Afghanistan

Report: Trump Administration Wants To 'Outsource Afghanistan To Mercenaries'

8:13am July 20, 2017

Steve Inskeep asks Mark Perry of The American Conservative about his article that says some in the Trump administration want to use more contractors in Afghanistan.

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World News

U.S. Needs A Political Strategy In Afghanistan, Flournoy Says

8:47am July 19, 2017

David Greene talks to former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and President Trump's relationship with Russian President Putin.

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After twice being denied visas, a team of Afghan girls, who stopped for a photo at Herat International Airport in western Afghanistan on Thursday, has been permitted to travel to the U.S. for a robotics competition.

Afghan Girls Robotics Team Allowed To Enter U.S. For Competition

6:50pm July 13, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

President Trump intervened to find a way to permit the girls entry after their applications for visas were twice rejected. For the budding scientists, the path to compete has been a long one.

The indirect fire attack occurred in Helmand province. Its capital is Lashkar Gah, shown here in February.

U.S. Soldier Killed, Two Others Wounded In Southern Afghanistan

11:07pm July 05, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

A 19-year-old U.S. soldier, Pfc. Hansen B. Kirkpatrick, has been killed in an attack in Helmand province while taking part in counterterror operations. Two other service members were injured.

In Afghanistan, U.S. Senators Urge Trump To Define Policy

4:29pm July 05, 2017

A bipartisan delegation of senators are in Afghanistan, calling for a new strategy from the Trump administration to address Taliban insurgency and define the U.S. role in the country. NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, about what the strategy should be and what action he believes the administration should do next.

Cairo, a physical therapist, says wheelchair basketball has been a game changer for his patients. "Rehab is painful. Learning how to use artificial limbs is painful, too. For the first time with this sport, we were able to give only fun, only joy."

Hoop Dreams: Wheelchair Basketball Is Changing Lives In Afghanistan

7:00am July 02, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

The head of the Red Cross orthopedic program wasn't sure a basketball team was a good idea. The players proved him wrong.

Trump Administration Outlines Emerging Strategy On Afghanistan

6:17pm June 30, 2017

by Tom Bowman

The Trump administration's emerging strategy on Afghanistan involves sending more American troops into the country, the isolation of Pakistan, and the long-term goal of a political settlement with the Taliban.

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Afghan National Army soldiers stand guard in March 2016 in Baghlan province, Afghanistan.

Botched Choice For Afghan Army Uniforms Wasted Tens Of Millions Of U.S. Dollars

3:35pm June 21, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

AU.S. government watchdog says the Defense Department procured uniforms in a camouflage pattern that is far more expensive than other options and likely inappropriate for the landscape in Afghanistan.

Guests attend a Refugees Welcome dinner at Lapis restaurant in Washington, D.C. The goals of the evening: to bring locals together with refugees in their community and to break barriers by breaking bread.

These Dinner Parties Serve Up A Simple Message: Refugees Welcome

5:19pm June 20, 2017

by Maria Godoy

Across the U.S., locals are hosting meals designed to help the community meet the refugees who live among them as neighbors, and to break barriers by breaking bread together.

World News

Trump Administration Expected To Release New Afghan Strategy

8:01am June 19, 2017

The Trump administration is weighing whether more troops will help the U.S. defeat militants in Afghanistan. Rachel Martin talks to Gen. John R. Allen, who commanded NATO and U.S. forces in 2011-2013.

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