A few items…
1. Eurasianet and the FPA’s Global Food Crisis blog have once again highlighted the plight of hunger in the Afghan state. The Eurasianet report states that around 40,000 Afghan citizens die every year because of hunger, way overshadowing those that are killed by violent conflict, though the two are connected in many unfortunate ways. The United Nations is stepping up to the plate with over $300 million in aid and the US/NATO should take advantage of this effort by making sure the Afghan government gets it into the right hands.
2. US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke will host today a Trilateral meeting between US/Afghanistan/Pakistan to review policy involving all three states. Sec of State Hillary Clinton will reportedly stop by. Lord knows they have a lot to cover: US troop surge, drones, food crisis, Swat-Sharia deal, Hillary’s powersuit.
3. Lastly, I just want to spotlight FPA’s Pakistan Blog by Bilal Qureshi. Bilal does a great job updating his site with the most recent events and happenings in the country of his birth. But he doesn’t stop there, of course, as he applies great analytical skills to the complex problems facing the destabilized, but crucial state. As can be seen by the Trilateral meeting occurring today, Pakistan is vital to not only Afghan stability, but also US national security and interests in many ways.
4. Japan has pledged to pay the salaries of Afghanistan’s 80,000 police officers for six months as part of its ongoing financial support for the country. Tokyo pledged to spend $2 billion in aid to the Afghan nation back in 2002 and this is part of that sum. This is just one more example of Japan-US’s strategic relationship, where the US provides the muscle and Tokyo brings in hard cash.
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