDS The Pakistan captain, Younis Khan, retired from the format after leading his country over Sri Lanka for one of its greatest cricket victories. (The New York Times)

With a Plan and a Rope, Captives Fled From Taliban

By ADAM B. ELLICK An Afghan journalist who was held captive by the Taliban along with a New York Times reporter revealed the details of their nighttime escape. (The New York Times)

Times Reporter Escapes Taliban After 7 Months

By THE NEW YORK TIMES David Rohde, a New York Times reporter who was kidnapped by the Taliban, escaped Friday night and made his way to freedom after more than seven months of captivity. (The New York Times)

The Saturday Profile: Corruption Crusader Aims for Afghan Presidency

By ADAM B. ELLICK Ramazan Bashardost, a radical independent who has attacked corruption, could play a Ralph Nader-like spoiler role for President Hamid Karzai in the coming presidential elections. (The New York Times)

Pakistan's 'Invisible Refugees' Burden Cities

By SABRINA TAVERNISE Most of the nearly three million Pakistanis who have fled fighting with the Taliban live unseen in houses and schools, according to aid agencies. (The New York Times)

Cleric's Slaying Signifies a Shift

By Pamela Constable
LAHORE, Pakistan, June 16 -- The modest office where Sarfraz Naeemi kept his library and received visitors seeking spiritual guidance is now a charred hole. The floor is strewn with burned pages, glass shards and ball bearings from a young suicide bomber's lethal vest. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Vows to Extend Fight

By SALMAN MASOOD and SABRINA TAVERNISE In an effort to boost troop and public morale, the nation's powerful army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani flew over the Swat valley where troops have engaged in an offensive against militants. (The New York Times)

Pakistani Military Launches Airstrikes on Taliban Strongholds

By SABRINA TAVERNISE and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH The military ordered the attacks after the Taliban claimed responsibility for the recent suicide bombings of a luxury hotel and two mosques. (The New York Times)

Suicide bombers strike Pakistan mosque, seminary

By BABAR DOGAR
LAHORE, Pakistan -- Friday prayers had just ended when the suicide bomber walked into the seminary office of a popular anti-Taliban cleric and detonated his explosives. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan's Next Fight? Don't Go There.

By Nicholas Schmidle
Two years ago, my wife and I vacationed in Pakistan's Swat Valley. We spent an afternoon sightseeing in the hills, visiting stupas in the dense pine forests and carvings of the Buddha etched into sheer granite cliffs, remnants of the Buddhist civilization that had thrived in the valley for... (The Washington Post)

U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Is Given More Leeway

By THOM SHANKER and ERIC SCHMITT Gen. Stanley McChrystal has a wide berth to pick a dream team of subordinates as he moves to carry out a new strategy for combating the Taliban. (The New York Times)

U.S. envoy says Pakistan shows new vigor in fight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan said on Wednesday he had noticed a dramatic change in Pakistan's attitude toward fighting Islamist extremists during his visit there last week. (The Washington Post)

Truck Bomb Kills 11, Injures Dozens At Pakistani Hotel

By Griff Witte
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 9 -- A massive truck bomb exploded outside a luxury hotel in northwestern Pakistan's provincial capital Tuesday night, killing 11 people and injuring at least 50, officials said. The attack marked the latest salvo by insurgents who have vowed to avenge an army offensive ... (The Washington Post)

Pakistanis attack Taliban over mosque bombing

By RIAZ KHAN
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Pakistani tribesmen seeking revenge for a deadly mosque bombing attacked militant strongholds for a third day Monday, while the country's Taliban leader faced rare denunciation from within insurgent ranks. (The Washington Post)

Erratic Afghan Forces Pose Challenge to U.S. Goals

By C. J. CHIVERS The Obama administration has put a priority on expanding the size and abilities of Afghanistan's security forces. (The New York Times)

Pakistan health care crumbles with refugee influx

By KATHY GANNON
DAGAR, Pakistan -- She doesn't have a name yet. Born five weeks too early, she came into this world at the end of a painful six-hour drive on a creaky old bus that passed through a battlefield before arriving at the hospital. There was no electricity and not enough fuel for an incubator to feed... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Says Tide Has Turned in Swat; Refugees Not So Sure

