martien van asseldonk has added a photo to the pool: 2011-01-27 Kabul, Afghanistan

While fighting escalated in 2010, peace talks between the government and the Taliban rose to the top of the political agenda. Civilian casualties reached record levels, with increased insurgent activity across the country. An additional 30,000 United States troops increased international forces to more than 150,000. Endemic corruption and violence marred parliamentary elections in September 2010. NegotiationsThe Afghan government made greater efforts in 2010 to promote a negotiated settlement with the Taliban and Hezb-e Islami (Gulbuddin). In June a Consultative Peace Jirga brought together around 1,500 Afghan elders, politicians, and civil society representatives in Kabul. The government offered limited reassurances it would seek to protect the rights of Afghan women and religious and ethnic minorities during the peace process. In October a newly appointed High Level Peace Council drew criticism from a wide range of Afghan civil society organizations and human rights defenders becau...

jonesmrjones has added a photo to the pool: Went exploring around Tajbeg Palace

jonesmrjones has added a photo to the pool: Went exploring around Tajbeg Palace

peretzp has added a photo to the pool: Steve Brown ILC is on the left behind the tree.

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: A Chinook helicopter passes over an International Security Assistance Forces convoy in order to drop soldiers off outside Combat Outpost Johnston Jan. 31, in the Arghandab District. Soldiers are frequently transported by air throughout the battle space in order to fill the slots of other soldiers going on leave. 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Photo by Spc. Breanne Pye Date Taken:01.31.2011 Location:ARGHANDAB, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/jy5zvy

Island-Life has added a photo to the pool: Every place I've visited in Afghanistan where children are present, they always want my pens. The boy in the picture above, he is holding one of the pens I gave him. Which version do you like better; the color or the BW? I like the color version better. Anyway, photo taken by me in Southern Afghanistan in 2010 using a Canon 7D with 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM.

OSProductions has added a photo to the pool:

OSProductions has added a photo to the pool:

KABUL 02 February 2011 (IRIN) - US-led international forces say they do not have stockpiles of cluster munitions in Afghanistan and have not used them in the war against Taliban insurgents since March 2002.

Hadi Zaher has added a photo to the pool: Refer to the Wikipedia Article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band-e_Amir

Hadi Zaher has added a photo to the pool: The famous wall of Kabul is over 6 meters high and 3 meters thick. It formed part of an ancient fortress, apparently first constructed by pre-Islamic Hindu rulers of the city, it was subsequently used, destroyed and rebuilt by invaders and defenders of the city throughout the history.

The American Government has a history of acting out of ignorance. In Egypt, across the Middle East and throughout southern Asia, the United States, as part of its larger struggle with the Soviet Union, spent almost fifty years on a quest to crush all the local Communist party organizations. It largely succeeded. The Obama Administration now presumably wishes that those secular, organized and largely middle-class organizations had not been shattered. They represented amazing experiments in many countries because they successfully cut across tribal, religious and cultural boundaries, and promoted gender-equality. Despite the failure of their economic programs and their repressive features, many of their attempted social changes were truly revolutionary. The Americans, despite spending hundreds of billions of dollars on vast intelligence services at the CIA and within the Departments of State and Defense, were oblivious to the consequences of destroying these local Communist organizations...

peretzp has added a photo to the pool: So like no shit, there we were on an American base playing basketball and trash talking in Russian with our Afghan driver/translator Najib, inside an empty swimming pool, which was initially built by the Russians when this was their Army base and then used by the Taliban as an execution ground. You could see the bullet scars on ground, and the US soldiers would circle around us, doing their business, occasionally recovering our balls which had bounced out of the pool.

