Apr 14, 2011
[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.]
- Suicide attack kills Afghan tribal elder: "A suicide attack has hit a gathering of tribal elders in the Asmar district of eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province, killing 10 people, including a top tribal leader, the country's interior ministry has said."
- Obama is set to redo team on war policy: "The departure this summer of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, arguably the most powerful voice in the cabinet, leaves more than an empty seat in the Situation Room. It is a chance for President Obama, at a critical moment in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and amid the Arab uprisings, to rethink the dynamic of the group making some of the most critical decisions in his presidency."
- War in Afghanistan is destabilizing Pakistan, says president: "The war in Afghanistan is destabilising Pakistan and seriously undermining efforts to restore its democratic institutions and economic prosperity after a decade of military dictatorship, Pakistan's president, Asif Ali Zardari, has told the Guardian."
- The invisible division: U.S. soldiers are seven times as likely as U.K. troops to develop post-traumatic stress: "Something is happening at the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that mental health experts are finding hard to explain: British and American soldiers appear to be having markedly different reactions to the stress of combat. In America, there has been a sharp increase in the number experiencing mental-health problems."
- Obamas launch campaign to help military families: "With the country at war for nearly a decade, the president and first lady today unveiled a new campaign called 'Joining Forces,' to enlist all segments of society in helping service members and their families."
Hannah Lythe is policy and outreach associate at Sojourners.
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