By Karen DeYoung
SWABI, Pakistan, June 4 -- Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani, declared Thursday that the tide had "decisively turned" in the military's battle against Taliban extremists in the Swat Valley, but displaced Pakistanis in a sprawling tent city here said it was still unsafe for them to return... (The Washington Post)

Seeking a Way Between Two Worlds

By Michelle Boorstein
Many had just entered high school in the days after the Sept. 11 attacks and now, eight years later, they are leaving college and choosing their path in life. Young Muslims in the Washington area are part of a generation that appears markedly different from their parents in career choices, assimi... (The Washington Post)

Taliban Stir Rising Anger of Pakistanis

By SABRINA TAVERNISE After months of televised cruelties, broken promises and attacks, there is a growing sense that many Pakistanis are turning against the Taliban. (The New York Times)

Obama Seeks More Aid For Displaced Pakistanis

By Karen DeYoung
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 3 -- President Obama has asked Congress for an additional $200 million in emergency aid for 3 million Pakistanis displaced by their government's ongoing military offensive against Taliban extremists, U.S. envoy Richard C. Holbrooke said Wednesday. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Releases Mumbai Suspect

By Griff Witte and Rama Lakshmi
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 2 -- A Pakistani court on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of the founder of a banned militant group that is thought to be behind last year's terrorist attacks in Mumbai. (The New York Times)

U.S. Report Finds Airstrike Errors in Afghan Deaths

By ERIC SCHMITT and THOM SHANKER U.S. personnel made major errors in carrying out airstrikes that killed dozens of Afghan civilians, a military investigation has concluded. (The Washington Post)

Pakistani Villagers Come to the Aid of Refugees

By Griff Witte
MADHEY BABA, Pakistan, June 1 -- When Khalil ul-Rahman's houseguests arrived in this northwestern Pakistani village, they brought with them the clothes on their backs, two cows and little else. (The Washington Post)

Afghan Valley Offers Test for Obama Strategy

By SABRINA TAVERNISE The Jalrez Valley, where Americans have reduced violence while improving services and creating jobs, is a test case. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Army Claims Control of Main Swat Town

By SABRINA TAVERNISE A general says the public helped win a major victory in a three-week campaign against the Taliban. (The New York Times)

A Better Bargain for Aid to Pakistan

By C. Christine Fair
The U.S. should disperse billions in aid through a well-structured trust fund. (The Washington Post)

Several Blasts in Pakistan After Taliban Warning

By ISMAIL KHAN and SALMAN MASOOD Multiple bombs exploded in two Pakistani cities on Thursday, just hours after the Taliban issued an extraordinary warning for people to evacuate cities. (The New York Times)

Popular Former Premier Is Back in Pakistani Politics

By Griff Witte
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 26 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the nation's most popular politician, can participate in elections despite an earlier ban. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Says It Makes More Gains on Taliban

By SALMAN MASOOD The army said it had taken the central square of Mingora, the largest city in the Swat Valley. (The New York Times)

Pakistan and Taliban Battling for Key City

By SALMAN MASOOD The Pakistani military is trying to wrest the largest city in the contested Swat Valley from the hands of Taliban militants. (The New York Times)

U.S. Captain Hears Pleas for Afghan Detainee

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. An American officer, who in civilian life is a policeman, helped find a lawyer for a man held as a suspected Taliban leader. (The New York Times)

Pakistani Refugee Crisis Poses Peril

By Griff Witte
MARDAN, Pakistan -- Bacha Zab, a 32-year-old fruit salesman, dodged army shelling and Taliban sniper fire to escape his native Swat Valley. But when he reached the safety of a government-run refugee camp in this northwestern Pakistani city, he was told there was no more room. (The Washington Post)

Battle for Swat's Main City Begins

By Griff Witte
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 23 -- Pakistani troops pushed into the largest city in the contested Swat Valley on Saturday and fought block to block with Taliban militants in an apparent escalation of the army's effort to retake the picturesque area, which has become a symbol of insurgent defiance and... (The Washington Post)

