Afghan election excitement overshadows Taliban threat

Worldfocus — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:12:04 +0000

As election day in Afghanistan approaches, tens of thousands of American and British troops there are doing all they can to guarantee the security of millions of Afghan voters. But the Taliban is doing all it can to let these voters know that they are not safe.

On Tuesday, with the election two days away and the campaign winding down, the Taliban launched a series of attacks on the capital city of Kabul. A suicide car bomber attacked a NATO convoy on the outskirts of the city, killing at least seven people and wounding another 50. Two mortar rounds also landed near the presidential palace.

U.S. President Barack Obama insists winning the war in Afghanistan is vital to America’s security interests, and a free and fair election no doubt would help that cause. But security concerns remain front and center.

Kimberly Marten, a professor of political science at Columbia University’s Barnard College, joins Martin Savidge to discuss the impending vote, U.S. strategy ahead of the election and the role of warlords.

Read what a U.S. Marine embedded trainer with the Afghan National Army had to say about the atmosphere ahead of elections: Securing the vote in volatile northeastern Afghanistan

(View full post to see video) On Tuesday, the Taliban launched a series of attacks on the Afghan city of Kabul. Kimberly Marten of Columbia University discusses U.S. strategy ahead of the election and examines whether the attacks are a sign of what’s to come on election day. http://worldfocus.org/files/2009/08/th_afghanistan_marten.jpg http://worldfocus.org/files/2009/08/th_afghanistan_marten.jpg

NATO looks toward Afghanistan as it turns 60

Worldfocus — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:49:25 +0000

Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of NATO — the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — was born with the signing of an agreement in Washington, D.C. As the war in Afghanistan intensifies, the leaders of NATO gathered today for an anniversary summit in Strasbourg, France, and across the border in the German town of Kehl.

Kimberly Marten, chair of the political science department at Barnard College, Columbia University, joins Martin Savidge to discuss NATO’s 60th anniversary and the roles of American and other forces in the expanding war in Afghanistan.

Kimberly Marten, chair of the political science department at Barnard College, Columbia University discusses NATO’s 60th anniversary and the international role in Afghanistan’s expanding war. /files/2009/04/th_us_marten.jpg /files/2009/04/th_us_marten.jpg

Worldfocus » Kimberly Marten

Afghan election excitement overshadows Taliban threat

NATO looks toward Afghanistan as it turns 60