Foreign Policy
whitehouse.gov 1/20/2009 — Afghanistan: Obama and Biden will refocus American resources on the greatest threat to our security -- the resurgence of al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They will increase our troop levels in Afghanistan, press our allies in NATO ...

Obama Wraps Up His Hawaiian Vacation
washingtonpost.com 1/2/2009 — Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. ...

The Best Defense | A FOREIGN POLICY blog
ricks.foreignpolicy.com 1/7/2009 — Two things that need to be said about this. The Afghan war isn't either. That is: What do I mean by that? First, I find the "good war" term offensive. I find it hard to use that word to describe anything that maims and kills innocent men, women and ...

Biden to Visit Pakistan and Afghanistan As Tensions in Region Flare Up
blogs.abcnews.com 1/6/2009 — Vice President-elect Joe Biden will visit Pakistan and Afghanistan in the coming days, ABC News has learned, just as tensions between India and Pakistan are increasing in the wake of the November terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Indian Prime Minister ...

Iraq wraps up election with no major violence - Yahoo! News
news.yahoo.com 1/31/2009 — BAGHDAD Iraqis passed through security checkpoints and razor-wire cordons to vote Saturday in provincial elections that are considered a crucial test of the nation's stability as U.S. officials consider the pace of troop withdrawals. Polls opened ...

Biden to resign from Senate Thursday
firstread.msnbc.msn.com 1/9/2009 — From NBC's Ken Strickland and Mark MurraySenate Majority Leader Harry Reid just read letter of resignation from Vice President-elect Biden on the U.S. Senate floor. Biden's resignation will be effective Thursday, Jan. 15 at 5:00 pm ET. Biden is ...

Iraq official: Biden affirms 'responsible' pullout
breitbart.com 1/13/2009 — BAGHDAD (AP) - Vice President-elect Joe Biden told Iraqi leaders Tuesday that the incoming U.S. administration is committed to a responsible troop withdrawal that does not endanger improvements in security, an Iraqi spokesman said. Biden delivered ...

Security Net Wraps Capital for Inaugural
nytimes.com 1/15/2009 — Though no credible threat has been detected, the security measures are by far the most extensive for a swearing-in. >

The Difference Between Afghanistan and Iraq
democracyarsenal.org 1/16/2009 — Pat has a great post up on the importance of having a serious and thoughtful debate about troop increases in Afghanistan and the new blog Get Afghanistan Right .  I don't disagree that there needs to be a serious discussion of the issues before ...

Obama Going To Canada For First Foreign Trip As President
huffingtonpost.com 1/10/2009 — WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama plans to take his first international trip to Canada. Transition aides said Saturday that Obama picked the United States' northern neighbor as his first venture outside the country as president. ...

VA nominee to make case before Senate committee (AP) — Yahoo! News: Politics News 1/14/2009
AP - Retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, who clashed with the Bush administration on Iraq war policy, was expected to have a smooth Senate confirmation hearing in his bid to lead the Veterans Affairs Department.

Iraq joins nations banning chemical weapons (AP) — Yahoo! News: Politics News 1/14/2009
AP - Iraq deposited its ratification of a chemical weapons ban treaty at the U.N. Tuesday, a move welcomed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a demonstration of the country's commitment to disarmament.

VA nominee to make case before Senate — msnbc.com: Politics 1/14/2009
Retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, who clashed with the Bush administration on Iraq war policy, was expected to have a smooth Senate confirmation hearing in his bid to lead the Veterans Affairs Department.

Iraq ratifies treaty banning chemical weapons (AP) — Yahoo! News: Politics News 1/14/2009
AP - Iraq has given the United Nations its ratification of the treaty banning chemical weapons, a move welcomed by the U.N. chief as a demonstration of the country's commitment to disarmament and nonproliferation.

AP IMPACT: Suicide spotlights troops' mental care (AP) — Yahoo! News: Politics News 1/14/2009
AP - In 2005, an Army captain in Iraq asked for a mental health evaluation for one of his soldiers, a private first class from North Carolina who was known to put the muzzle of his weapon in his mouth.