MajGen Cornell A. Wilson Jr. (left), Deputy Commander, Marine Corps Forces Command, stands beside Capt Jerry Parchman, Military Officer Instructor for the Hampton Roads Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC). MajGen Wilson spoke to the NROTC cadets at Norfolk’s Old Dominion University on Thursday, March 26. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt Christopher Knight)
MajGen Cornell A. Wilson Jr. (left), Deputy Commander, Marine Corps Forces Command, talks with Old Dominion University (ODU) President John R. Broderick on Thursday, March 26. MajGen Wilson visited ODU to speak to the Hampton Roads Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt Christopher Knight.)
Early Bird summary
Thursday’s Early Bird leads with a piece from the New York Times reporting that the Taliban’s widening campaign in southern Afghanistan is made possible in part by direct support from operatives in Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, despite Pakistani government promises to sever ties to militant groups fighting in Afghanistan, according to American government officials.The support consists of money, military supplies and strategic planning guidance to Taliban commanders who are gearing up to confront the international force in Afghanistan that will soon include some 17,000 American reinforcements.Support for the Taliban, as well as other militant groups, is coordinated by operatives inside the shadowy S Wing of Pakistan’s spy service, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, the officials said. There is even evidence that ISI operatives meet regularly with Taliban commanders to discuss whether to intensify or scale back violence before the Afghan elections.
The Washington Post reports that after years of often testy cooperation with NATO and resentment over unequal burden-sharing, the United States is taking unabashed ownership of the Afghan war.President Obama's decision to deploy an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan this year will bring the number of foreign troops there to nearly 90,000, more than two-thirds of them Americans. Although many will technically report to NATO commanders, the U.S. force will increasingly be in charge.Even as the U.S. military expands its control over the battlefield, the number of American civilian officials will also grow by at least 50 percent -- to more than 900 -- under the new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy Obama will announce as early as tomorrow, according to administration officials. American diplomats and development experts plan to spread into relatively peaceful western and northern regions of Afghanistan that until now were left to other NATO governments. New U.S. resources and leadership also will be brought to bear over critical issues such as counter-narcotics efforts and strengthening local government institutions.
The Washington Post also reports that President Obama met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in the Oval Office on Wednesday and said afterward that he is confident that the alliance can be more effective in battling the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.The Obama administration has made clear that it wants NATO's help in carrying out a new strategy in that war. The administration has called for more troop contributions from its allies -- a sensitive subject for several European governments, which have said they are unwilling to send more soldiers. The administration is working on a review of the strategy in Afghanistan that is likely to result in streamlined goals for the mission.
U.S. and Pakistani intelligence officials are drawing up a fresh list of terrorist targets for Predator drone strikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, part of a U.S. review of the drone program, according to officials involved, the Wall Street Journal reports.Pakistani officials are seeking to broaden the scope of the program to target extremists who have carried out attacks against Pakistanis, a move they say could win domestic support. The Obama administration is weighing the effectiveness of the program against the risk that its unpopularity weakens an important ally.
The Islamic fundamentalist threat to Pakistan is reaching frightening proportions as Taliban militants infiltrate the key city of Peshawar, boldly attacking military headquarters and NATO supply routes and seeking to spread Islamic rule, according to the Washington Times.Taliban militants who have been tightening their control outside Peshawar for months have for the first time been patrolling inside the city of 3 million, several eyewitnesses told The Washington Times. The militants last week attacked NATO transit terminals on the Ring Road, a key thoroughfare, and kidnapped officials within the city, including a deputy superintendent of police.
The Washington Times also reports that China is continuing a large-scale military buildup of high-tech forces that includes “disruptive” anti-satellite missiles, new strategic forces, and computer attack weapons, the Pentagon's annual report to Congress on the Chinese military says.“China has made steady progress in recent years in developing offensive nuclear, space, and cyber warfare capabilities - the only aspects of China's armed forces that, today, have the potential to be truly global,” says the report titled “Military Power of the People's Republic of China (PRC)” that was released Wednesday.While noting that China has limited ability to sustain power far from its shores, the report warns that Beijing's communist-controlled armed forces “continue to develop and field disruptive military technologies, including those for anti-access/area-denial, as well as for nuclear, space, and cyber warfare, that are changing regional military balances and that have implications beyond the Asia-Pacific region.”
