Investigation into German airstrike that killed 125; Karzai says election fraud "inevitable"; Japan aims for 25% emissions cut by 2020; new Israeli settlement building; Iran and Venezuela oil deal; and more
Top of the Agenda: Airstrike Controversy
The German government pledged to conduct a full investigation (Der Spiegel) into an airstrike in Afghanistan last Friday after reports emerged that many civilians were among the 125 people killed. The air raid, ordered by the German army, targeted two oil tankers hijacked by the Taliban.
Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, questioned why German commanders did not immediately send an investigative team (WashPost) to determine whether civilians had been killed in the strike.
In an interview with Le Figaro, Afghan President Hamid Karzai denounced the airstrike (Reuters). Karzai also commented on widespread allegations of election fraud in the country, saying such fraud is "inevitable in a nascent democracy."
About 200,000 votes have been thrown out (WSJ) because of fraud, according to Afghan election officials. With results from 74 percent of polling stations released so far, Karzai is ahead with 48.6 percent, while opposition candidate Abdullah Abdullah has 31.7 percent. Karzai needs to beat 50 percent to avoid a runoff vote.
Analysis
The New York Times looks at the debate over a possible U.S. troop increase in Afghanistan.
TIME considers the potential impact of the airstrike on the upcoming German elections.
In an interview with CFR, Kabul-based analyst John Dempsey says U.S. officials should be prepared to commit more military and civilian resources to stave off resurgent Taliban forces.
Foreign Policy's Peter Bergen lists six signs of positive development in Afghanistan, including the fact that more than five million refugees have returned home since the Taliban's fall.
Background
A CFR Backgrounder looks at Afghanistan's national security forces.
This interactive CFR timeline traces the history of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.
PACIFIC RIM: Japanese Emissions Cuts
Japanese Prime Minister-elect Yukio Hatoyama pledged a 25 percent cut (Japan Today) in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020, more than his predecessor Taro Aso, who had agreed to an 8 percent decrease.
In a Newsweek op-ed, CFR's Shiela Smith looks at Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan's campaign promises, and says it is "unlikely to make revolutionary changes to Japan's foreign policy."
Taiwan: Taiwanese Premier Liu Chao-shiuan resigned amid heavy criticism (Taipei Times) of the government's slow response to last month's Typhoon Morakot, which devastated parts of the country and killed at least six hundred people. Wu Den-yih, the secretary general of Taiwan's ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), will replace Liu (CNN).
ELSEWHERE:
Taliban kills four Pakistani students.
Israel approves new housing units in West Bank.
Iran and Venezuela sign oil accord.
This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org