 RFE/RL Afghanistan Report 16.06.2009 A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about Afghanistan.For more stories on Afghanistan, please visit and bookmark our Afghanistan page . |
 As Campaigning Begins, Insecurity Prompts Concerns As campaigning for the upcoming presidential election officially kicks off in Afghanistan, insecurity in remote areas of the country remains a key concern. Improving the security situation was a prime reason for postponing the vote until August 20, but large swaths of the Afghan countryside have yet to be tamed. More  'Beast Of The East' Appears To Have Lost Its Teeth The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has sought to promote itself as a "rising beast in the East" and an Asian counter to NATO. But for all the experience under its belt, the SCO -- which formally gathers Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan -- is looking less formidable than usual. More  Afghan Government To Use Only Domestic-Made Products Afghan government officials in Kabul will be using only Afghan-made items in their public offices, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reports. More  U.S. Stamps Authority On NATO's Afghan Strategy NATO defense ministers have agreed on changes to the alliance's strategy and command structures in Afghanistan, to reflect a significant increase in U.S. involvement in the country. Washington will send some 21,000 extra troops to Afghanistan this year and is seeking greater control over operations in a theater that President Barack Obama calls the biggest foreign-policy challenge for the United States. More  Afghan Drug Addicts Getting Treatment A ceremony marking the successful treatment of drug addicts in Afghanistan has been held in Kabul, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reports. More  'Engagement' Best Way To Promote Rights, Democracy Engagement and dialogue will be the hallmarks of the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama in its approach to regimes struggling with democracy and human rights, according to Karen Stewart, the principal assistant deputy secretary at the U.S. State Department's bureau of democracy, human rights, and labor. Stewart recently spoke with RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent, Ahto Lobjakas, about the Middle East, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Belarus, and well as attempts by the United Nations to tackle global rights issues. More |
