Sunday Times review.

Robert Nickelsberg – used without permission
Two articles from today’s New York Times especially caught my eye. On page 1 Inside the Situation Room: How a War Plan Evolved and Week in Review’s feature article, The War in Pashtunistan. I’ve become increasingly interested in being educated about the situation in Afghanistan over the last few weeks, not only because of the direct involvement of several people that I know personally there, but also because I find it an endlessly complex puzzle with and endless supply of pieces to discover. The more I learn and begin to understand about the intertwined layers of religion, and culture in the Middle East, the more exciting watching this part of history unfold becomes.

If you’re interested, Peter Baker’s article on the NYT front page is a good look into the details of Obama’s thinking process on Afghanistan. Basically, what was he thinking about during all those weeks since General McChrystal called for 40,000 additional troops.

The second article I mentioned inspects deeper the specific areas of Afghanistan (and Pakistan) that the 30,000 additional troops are slated to be deployed and the strategy expected to unfold there. The graphic below is from the article and illustrates the “hammer and anvil” strategy expected to be implemented in the months to come.

The New York Times

Additionally…

Watch Obama’s Wespoint address.

Frontline’s Obama’s War – You have got to see this one. You can view the entire program online. A comprehensive look at all sides of the war, including the increasing importance of Pakistan.