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: Marines and sailors with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, paid respect to their fallen brothers at a memorial ceremony aboard Camp Leatherneck, Jan. 31. The memorial was held to honor Cpl. Jacob A. Tate, Lance Cpl. Joseph R. Giese, and Lance Cpl. Maung P. Htaik, all riflemen with Echo Company, 2/9 who were killed in action in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The short, quiet ceremony was marked by Bible verses and prayers honoring the fallen heroes. 1st Marine Division Photo by Cpl. Daniel Blatter Date Taken:01.31.2011 Location:CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/m3tvu8

Photo: Akmal Dawi/IRIN Winter makes life all the more miserable for the displacedKABUL, 1 February 2011 (IRIN) - Tens of thousands of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Afghanistan are vulnerable to cold-related diseases but have little or no access to health services, according to aid agencies. Over 350,000 IDPs, including about 155,000 people displaced by conflict since November 2009, are living in camps and informal settlements in different parts of the country, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says. Aanchal Khurana, a spokeswoman for the UN World Health Organization (WHO), said: WHO is concerned about the health problems that winter inadvertently brings for Afghans at large and to IDPs in particular. IDPs needs are heightened in the winter as the lack of adequate shelter, food and jobs aggravate their already dire health conditions, Lynn Yoshikawa, an official with US-based Refugees International told IRIN. Pneumonia, measles, frost bite and acu...

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: Lt. Col. Kevin Yandura, a NATO Air Training Command - Afghanistan advisor, talks with two young Afghan children during a humanitarian assistance mission. (Photo by: MC1 Elizabeth Burke) 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Date Taken:05.17.2010 Location:KABUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/lbrhm2

the_dude771 has added a photo to the pool: Taken during my deployment in Herat, Afghanistan 2011.

raytoei@gmail.com has added a photo to the pool:

OSProductions has added a photo to the pool: -3,0-+3 Exposures and processed in Photomatix.

Kabul weekly nearing its end By FAHEEM DASHTY In journalism, the most important or breaking news stories go on the front page. While this is a column, I wanted to share with readers on the front page my decision to close down the Kabul Weekly.Nearly nine years ago to the date the Kabul Weekly published its first issue. It was just a few weeks after the surrender of the Taliban regime and we were among the first independent media outlets to hit the newsstands. As editor-in-chief, I am not embarrassed but I am upset that we cant keep going on. Its a personal loss, and I know it will be one of my biggest regrets. I can confidently say that this paper is one of the few independent media outlets in the country. We have never accepted editorial instructions from any agency, group or entity. My colleagues at this newspaper can attest to this fact, and our long-time readers can too. We have always tried to stand on the side of the countrys national interests.The decision to stop publication is...

peretzp has added a photo to the pool: The White Mountains. A view south from the deck of the Taj Mahal Guest House.

Island-Life has added a photo to the pool: It's not uncommon to see minor mistakes that can lead to the quick and needless death of an individual during the first few seconds of an enemy engagement. I've seen many of these mistakes throughout my travels here in Afghanistan - can someone tell me what the mistake is this young Afghan security contractor is making? The man pictured bending over with his AK slung around his back isn't working for the Afghan National Army or the Afghan National Police. The man is working for a private security company out of the United States. Usually there is one U.S. Citizen in charge of a team of Local Nationals (LN) with Nepalese supervisors. The particular company this LN was working for is a piss poor excuse of a security company and should have its contract with the U.S. Government taken away ASAP! I flew out to an area to conduct a security assessment of a specific site and had the misfortune to find the above mentioned contracting com...

Island-Life has added a photo to the pool: I have no idea what he was doing. He stood at the edge of the street watching passing vehicles trying to get a few to stop by rasing his left hand out in the air as if trying to call a taxi. What the bag he was holding is for I don't know. I was across the street watching, taking photos and he just kept staring at me with these sad, defeated eyes. I wanted to walk over to him and introduce myself and who him his image on the LCD of my DSLR. He kept staring at me like he was begging for something - food, money? I don't know. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't walk across the street to ask him. Only a few feet separated us, but it may as well have been a thousand miles. That's how far apart our two worlds were. So close, yet so far away. An imaginary line; on one side dirt poor poverty, hunger, malnutrition, mean and angry adults; and on the other, so much food pounds of it literally go to garbage cans daily, money is abundant ...

OSProductions has added a photo to the pool:

Island-Life has added a photo to the pool: ...come on in! Be careful, though! If you have eye protection wear it; it gets bright in here at times! It also gets very dark... Watch your step, don't touch anything, keep quiet, listen and learn. Who knows, you just may have a good time. But be warned... Things can get really bad real fast! So be alert and pay attention, for horrible things can come without warning when you least expect them. Be prepared! Now lets go... ___________________________________________________________________ Photo taken by me in Afghanistan in 2010 using a Canon 7D with 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM.

