[THS] Afghanistan headline stories

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

As many as 150 "insurgents" killed as U.S. and Afghan forces launch major assault :

A force of about 700 U.S. and Afghan troops launched a major assault along
Afghanistan's border with Pakistan in an attempt to destroy a growing insurgent
haven and blunt rising violence in the area, senior Army officials said Monday.
http://tinyurl.com/345fl6m

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Ten US invaders killed in clash with Mujahideen in Kunar:

In a bloody fight which started in the morning hours of Sunday and was still
continuing till late afternoon hours of the day, killed about about 10 US invaders
when the enemy's ground forces backed up by aerial support wanted to carry out
operation in the Marwari district of Kunar.
http://tinyurl.com/364knd7

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23 killed in string of Afghan attacks:

Sixteen people including civilians and policemen have been killed in separate attacks
in Afghanistan blamed on the Taliban over the past 24 hours, police said on Tuesday.
Seven Taliban fighters were also killed after ambushing a police convoy in western
Afghanistan, provincial police said.
http://tinyurl.com/32b9n6m

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US attack kills three Afghan civilians:

The civilians were killed in a US attack in the northeastern Afghan province of Kunar
on Tuesday.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=132629&sectionid=351020403

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NATO's June death toll in Afghanistan nears 100:

The death toll for foreign soldiers in Afghanistan neared the grim milestone of 100 for
June alone Monday as the CIA chief warned the anti-Taliban war would be tougher
and longer than expected.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100628/wl_asia_afp/afghanistanunrest

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Report: U.S. overestimates ability of Afghan military:

The U.S. has often overestimated the ability of Afghan military and police units to
fight on their own, according to an independent report released Monday that calls
into question the strategy to win the war and bring troops home.
http://tinyurl.com/33pg2tu

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With Command Shift in Afghanistan, Talk Turns to Withdrawal:

The July 2011 deadline he set was intended to "begin a process of transition," he
said, but "that doesn't mean we suddenly turn off the lights and let the door close
behind us."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/world/asia/29prexy.html?hp

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US begins scaling back ambitions for Afghan occupation:

Nearly nine years into the Afghan war, the United States has begun scaling back its
ambitions, searching for an acceptable way out that avoids defeat.
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0627/begins-scaling-ambitions-afghan-occupation/

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German Defence Minister questions role of Nato in Afghanistan war:

Germany is arguing for the aims of Nato's operations in Afghanistan to be
significantly scaled down and wants the alliance to adopt criteria to ensure that it
never commits itself to a similarly open-ended mission in future.
http://tinyurl.com/26vrcff

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Angry US House lawmaker cuts aid to Afghanistan:

A key U.S. House of Representatives Democrat said on Monday she is cutting billions
of dollars in aid to Afghanistan from spending legislation because she is outraged
over reports of corruption and donor aid being flown out the country.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28267189.htm