News Summary - September 25, 2010

In today’s news: Taliban fighters attack NATO base in Paktia province. NATO frees three Afghan journalists detained for contacts with Taliban. NYT suggests “mounting evidence” of widespread fraud in last week’s parliamentary vote.

Afghanistan — Security

• Attacks: A team of five Taliban suicide bombers attempted to break Forward Operating Base Gardez in Paktia province on Friday; NATO says that the attack was unsuccessful and that there were no coalition casualties. A suicide car bomber in the Balkh provincial capital of Mazar-e-Sharif struck a passing Swedish military convoy, killing one nearby child and wounding 29 civilians in an adjacent bus. [Reuters] [LAT] [Pajhwok] [AFP]
• Journalists Freed: NATO and the National Directorate of Security freed three Afghan journalists detained over the past week for alleged ties to Taliban propaganda efforts. A NATO statement said two of the journalists detained by ISAF had “admitted having routine contact with the Taliban” but that they were “not considered a significant security threat and were released.” [NYT] [AJE] [AP]

Afghanistan — Politics and Diplomacy

• Elections: The NYT reports of “mounting evidence” of widespread fraudulent conduct in last week’s parliamentary election, on the part of both government and election officials as well as candidates, and both for and against the Karzai government. In Kandahar, candidates accuse Ahmed Wali Karzai of drawing up a list in advance of the winners for that province’s seats. Approximately 58% of the complaints that the Electoral Complaints Commission has reviewed thus far have been classified as serious enough to effect the outcome. [NYT]

Afghanistan — Remainders

• Young Afghans Embrace Election Hope [BBC]
• Afghan Government Chips Away at Media Freedoms [WSJ]
• Planned Event to Promote Afghan Police and Rule of Law Backfires [NYT]
• Afghan Women Enter a Male Bastion: The Army [LAT]
• Report: Canada’s Ninth Quarterly Report on Afghanistan to Parliament [Govt of Canada]
• Commentary: The Afghan Elections: Another Milestone on the Road to Nowhere? - “It is far from clear that those who drafted the Afghan constitution and set up a new Afghan government, really addressed the functional purpose of the legislature in shaping the quality of Afghan governance as distinguished from its potential role in politics. “ [Anthony Cordesman, CSIS]
• Commentary: Behind the Complaints - “The media is filled with complaining candidates, critical analysts and shrugging voters. Before the days become filled with lists and numbers, a few conversation excerpts.” [Martine van Bijlert, AAN]
• Commentary: Don’t Jail Them, Train Them - “Arresting Afghan reporters instead of the Taliban fighters and spokespeople who talk to them isn’t just bad for journalism. It plays right into the insurgents’ hands.” [Vanessa Gezari, Pulitzer Center]
• Commentary: Karzai on India and Pakistan - “[Journalist Saeed Naqvi] went on to quote Karzai saying he wants the Indian leadership to put pressure on the US ‘to stop Pakistani mischief’ and that by not doing so, it is in effect helping Pakistan.” [Rajeev Sharma, The Diplomat]