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: An Afghan woman sells pottery at a women vendor only bazaar in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 28, 2011. The NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan supported bazaar empowers women to take charge of their economic security and be independent in what is otherwise a male dominated society. NATO Training Mission Afghanistan Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ernesto Hernandez Fonte Date Taken:01.28.2011 Location:KABUL, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/qspuhh

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: U.S. Army Sgt. Leo Pins of Dyersville, Iowa, an infantryman with Headquarters Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force Ironman, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Task Force Red Bulls provides security for fellow soldiers as they conduct a key leader engagement, Laghman province, Afghanistan, Jan. 21, 2011. Combined Joint Task Force 101 Photo by Spc. Kristina Gupton Date Taken:01.21.2011 Location:BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/8h69c5

An Afghan National Police Officer takes a moment to pose for my camera. View on black! :) It may look like the weapon is Photoshoped in however, it is not. I removed the background in Photoshop then processed the photo into BW with Corel Paint Shop Pro X3. I kind of like it. His uniform makes me think of Vietnam. I like the color version of this photo too. I may upload a second just like this but in color with a white background. Photo taken by me in Afghanistan using a Canon 7D with 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM.

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: A fire rages on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Nuristan province Dec. 28. The fire started when fuel was struck during a mortar attack on the base. Company C, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force Ironman soldiers fought the fire but lost their maintenance building in the process. The Waterloo Fire Rescue in Waterloo, Iowa, donated two fire fighting suits to the volunteer firefighters from Iowa stationed at FOB Kalagush. The suits will enable them to extinguish a fire more quickly in the future. TF Ironman is a part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, TF Red Bulls of the Iowa National Guard. Combined Joint Task Force 101 Date Taken:12.28.2010 Location:NURISTAN PROVINCE, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/8s8ewx

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: Cpl. Patrick Kelley, a non-commissione officer with Civil Affairs attached to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 2, walks through the bazaar during a patrol in Musa Qaleh, Jan. 25. During the patrol the Marines checked on a water canal currently under construction. The water canal will channel rain water away from the bazaar to protect shops from flooding during the rainy season. Regimental Combat Team-2, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs Photo by Lance Cpl. Joshua Hines Date Taken:01.25.2011 Location:MUSA QALEH, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/pn5jdy

Photo: Akmal Dawi/IRIN Wheat is the most important food crop in Afghanistan KABUL, 26 January 2011 (IRIN) - Up to 500,000 tons of wheat will be stockpiled in different parts of Afghanistan in anticipation of a mid-level drought later this year, with the aim of assisting vulnerable communities, stabilizing food prices and preventing shortages, officials told IRIN. We plan to store 500,000 tons of wheat - sufficient for 10 percent of the population for one year - in our strategic reserves, said Majeed Qarar, a spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL). About 75,000 tons of wheat (surplus from 2010 domestic production procured by the government) is already in strategic stockpiles and 250,000 tons will be imported from India in line with a deal signed in 2010, he said. Afghanistan may have to look elsewhere, however, as India, which has its own food security concerns, could soon impose another wheat export ban . The Afghanistan Nati...

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: Seaman Stephen Wescott, assigned to 1st squad, 2nd platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, gives candy to children during a patrol. The Marines conduct daily security patrols to decrease enemy presence in the surrounding area. The 5th Marine Regiment is deployed in Helmand province to support the International Security Assistance Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Dexter S. Saulisbury) Navy Visual News Service Date Taken:01.13.2011 Location:HELMAND PROVINCE, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/9j63tp

Island-Life has added a photo to the pool: Now here's something you don't see every day! Look at the vehicle on its side built into the wall. I really like that! :-)D You know, I'm hanging by a thread - a thread that has been weakened day after day, month after month, for about 15 of them now. I don't belong where I'm at, doing what it is I'm doing; stuck behind the these concrete walls with others - of whom, 99.9 percent only care about one thing; the money they make working as a contractor in a war zone. I need to be out with the Afghan people! I hope to survive only three more months. Three more months and I'm out! And when I say "survive", I'm not talking about surviving Taliban rockets, mortars, IEDs or bullets - but rather the political, bureaucratic bullshit that rules the day over common sense. And the simple, ugly truth of the matter is, this type of threat is sometimes a much greater danger than the Taliban could ever pose, as if we...