Taliban Foiling Pakistani Army

By Griff Witte
KHWAZAKHELA, Pakistan, May 22 -- The Pakistani army has retaken control of key parts of the contested Swat Valley in recent days, but the Taliban has kept its grip on some of the area's largest towns nearly a month into a massive military offensive, army commanders said Friday during a visit near... (The Washington Post)

UN seeks $543 million for Pakistan war refugees

By CHRIS BRUMMITT
ISLAMABAD -- The United Nations appealed Friday for $543 million to ease the "incredible suffering" of nearly 2 million refugees from Pakistan's war against Taliban militants. (The Washington Post)

A Peace Overture in Afghanistan

By DEXTER FILKINS Leaders of armed groups in Afghanistan are talking to intermediaries about a potential peace agreement. (The New York Times)

Pakistan army wrests town from Taliban, killing 80

By ZARAR KHAN
ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani forces killed 80 militants and drove the Taliban from a major urban stronghold on Wednesday, the army said, as U.S. military planes brought aid for civilians fleeing fierce fighting in the northwest. (The Washington Post)

Arms From U.S. May Be Falling Into Taliban Hands

By C. J. CHIVERS Evidence suggests munitions procured by the Pentagon leak from Afghan forces for use against American troops. (The New York Times)

Ex-U.S. Envoy in Talks for Key Role in Afghan Government

By HELENE COOPER Zalmay Khalilzad, a former ambassador to Afghanistan, could assume a powerful position under a plan he is discussing with the Afghan president, officials said. (The New York Times)

Pakistan army battles Taliban; PM wins support

By Kamran Haider
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani soldiers were locked in heavy fighting with Taliban militants in their Swat bastion on Monday, the army said, as the government won broad support for the offensive from political parties. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Is Rapidly Adding Nuclear Arms, U.S. Says

By THOM SHANKER and DAVID E. SANGER There are new concerns on Capitol Hill about whether billions of dollars in proposed military aid might be diverted to Pakistan's nuclear program. (The New York Times)

Pakistan urges civilians to flee from Swat

By Kamran Haider
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The Pakistani government on Sunday urged people stranded by a military offensive against Taliban militants in the Swat valley to try to get out. (The Washington Post)

New Exodus Fuels Concerns in Pakistan

By SALMAN MASOOD The military relaxed its curfew to allow residents stranded by government operations against the Taliban to flee to refugee camps in adjacent districts. (The New York Times)

Bombing, US strike kill dozens in Pakistan

By RIAZ KHAN
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Bombs destroyed an Internet cafe, wrecked a bus carrying handicapped children and spread panic through Pakistan's main northwestern city on Saturday, killing at least 11 people in a day of carnage across the militancy-plagued region. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan readies assault on Taliban in Swat town

MINGORA, Pakistan -- The Pakistan army readied a major assault to rid the main town in the Swat Valley of entrenched Taliban militants, who the military said Friday were shaving their beards in order to mingle undetected with fleeing civilians. (The Washington Post)

Villagers in Afghanistan Describe Chaos of U.S. Strikes

By CARLOTTA GALL and TAIMOOR SHAH The number of civilians killed by American airstrikes in Farah Province last week may never be fully known, but villagers tell stories of devastation. (The New York Times)

Senators link Pakistan aid to focus on extremists

By LARA JAKES
WASHINGTON -- Senators voiced doubts Thursday about sending millions of dollars to Pakistan without assurances it will be spent to fight extremists who threaten security and political stability both there and in Afghanistan. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Gets Sensitive U.S. Drone Images, With Limits

By ERIC SCHMITT and MARK MAZZETTI The U.S. for the first time has provided Pakistan with surveillance information collected by drones flying along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. (The New York Times)

At Hill Hearing, Details Sought On Afghanistan-Pakistan Policy

By Walter Pincus
Some Democratic senators joined Republicans yesterday in questioning whether the Obama administration had adequately explained its strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan as Congress considers a supplemental appropriations bill that includes billions of dollars for military and economic assistance ... (The Washington Post)

Pakistani Commandos Target Taliban Bases

By Pamela Constable
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 12 -- Army commandos launched aggressive new search-and-destroy operations in the Swat Valley and several surrounding districts in the Taliban-plagued northwest Tuesday, military officials said. (The Washington Post)

