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Campaign Trail 2010 (2): Baghlan – Divided we Stand

Situated in a central position crossed by some of the most strategic road connections of the country, Baghlan province shows a high level of social and political fragmentation. The growing instability of the province does not bode well for the oncoming elections, and forecasts future problems for the government and the international forces in the […]

7 Jul 2010 Fabrizio Foschini • Political Landscape

UK court rules on detainee transfers and the risk of torture

Judges at the Royal Courts of Justice in London have given a ‘mixed ruling’ on a bid to stop UK forces transferring detainees to the Afghan intelligence directorate, the NDS. They found that there was risk of torture – which should make transfers illegal – but ruled that they could continue to be transferred to […]

5 Jul 2010 Kate Clark • Rights and Freedoms

Six years late, the Constitutional Commission is formed; but will it take on president and parliament?

One of the many ambiguities in the Afghan Constitution is on who has the authority to interpret the Constitution. For no obvious reason a mix of both judicial and legislative oversight was smuggled into the Constitution when it was adopted in 2004. Six years later, the Independent Commission for the Supervision of the Implementation of […]

3 Jul 2010 Sari Kouvo • Rights and Freedoms

Talking Pashto (1): One-Liner of the Week

Today, we start a little series with important Pashto expressions for field use. It is meant to complement the electronic translation computers handed out to the international forces which – reportedly – contain useful phrases like: “Lasuna porta!” (Hands up!), “Mulla Omar cheri dey?” (Where is Mulla Omar?) and “Hawayi maidan kum taraf dey?” (Which […]

2 Jul 2010 Thomas Ruttig • Context and Culture

Talking Haqqani

‘Totally baseless, a lie and no truth in it’. This is what an Afghan presidential spokesman said after a not-too-unimportant TV station reported contacts between Kabul and the Haqqani network, the most ruthless outfit of the Afghan insurgency. Is there no fire at all for all the smoke? asks Thomas Ruttig. It all started with […]

1 Jul 2010 Thomas Ruttig • Context and Culture

How to become a minister: bribe the parliament (UPDATED)

(With the results of Monday’s vote on seven ministries) Five more men have become ministers after gaining a majority of votes from the Afghan parliament. Two others failed to gain MPs’ approval. As with the earlier votes, both in January, allegations are circulating that some MPs’ votes were bought. While AAN is not accusing any […]

30 Jun 2010 Kate Clark • Political Landscape

Flash from the Past: Football under the Taleban (2) – Nobody Shouts ‘Allahu Akbar’

Kabul Olympic Stadium sometimes was turned in to an arena for executions and floggings under the Taleban regime. For this, it became world-famous. But to do the venue some justice, most of the time it was used for proper sports. Thomas Ruttig visited a match there – football in Afghanistan 2000: Air goals by funnily […]

29 Jun 2010 Thomas Ruttig • Context and Culture

Flash from the Past: Football under the Taleban (1)

he World Cup 2010 in South Africa is in its first round of the knock-out stage. It has seen favourite teams crashing and others shining. Afghanistan did not qualify. It lost both first round Asia qualification matches against Syria 1:5 on aggregate. Afghanistan’s only scorer was Obaidullah Karimi who plays for Hamm United FC in […]

29 Jun 2010 Kate Clark • Context and Culture

29 June 2010, Washington: Afghanistan Today Karzai, Reconciliation, and Western Strategy

As Afghanistan’s “summer fighting season” kicks into high gear and the Obama administration’s December 2010 review comes ever closer, join Afghanistan expert Martine van Bijlert and New America Foundation president Steve Coll for a discussion of Afghan politics, militant reconciliation, and the West’s plan in Afghanistan. For more details click here. A video of the talk […]

29 Jun 2010 AAN • admin • Events

29 June 2010: New AAN Thematic Report ‘How Tribal Are the Taleban?’ launched

The Taleban in Afghanistan should be treated as a political movement with political aims, and not as a tribal one, concludes Thomas Ruttig, author of the new report ‘How Tribal Are the Taleban? Afghanistan’s Largest Insurgent Movement between Tribal Roots and Islamist Ideology,’ published today by the Kabul and Berlin based, Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN). […]

29 Jun 2010 AAN • admin • Events