Relations between the U.S. and Pakistan took a
hit after an airport incident led to the cancellation of a senior military delegation from Pakistan to Central Command based in Tampa, Florida. The cancellation came after a brigadier was removed from a flight, either because another passenger complained about not being comfortable or because of something that was said to a stewardess. In the context of the "Ground Zero" Mosque debate, this incident may further the widespread belief that Americans don't like Muslims.
Afghanistan:
In northern-Afghanistan, coalition forces
continue to go after the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Such raids have been picking up steam dramatically across the country against various militant groups along with ISAF press releases about said raids. There probably is not a larger group of foreign militants in either Afghanistan or Pakistan. They fled from Uzbekistan into Afghanistan during the Taliban years and then following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, they predominately fled into the tribal areas of Pakistan(especially Waziristan). They are considered close to al Qaeda Central due to both proximity and ideology. They, along with insurgents from the Afghan Taliban and Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin, have become very active in the north of Afghanistan especially in Kunduz and Baghlan provinces. U.S. General General David Petraeus recently
acknowledged the insurgency's expansion from the south and east. Oxfam was recently forced to close operations in parts of northern-Afghanistan after several of its staff were
killed in a bombing.
In the south and east, operations are also picking up and expected to expand. With Afghan parliamentary elections slated for September 18th, one can only imagine when NATO might begin major clearing operations against Taliban strongholds around Kandahar City; namely the Zhari and Panjawi districts. "Mid-September" has been floated as the time when the operation in Zhari begins. And the latest about the dominate militant group in the south-east; the Haqqani network. During the days of Taliban rule, Jalaluddin Haqqani was basically granted his own ministate in the south-east including Paktia/Paktika/Khost. The group is rear-based in North Waziristan. Further north from the south-east, NATO/Afghan forces launched another large raid into the troubled eastern province of Kunar.
A great story about one woman from Colorado's touching activism on behalf of Afghans, and especially Afghan women. She helped build a school for the deaf, a prison literary program, and a program for training mid-wives, and is helping further the cause of female education(and therefore, one aspect of gender-equality) in Afghanistan. It was Mortenson-inspired.
A religious leader and government official who directed pilgrimmages to Mecca and Medina was assassinated by a bomb in Kandahar City.
Kabul Bank, the largest bank in Afghanistan, istettering on the edge of collapse. The Afghan government has intervened, removing its top two executives. Shady dealings were widely reported to have taken place- including the moving of much money out of Afghanistan. Millions from the bank went to Afghan President Hamid Karzai's reelection campaign and one of the Brothers Karzai is a shareholder of the shady bank.
Afghanistan and Turkmenistan have renewed their pledge to build a pipeline that can bring natural gas into South Asia.
Federally-Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan:
In the central-FATA region of Orakzai, militants cut off the power to the lower-portion of the tribal agency. This was in response to local tribesmen who had set five militant-vehicles ablaze, which itself was reportedly in response to the militants for torturing a local boy. Following recent military action in the northern-most tribal agency of Bajaur and the Mehsud-regions of South Wazirisan, the Pakistani army has been focused on central-FATA including Orakzai, the Pakistani Taliban's "second home". Nearby in Darra Adam Khel, five militants were reportedly killed by Pakistani securty forces. Across the border from Orakzai in Khyber agency's Tirah Valley, which remains a militant stronghold, Pakistan's security forces claimed to have killed over fourty militants. Some suggest civilians are amongst the dead.
In southern-FATA, better known as Waziristan, it turns out that a deadly shoot-out between militants could have been over a rich widow. The widow was allegedly married to a powerful Arab militant. According to multiple reports, Usman Punjabi is amongst the dead. A leader of the "Punjabi Taliban", he was the one who had a British journalist and several retired ISI officials kidnapped earlier this year. There has been little word about the fate of Col. Imam, who was Mullah Omar's mentor. Khalid Khawaja, a former ISI officer and former confidant to Osama bin Laden, was found executed on a road between Mir Ali and Miramshah.
Pakistan:
While the flood waters are beginning to recede, 17,000,000 souls remain in dire need of help. Text "swat" to 20222 to make a $5 donation at any time or go here to the latest from the Help Pakistan group based right here at the Daily Kos.
South of the tribal areas, in the troubled province of Balochistan, several more NATO tankers were set ablaze. The north-eastern part of Balochistan is dominated by Pashtuns while the rest is dominated by ethnic Balochs, who have a low-level insurgency of their own against the Pakistani state. It's in the north-east of Balochistan that a city named "Quetta" sits, and where a border is shared with an Afghan-province called "Kandahar". Also in Balochistan province, several people including a Baloch politician were shot and killed.
Several militants reportedly died in a shoot-out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Swat valley.
Maps:
When considering the situation in Pashtunistan, consider these maps of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is in the Pashtun areas where the U.S. and NATO have the most problems. It's important to note that while Pashtuns make up a much larger proportion of the population of Afghanistan than they do in Pakistan, there are still more Pashtuns in Pakistan than in Afghanistan. Here is a good map and rundown of the areas that make up the main warzone.