Terrorism Is Not Priority for Pakistanis, Poll Finds

By SALMAN MASOOD A new poll showed that an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis consider the country's economy the most important issue facing the country. (The New York Times)

Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Is Fired

By Ann Scott Tyson
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced yesterday that he had requested the resignation of the top American general in Afghanistan, Gen. David D. McKiernan, making a rare decision to remove a wartime commander at a time when the Obama administration has voiced increasing alarm about the... (The Washington Post)

Shaky Pakistan Is Seen as a Target of Plots by Al Qaeda

By MARK MAZZETTI and ERIC SCHMITT
Foreign operatives of Al Qaeda are moving to sow chaos in Pakistan and strengthen the hand of the militant Islamist groups there, U.S. and Pakistani intelligence officials say. (The New York Times)

Pakistan's Ethnic Fault Line

By Selig S. Harrison

Key to keeping Pakistan stable is understanding its ethnic conflicts. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Pounds Taliban, Swelling Tide of Refugees

By DEXTER FILKINS The Pakistani military said Friday that it had gone on a full-scale offensive to rout militants in the Swat Valley, as tens of thousands of refugees fled the region. (The New York Times)

Taliban-Style Justice Stirs Growing Anger

By Pamela Constable
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 9 -- When black-turbaned Taliban fighters demanded in January that Islamic sharia law be imposed in Pakistan's Swat Valley, few alarm bells went off in this Muslim nation of about 170 million. (The Washington Post)

The Saturday Profile: Adroit Envoy States Case for Pakistan

By MARK LANDLER Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States and a lucid interpreter of his country's bewildering politics, has become an influential figure in Washington. (The New York Times)

Off the track: Ohio Christian school tells student to skip prom

FINDLAY, Ohio – A student at a fundamentalist Baptist school that forbids dancing, rock music, hand-holding and kissing will be suspended if he takes his girlfriend to her public high school prom, his principal said.(More)

Fears Rise Over Refugees as Pakistan Presses Fight

By DEXTER FILKINS The Pakistani military said Friday that it had gone on a full-scale offensive to rout militants in the Swat Valley, as tens of thousands of refugees fled the region. (The New York Times)

An 'Afpak' About-Face For Obama

By Jackson Diehl
Obama couldn't scare Karzai and Zardari. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Announces Army Offensive Against Taliban

By Pamela Constable
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 7 -- Pakistan's prime minister told the nation Thursday that the armed forces were being "called in to eliminate the militants and terrorists" who have forcibly occupied part of the country's northwest, sending thousands of civilians fleeing from the region in the past week. (The Washington Post)

High Civilian Toll Seen in U.S. Raid in Afghanistan

By CARLOTTA GALL and TAIMOOR SHAH The Red Cross said dozens died, but Afghan officials put the death toll at more than 100 in the airstrikes. (The New York Times)

In Pakistan, 'Great Rage, Great Fear'

By Pamela Constable and Haq Nawaz Khan
GOLRA, Pakistan, May 6 -- Hajji Karim and his extended family of 70 were camped in a dirt-floor stable 10 miles outside Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. It was as far as they could get from the Swat Valley, where thousands of people are fleeing from the ravages of the Taliban and the imminent p... (The Washington Post)

Looking for Drones, Zardari Went to CNN

By Dana Milbank

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has a problem. His government is near collapse, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing the Taliban in northwest Pakistan, and militants are within 60 miles of the capital, Islamabad. (The Washington Post)

Administration Is Keeping Ally at Arm's Length

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran

Afghan President Hamid Karzai began talking as soon as his luncheon guests had taken their seats in his wood-paneled dining room at the presidential palace in Kabul, across a long table covered with platters of lamb and rice, baskets of flatbread, and glasses of pomegranate juice. (The Washington Post)

A Strengthened Karzai to Meet Obama

By Pamela Constable

KABUL, May 2 -- With less than a week left before candidates must register for Afghanistan's presidential election, opposition forces remain so divided and appear so confused that the incumbent president, Hamid Karzai, is looking more and more like a winner as he heads to Washington for a summit ... (The Washington Post)

NYTimes.com: In Pakistan, U.S. Courts Leader of Opposition

By HELENE COOPER and MARK MAZZETTI
The Obama administration is reaching out to the former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, whose ties to Islamists could help President Asif Ali Zardari confront the Taliban. (The New York Times)

