Afghanistan

A helicopter from the American security contractor DynCorp provides air support as members of an Afghan eradication force plow opium poppies on April 3, 2006, in the Helmand province, Afghanistan.

When Most U.S. Forces Leave Afghanistan, Contractors May Stay

4:35pm November 28, 2013

by Tom Bowman

Should the Afghan government sign a security agreement, the U.S. plans to keep as many as 9,000 American troops in Afghanistan even after the U.S. and NATO's combat mission officially ends late in 2014. But the remaining U.S. troops will almost certainly be outnumbered by civilian contractors.

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An Afghan soldier stands guard in the western city of Herat in October. U.S. Maj. Gen. James McConville, who commands coalition forces in eastern Afghanistan, says Afghan forces did hold their ground this year, but "they're not winning by enough that the

World News

How Will Afghan Forces Fare As NATO Troops Draw Down?

5:54pm November 19, 2013

by Sean Carberry

The onset of winter in Afghanistan usually means an end to the so-called fighting season. That may not hold this year as the Taliban vow to pursue an aggressive campaign in advance of a presidential election.

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An Afghan farmer collects raw opium as he works in a poppy field in Nangarhar province on April 29. Poppy cultivation reached a record high this year despite Western efforts to reduce it.

World News

Afghan Farmers: Opium Is The Only Way To Make A Living

8:33pm November 14, 2013

Opium poppy cultivation has hit a record level, according to a new U.N. report. Western countries have been trying to eradicate the poppies for years. Yet it remains the single largest economic sector in places like the southern province of Helmand.

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An Afghan child writes on a blackboard at a school built by German troops in a refugee camp on the outskirts of Mazar-e-Sharif. The number of students enrolled in Afghan schools has skyrocketed since the fall of the Taliban at the end of 2001.

World News

Are Afghanistan's Schools Doing As Well As Touted?

6:25pm October 24, 2013

Under the Taliban, 1 million Afghan boys and very few girls went to school. Now, 10 million students are enrolled, 40 percent of them female. But on any given day, a much smaller number actually shows up for class. What's more, there are shortages of classrooms, books and qualified teachers.

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World News

The New And The Next: Punk Rock Love, A Sensible Scary Movie

10:30pm October 19, 2013

by NPR Staff

As Halloween approaches, Ozy co-founder Carlos Watson tells NPR's Arun Rath about a a viral video that pokes fun at everything we've come to expect from horror films.

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Secretary of State John Kerry flies over Afghanistan on Oct. 11. He met with President Hamid Karzai to work out an agreement on U.S. presence in the country.

Kerry Says He Hopes Syria's Chemical Weapons Are Shipped Out Of Region

2:11pm October 17, 2013

by Dana Farrington

Weapons inspectors are still in Syria assessing the country's stockpile and how to destroy it. It's unclear where the weapons would go if they were sent abroad, but there are signs that such a move is under consideration.

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Dekle First Female President At An Iraqi University

5:06am October 02, 2013

Dawn Dekle has made a career out of running schools in conflict zones. She is the newest president of the American University of Iraq. Previously, she was provost of the American University of Afghanistan. Renee Montagne talks to Dekle about her unique work.

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National

Marine Generals Forced To Retire A Year After Taliban Attack

6:35am October 01, 2013

Two Marine Corps generals have been asked to resign over an incident in Afghanistan a year ago. Taliban insurgents made their way onto a sprawling base and attacked NATO forces. Two Americans died and six Marine fighter jets were destroyed. The two generals reprimanded in the matter were found to bear responsibility for underestimating the threat to base security.

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Arefa with Jami Valentine (left) and Staci Freeman. Arefa, who first stayed with the sisters while receiving medical care last year, came back to the U.S. this summer for follow-up treatment.

A Young Afghan War Survivor Touches Two American Lives

8:38pm September 23, 2013

by Gloria Hillard

Last year, two sisters took in Arefa, a badly burned Afghan girl, while she received medical treatment in the U.S. The sisters were ecstatic to host a goofier and wigglier Arefa during a return visit this summer, but they say the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan may make future reunions difficult.

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Pakistan, Iraq See Uptick In Suicide Bombings

10:35am September 23, 2013

To try to understand what's behind the rise in gruesome attacks, Steve Inskeep talks to Vali Nasr, who is the dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He has served as a senior adviser to the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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