Afghanistan Weekly Digest: Canada. Petraeus. Exit Strategies.

[Editors' note: As part of Sojourners' campaign to end the war in Afghanistan, we will run a weekly Afghanistan news digest to educate our readers about the latest news and developments related to the war, the U.S. military's strategy, and the people impacted by our decisions. Read more about our campaign at www.sojo.net/afghanistan.]

• Canadians complete final Afghan operation: "More than five years after taking charge of security in one of the most violent regions in Afghanistan, Canadian troops wrapped up their final combat operation with a two-week sweep through a rural swath of Kandahar that was undisputed Taliban territory just a year ago."

• Steeper pullout is raised as option for Afghanistan "President Obama's national security team is contemplating troop reductions in Afghanistan that would be steeper than those discussed even a few weeks ago, with some officials arguing that such a change is justified by the rising cost of the war and the death of Osama bin Laden."

• Petraeus: Afghan progress 'fragile': "The recent progress by American and allied forces against the Taliban and other insurgent groups is 'fragile' and "reversible," making the continued presence of American troops in the oft-violent country a continuing necessity, Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, said Wednesday."

• Dem study sounds Afghanistan alarm: "In all, the United States has spent $18.8 billion on aid to Afghanistan in the last decade, but the report says that without proper planning, 'Afghanistan could suffer a severe economic depression when foreign troops leave in 2014 unless the proper planning begins now.'"

• How to exit Afghanistan without creating wider conflict "An enforcement mechanism can be a residual American force, some international guarantee or presence, or -- best -- a combination of both. Total withdrawal is likely to be final; there should be no illusion of reintervention."

• Images from Afghanistan: June 2011: Continued photo coverage of life and war in Afghanistan from the Washington Post.

+Participate in Sojourners' campaign to End the War in Afghanistan and Share the Sacrifice. Tell President Obama and Vice President Biden to keep their commitment to start troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in July 2011.

Hannah Lythe is policy and outreach associate at Sojourners.