Britain Pays to Keep Suspects From U.S. Hands

By Craig Whitlock

The British government has paid nearly $900,000 in legal fees on behalf of three associates of Osama bin Laden who have fended off attempts by the U.S. government to extradite them for a decade, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. (The Washington Post)

Pakistani Offensive Puts Truce on Shakier Ground

By CARLOTTA GALL and ISMAIL KHAN
A negotiator for the Taliban broke off talks to protest a government offensive in the Swat Valley. (The New York Times)

Talks With Taliban in Pakistan on Hold After Military Offensive

By Nahal Toosi

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, April 27 -- A Pakistani military offensive against insurgent hideouts prompted suspension of controversial peace talks with the Taliban on Monday, and the country's president sought additional foreign aid to ensure that its nuclear arms remain in "safe hands." (The Washington Post)

In Pakistan, Guile Helps Taliban Gain

By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH
The fall of Buner, a strategic district in Pakistan, involved tactics that could be replicated elsewhere. (The New York Times)

Sound the Alarm

THE TALIBAN raised fears in Pakistan last week by briefly seizing new territories near the capital, Islamabad. But in its own way, the Obama administration offered as much reason for panic about the deteriorating situation in that nuclear-armed Muslim country. In the course of just three days, the... (The Washington Post)

Alarm Grows Over Pakistan's Failure to Halt Militant Gains

By CARLOTTA GALL and ERIC SCHMITT
The fall of a district near Pakistan's capital to Taliban fighters has raised alarm about the ability of the government to fend off the militants' advance. (The New York Times)

Taliban Advance, Pakistan's Wavering Worry Obama Team

By Karen DeYoung

The Obama administration reacted with increasing alarm yesterday to ongoing Taliban advances in Pakistan, warning the Pakistani government that failure to take action against the extremists could endanger its partnership with the United States as well as U.S. strategy in neighboring Afghanistan. (The Washington Post)

U.S. May Fill Afghan Civilian Posts With Military Personnel

By THOM SHANKER
Military personnel will fill hundreds of posts in Afghanistan that had been intended for civilian experts, senior officials said. (The New York Times)

Clinton: Pakistani Government 'Abdicating' to Extremist Forces

By Glenn Kessler

The Pakistani government "is basically abdicating to the Taliban and to the extremists," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told Congress yesterday in an unusually blunt statement that reflects the unease within the Obama administration about an agreement authorized by President Asif Ali... (The Washington Post)

U.S. wants broader Pakistan military ties: official

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration wants to pursue broader military ties with Pakistan to help Islamabad combat a growing threat from militant groups including the Taliban, a Pentagon official said Tuesday. (The Washington Post)

Bomber Hits Checkpoint in Pakistan, Killing 20

By ISMAIL KHAN
The police blamed the Pakistani Taliban for the attack, which hit around the time when the guard was changing at the checkpoint. (The New York Times)

India's Muslims See Bias in Housing

By Emily Wax

MUMBAI -- The sunny apartment had everything Palvisha Aslam, 22, a Bollywood producer, wanted: a spacious bedroom and a kitchen that overlooked a garden in a middle-class neighborhood that was a short commute to Film City, where many of India's Hindi movies are shot. (The Washington Post)

Pakistani Cleric Calls for Islamic Law Nationwide

By Pamela Constable

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, April 17 -- A firebrand Islamist cleric, released on bail after almost two years under house arrest, returned triumphantly Friday to his former mosque in Pakistan's capital, where he called on a crowd of chanting followers to spread the crusade for Islamic law across the... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Dodges A Bullet

By David Ignatius

How the Obama administration averted a military coup in Islamabad. (The Washington Post)

U.S. Criticizes Pakistan's Deal On Islamic Law

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, April 14 -- The Obama administration said Pakistan's imposition of Islamic law in a northwest valley to quell a Taliban insurgency undermines human rights, while a visiting U.S. senator urged the country to "ratchet up" its urgency in the terror fight. (The Washington Post)

