Abstracts of reports, editorials
and opinion articles published in Asian and American English
press including The New York Times, Washington Post,
International Herald Tribune, The Indian Express, The Hindu
and The Times of India.
The Washington Post,
24 July 2008
After Visit, Obama Defends Iraq Plan
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday defended his proposal to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq over a 16-month period despite opposition to any timeline from the top U.S. commander there, Gen. David H. Petraeus. More forces are needed to combat a perilous situation in Afghanistan, Obama said."I believe that the best way to support Iraqi sovereignty and to encourage the Iraqis to stand up is through the responsible redeployment of our combat brigades," Obama told reporters after completing a four-day visit to Iraq and Afghanistan. ...
The New York Times,
24 July 2008
A City's Police Force Now Doubts Terror Focus
Nearly seven years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the war on terror in this city has evolved into a quiet struggle against a phantom foe.Last year, when a sailor slipped over the side of a Turkish merchant ship in the city's port, a Providence police detective assigned to a joint terrorism task force was quickly alerted, reflecting a new vigilance since the Sept. 11 attacks. Alerts also went out to immigration, customs, the F.B.I. and other federal agencies, but the case went cold.Like most of the country's more than 18,000 local law enforcement agencies, the Providence Police Department went to war against terror after Sept. 11, embracing a fundamental shift in its national security role. ...
The Washington Post,
21 July 2008
Obama Arrives in Baghdad to Discuss Iraq Strategy
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama arrived in Iraq Monday morning to discuss U.S.-Iraq strategy and American troop levels, issues that have become a cornerstone of debate in the U.S. presidential campaign."We had a very constructive discussion," the Illinois senator and presumptive Democratic nominee said before ducking back into a heavily guarded Chevrolet Suburban to head to his next meeting, with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. "I'll be providing details later during my visit."Obama, a first-term senator who is seeking to convince voters that he has enough foreign policy experience to succeed in the Oval Office, will also travel to Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain between now and the end of the week. ...
The International News,
21 July 2008
Tribal areas becoming militant's centre: US Commander
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman (JCSC) Admiral Mike Mullen has said that there has been a 'joining and a syndication of various extremist and terrorist groups' in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, which pose an internal threat to Pakistan and cause an increased flow of fighters across the border into Afghanistan.He said that during his visit to the region, the whole issue of FATA and safe havens for foreign fighters of Al Qaeda and the Taliban had come up.He claimed that the insurgents are now 'freely, much more freely able to come across the border. They are a big challenge for all of us and will have an adverse effect on our ability to move forward in Afghanistan.' ...