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: An Afghan national drives his heavily laden tractor alongside a mounted patrol (not shown) conducted by Marine of the Personal Security Detail, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), through the Garmser District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 6, 2011. 1st MLG (FWD) Marines conduct logistical operations throughout the province in support of the International Security Assistance Force. 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs Photo by Sgt. Brandon Owen Date Taken:01.06.2011 Location:AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/fsnomt

DVIDSHUB has added a photo to the pool: Marines with 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), convoy through a busy bazaar in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 11, 2011. 8th ESB Marines provide engineering support for coalition forces throughout the province in support of the International Security Assistance Force. 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs Photo by Sgt. Brian Lautenslager Date Taken:01.11.2011 Location:MARJAH, AF Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/jssylu

Last Tuesday Italian Defence Ministry reported the death of the 36th Italian soldier in Afghanistan. The declaration of the Italian Defence Ministry stated that on 18th January this year, in a terrorist attack at the combined Italian and Afghan army base in the Bala Murghab District of Badghis province, a low ranking officer of the Italian army was killed and another was seriously wounded. But at the funeral of Luca Sanna in Italy, news spread that the soldier's death occurred at the hands of an Afghan colleague. Italian Prime Minister, Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, announced at a press conference, This news is really tragic for our people because our youth, who are in Afghanistan to help the Afghan people, are now being attacked and killed by members of the Afghan army who are also our colleagues. He added that an emergency meeting of the Italian parliament may be called regarding this issue, and provided the Italian parliament consented, all Italian soldiers would be withdrawn from ...

Ryuugakusei has added a photo to the pool:

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled An Upbeat Afghan Story by Lara Pellegrinelli, a NPR (National Public Radio) Freelance Contributor and Harvard University PhD graduate in Ethnomusicology. Pellegrinelli focuses on the newly established Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) headed by Ahmad Sarmast and the impact of music in Afghan society. The piece is a feel good story that sheds light on the music of Afghanistan that continues to thrive, despite being oppressed by Islamists. Pellegrinelli quotes Ahmad Sarmast and two top Western experts on Afghan music, Lorraine Sakata, professor emeritus of ethnomusicology at UCLA and John Baily, professor emeritus of ethnomusicology at Goldsmiths, University of London. Yet the her story misses and misrepresents a number of key facts. Here are four that prominently standout: 1. Ahmad Sarmast’s late father, Salim Sarmast, was a renowned composer, orchestra conductor and teacher at the Musical High School of Kabul,...

Spc. Timothy Leary pulls security on a water tower while members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul perform a quality assurance, quality control site visit to the Shah Joy bazaar, Jan. 18. Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul Photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson Date Taken:01.18.2011 Location:SHAH JOY, AF

A Navy F-18 Hornet flies over the skies of Afghanistan as it waits to be refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 379th Expeditionary Refueling Squadron. The KC-135 was operated by an aircrew deployed from the 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan. U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs Photo by Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz Date Taken:01.19.2011

An Afghan boy smiles and laughs as U.S. Army soldiers assigned to Company A, 1st Special Troops Battalion, Task Force Spartan, stop and chat during a recent patrol in Bodi Kot in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar

This is what a typical Kabul hillside street looks like on a Friday, the Muslim Holy day. You can see Kolola Pushta Fortress on the hill in the center top and Wazir Akbar Khan in the upper right corner.

Traffic circles are quite common in Kabul, although traffic discipline is somewhat lacking. Here an Afghan policeman is standing on his pedestal in the center of the circle directing traffic - with his hands in his pockets, confident that the presence of the police (green trucks) and Humvee will provide the necessary incentive to the drivers.

There is still need for security forces like these.

A malnourished boy awaiting for his portion of food, an incentive used to convince parents to allow children to go to a tent-based school run by one of few agencies working in slums of Kabul. December 2010, Afghanistan. There are many children living in squat settlements, shanty towns and slums of Kabul. Most of them are deprived access to education, to food enough times a day, to safety of usual childhood. Many work or beg on streets trying to support family, gather garbage, get beaten, witness cruelty of war. In the Kabul slums 40% of them die before reaching their 5th birthday.