Kerry: Pakistan needs more urgency in terror fight

By NAHAL TOOSI

ISLAMABAD -- A top U.S. senator on Tuesday urged Pakistan to "ratchet up" its sense of urgency in battling the spreading militancy in its northwest, even as the government defended a deal to impose Islamic law in a swath of the region to achieve peace with the Taliban. (The Washington Post)

Afghan Law Ignites Debate on Religion, Sex

By Pamela Constable

KABUL, April 10 -- When Afghanistan's government quietly enacted a sweeping law last month restricting the rights of minority Shiite women, few Afghans were aware of what it said. But since the law's contents became known here just over a week ago, it has provoked an extraordinary public debate o... (The Washington Post)

Slain Pakistani politician helped free American

By STEPHEN GRAHAM

ISLAMABAD -- A separatist politician whose mutilated body was found in Pakistan's restive southwest had helped secure the release of a kidnapped American U.N. worker, the U.S. Embassy said. (The Washington Post)

A Short Fuse in Pakistan

By David Ignatius

Richard Holbrooke and Mike Mullen uncover fresh evidence of chaos in Pakistan. (The Washington Post)

U.S. Envoy Says India Is Not Being Pressured

By Rama Lakshmi

NEW DELHI, April 8 -- U.S. special envoy Richard C. Holbrooke said Wednesday that "India, Pakistan and the U.S. face a common threat" posed by Islamist extremist groups. But Holbrooke, in New Delhi for meetings with top Indian officials after visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, denied asking Indi... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan, U.S. stress trust, disagree on drones

By Robert Birsel

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan and the United States must build trust as they confront Islamist militant violence, senior officials said on Tuesday, but they failed to resolve disagreement on U.S. drone aircraft strikes in Pakistan. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan's Chief Justice Assails Attorney General Over Taliban Flogging

By JANE PERLEZ
The newly restored judge, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, assailed government officials for not taking up the case until it became a national scandal. (The New York Times)

More Drone Attacks in Pakistan Planned

By ERIC SCHMITT and CHRISTOPHER DREW
Despite threats from the Taliban, the U.S. may expand missile strikes to another haven for militants, senior administration officials said. (The New York Times)

Taliban threaten 2 attacks per week in Pakistan

By ZARAR KHAN

ISLAMABAD -- A suicide bombing at a crowded Shiite mosque south of Pakistan's capital killed 26 people, the latest evidence of how security in the U.S.-allied nation is crumbling well beyond the Afghan border region where al-Qaida and Taliban fighters thrive. (The Washington Post)

With conditions set on aid, Pakistan sharpens tone

By STEPHEN GRAHAM

ISLAMABAD -- When U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke arrives in Pakistan this week he will be publicly feted for President Barack Obama's pledge of massive, long-term aid for a wobbling nation critical to America's strategy for turning around its the war in Afghanistan. (The Washington Post)

Which Way in Afghanistan? Ask Colombia For Directions.

By Scott Wilson

Colombia offers a far better classroom then Iraq for learning how to beat the Taliban. (The Washington Post)

Congress Moves to Set Terms for Pakistan Aid

By Karen DeYoung

Just as it did with Iraq, Congress is moving toward imposing benchmarks that the Pakistani government must meet to qualify for billions of dollars of U.S. military assistance. But the proposed restrictions, introduced in House legislation Thursday, have made both the White House and the Pakistani... (The Washington Post)

Which Way in Afghanistan? Ask Colombia For Directions.

By Scott Wilson

Colombia offers a far better classroom then Iraq for learning how to beat the Taliban. (The Washington Post)

NATO Meeting to Highlight Strains on Afghanistan

By THOM SHANKER and STEVEN ERLANGER
President Obama's strategy significantly Americanizes the war effort, putting new demands on the alliance. (The New York Times)

Detention at Afghan Base Is Subject to U.S. Courts

By CHARLIE SAVAGE
A federal judge ruled that some of the prisoners have a constitutional right to challenge their detention. (The New York Times)

Pakistan court allows Sharifs to take back Punjab

By Zeeshan Haider

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended a ruling barring former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother from holding elected office and restored their government in the key province of Punjab. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Taliban Chief Brags of Attack on Police

