ISW News Roundup - September 17, 2009

September 16, 2009 Roundup                                        September 18, 2009 Roundup

Afghanistan

New York Times - Obama Offers Ways to Rate Efforts in Afghan Region, by David E. Sanger, Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt

Washington Times - Obama to rate war progress in Afghanistan, by Matthew Mosk

RFE/RL - White House's Report Card On Afghan War Also Focuses Heavily On Pakistan

Washington Post - Obama Says He Won't Rush Troop Decision, by Karen DeYoung

Times Online UK - President Obama's top military adviser exposes Afghanistan rifts, by Giles Whittell, Michael Evans, and Catherine Philip

Department of Defense - Obama Cites Need for Civilian Assistance in Afghanistan, by Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden

Associated Press - Car bomb in Kabul kills 6 Italians, 10 Afghans, by Amir Shah

New York Times - Bomb in Kabul Kills 6 Italian Troops, by Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Abdul Waheed Wafa

Associated Press - Afghan panel says 30 civilians died in NATO strike

Reuters - FACTBOX: Security developments in Afghanistan

Associated Press - Afghan president defense vote, admits some bias, by Heidi Vogt and Douglas Birch

Washington Post - First Full Afghan Tally Gives Karzai 54% of Vote, by Pamela Constable

Christian Science Monitor - Karzai unlikely to claim Afghan election victory soon, by Howard LaFranchi

Wall Street Journal - Afghan Presidential Candidates Explore Alliances, by Anand Gopal and Matthew Rosenberg

Iraq

Reuters - Ex-Iraq deputy PM's new role may calm Kurd-Arab feud

RFE/RL - Iraqi Kurdish Parliament Nominates Prime Minister

Washington Post - Biden Pushes Iraqi Leaders On Vote Law, Oil-Bid Perks, by Scott Wilson

Associated Press - Biden: Iraq won't alter troop withdrawal timing

RFE/RL - Biden: No Iraq Land, Oil Feud Solution Before Poll

Christian Science Monitor - Iraq's vice president says Iraq should call on US for security help, by Jane Arraf

Reuters - U.S. military shuts largest detainee camp in Iraq

Reuters - Iraq leader seeks investment as rockets fall, by Ross Colvin

LA Times - Iraq: U.S. forces shoot man in Fallouja

Pakistan

BBC - Taliban 'kill' Mehsud relatives

Long War Journal - Two al Qaeda leaders reported killed in North Waziristan strike, by Bill Roggio

New York Times - Qaeda Commander Killed in Drone Attack in Pakistan, by Pir Zubair Shah and Mark McDonald

Region

Somalia

Associated Press - Witness: 11 dead in Somalia suicide car bombings, by Mohamed Olad Hassan

New York Times - In Somalia, a Leader Is Raising Hopes for Stability, by Jeffrey Gettleman

Christian Science Monitor - France rejects Somali rebels' terms for releasing hostage, by Jonathan Adams

Yemen

LA Times - Yemen rebels, government issue contradictory claims of battlefield success, by Haley Sweetland Edwards and Borzou Daragahi

BBC - 'Many killed' in Yemen air raid

Iran

Reuters - Israel defense chief: Iran not an existential threat

Christian Science Monitor - Why Europe wants stiffer sanctions on Iran, by Robert Marquand

RFE/RL - Ahmadinejad Urged To Bring Jailed Americans To New York

Indonesia

Associated Press - Police: Terrorism mastermind Noordin Top dead, by Imron Rosyid

U.S. Missile Defense

New York Times - White House to Scrap Bush's Approach to Missile Shield, by Peter Baker and Nicholas Kulish

Associated Press - East Europe: Rancor, relief on missile shield plan, by Karel Janicek and William J. Kole

Associated Press - Sources: U.S. to reveal Euro defense plan, by Anne Gearn and Desmond Butler