By Pamela Constable

KABUL, March 31 -- The reclusive commander of the Pakistani Taliban said Tuesday that his fighters had carried out Monday's bold assault on a police academy in eastern Pakistan and boasted that he was planning a terrorist attack in Washington that would astonish the world. (The Washington Post)

Insurgent Threat Shifts in Pakistan

By Pamela Constable

KABUL, March 30 -- The brazen occupation of a Pakistani police academy Monday by heavily armed gunmen near the eastern mega-city of Lahore was the latest indication that Islamist terrorism, once confined to Pakistan's northwest tribal belt, now threatens political stability nationwide. (The Washington Post)

Afghanistan's Karzai Endorses Obama Plan

By Pamela Constable

KABUL, March 28 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday that he was in "full agreement" with President Obama's newly announced strategy for Afghanistan, saying it was "exactly what the Afghan people were hoping for" and promising to "work very closely" with the United States to implement t... (The Washington Post)

Iraq Plans to Relocate Iran Opposition Group

By Ernesto Londoño

BAGHDAD, March 27 -- Iraq's national security adviser said Friday that the government intends to move an Iranian opposition group from its sanctuary near the Iranian border to a location where leaders and "brainwashed cult members" will be separated and the latter "detoxified." (The Washington Post)

Crowded Mosque Bombed in Pakistan

By Haq Nawaz and Pamela Constable

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, March 27 -- A suicide bomber detonated his explosives Friday in a crowded mosque in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 50 people and leaving more bodies buried in the rubble of the building, officials said. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan and Afghan Taliban Close Ranks

By CARLOTTA GALL
Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Afghan Taliban leader, persuaded the Pakistani Taliban to focus their efforts on the fight in Afghanistan. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Taliban: Bomb that killed 11 was revenge

By ISHTIAQ MAHSUD

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan -- A suicide bomber struck a restaurant in volatile northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least 11 people, including pro-government fighters opposed to the country's top Taliban commander, intelligence officials said. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan hopes for U.S. re-think on missiles

By Alamgir Bitani

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan wants the United States to reconsider its use of pilotless drones to attack militants on its territory, a government spokesman said on Thursday, hours after 11 people were killed in two strikes. (The Washington Post)

U.S., Pakistan drawing up new drone targets: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and Pakistani intelligence officials are drawing up a new list of targets for unmanned drone strikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. (The Washington Post)

Officials: Suicide attack kills 11 in NW Pakistan

ISHTIAQ MAHSUD

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan -- A suicide bomber struck a restaurant in volatile northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least 11 people including pro-government fighters opposed to the country's top Taliban commander, intelligence officials said. (The Washington Post)

4,000 More U.S. Troops to Be Sent to Afghanistan as Trainers

By Karen DeYoung and Greg Jaffe

President Obama will deploy as many as 4,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, beyond the 17,000 he authorized last month, as trainers and advisers to the Afghan Army, according to a senior Pentagon official who has seen the new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy Obama will unveil Friday. (The Washington Post)

Afghan Strikes by Taliban Get Pakistan Help, U.S. Aides Say

By MARK MAZZETTI and ERIC SCHMITT
The support consists of money, military supplies and planning guidance to Taliban commanders who are gearing up to confront a larger force in Afghanistan. (The New York Times)

Potential Afghan Reconstruction Challenges Cited

By Ellen Nakashima

Government auditors sounded a warning yesterday for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan as they outlined to lawmakers how a lack of security, coordinated planning and effective oversight has hobbled the United States' $50 billion effort in Iraq. (The Washington Post)

Judge's return raises hopes for Pakistan's missing

By NAHAL TOOSI

ISLAMABAD -- With Pakistan's top judge back at work, Zahida Sharif has new hope that her husband will be found, her toddler son will know his father and justice will be served. (The Washington Post)

On Spring Break, Cricket Gets Serious

By JOSHUA ROBINSON
Cricket, which counts its fans by the billion worldwide, is trying to register a pulse in the U.S. with the American College Cricket spring break championship.(The New York Times)

Zardari woos opposition to end Pakistan crisis

By Augustine Anthony

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - President Asif Ali Zardari called for reconciliation in a speech to the nation on Monday, seeking to mend fences with the opposition in a country threatened by economic crisis and growing Islamist militancy. (The Washington Post)