The Pentagon’s new Africa Command is still recovering from early missteps in explaining its missions and purpose, miscues that government investigators say have left lingering fears at the State Department, in Congress and on the continent that the Defense Department is militarizing the nation’s foreign policy in Africa, according to the New York Times.Investigators also reported problems with the command’s goal of filling its ranks with many more diplomats and civilians from the Treasury, Commerce and other federal departments than traditional military commands. The Pentagon originally planned to draw 125 people — or one quarter of the command’s staff — from other agencies; the number is now hovering at 52.
The Washington Post reports that a number of nomination hearings on important foreign policy and defense posts are being held on the Hill today, among them the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's hearing on Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry to be U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, where Eikenberry has served two tours of duty. The nominations of Rose Gottemoeller to be assistant secretary for verification and compliance and Philip Gordon to be assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs at the State Department also get a Foreign Relations hearing.The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on three Defense Department nominations: Ashton B. Carter as undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics; James Miller as deputy undersecretary for policy; and Alexander Vershbow as assistant secretary for international security affairs. And at 10 a.m., the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Jane Holl Lute to be deputy secretary of homeland security.
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: The New York Times leads with word that operatives from a secretive wing of Pakistan's military intelligence agency is providing direct support—including money, supplies, and strategic planning—to the Taliban as well as other militant groups in Afghanistan. (Slate Magazine)
2. China fury at U.S. military report: Beijing has reacted angrily to a Pentagon report on China's military power, which claimed it was altering the military balance in Asia. (BBC)
3. Taliban tap into Swat’s emerald mines: The Taleban in Pakistan's strife-torn district of Swat have taken over operations in its emerald mines. (BBC)
4. Iran accepts U.S. Afghan invitation: Iran has confirmed it will attend a US-backed international conference on the future of Afghanistan next week. (BBC)
Leading newspaper headlines
The New York Times leads with word that operatives from a secretive wing of Pakistan's military intelligence agency is providing direct support—including money, supplies, and strategic planning—to the Taliban as well as other militant groups in Afghanistan. The Washington Post leads with, and the NYT fronts, a preview of the Obama administration's plan to expand federal regulation over the financial system, which Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will begin to outline for lawmakers today. The plan would expand federal regulations to all financial derivative products and companies that have previously been free of such oversight, including insurance companies, hedge funds, and private-equity firms. The administration sees these new regulations as essential to restore faith in the financial system.
The Wall Street Journal leads its world-wide newsbox with President Obama lobbying Democratic lawmakers to maintain his priorities in the budget and stay united throughout the negotiations. But divisions are already emerging, and some centrist Democrats are pushing for a budget with less spending and fewer tax cuts in order to lower the deficit. The Los Angeles Times leads with Congress approving "the largest expansion of the wilderness system in 15 years," extending federal protection to 2 million acres in nine states. In what will be President Obama's first signing of an important conservation bill, almost as much land will be designated as wilderness as was done so throughout his predecessor's entire tenure. The measure would also initiate one of the largest river restoration projects and step up protection of scenic rivers. USA Today leads with federal accident investigators suggesting that the pilot was to blame for the crash that killed 50 people outside Buffalo last month. Weather was initially suspected to have been the culprit, but investigators said the crash was likely due to the pilot's decision to take the plane into a sudden steep climb that led to a loss of control over the aircraft.
The fact that Pakistan's spies help out the Taliban is hardly news, but the details revealed by the NYT today show "that the spy agency is aiding a broader array of militant networks with more diverse types of support than was previously known." No one thinks that Pakistan's top leaders have a hand in what's going on in the S Wing of Pakistan's spy service, but they also seem unwilling or unable to stop it. Pakistani officials say that Americans make too much of these ties, insisting they're just part of a strategy to maintain influence in Afghanistan after the U.S. troops have left.
The WSJ also hears word of this connection and adds that U.S. and Pakistani officials are drawing up a new list of targets for Predator drone strikes along the Afghan border, which is part of an American review of the program. Pakistani officials want to expand the program so it also targets extremists who have attacked Pakistanis, in the hope that it would help the government win some support domestically. Although the program is largely considered successful, so it's unlikely to change significantly, the WSJ notes that the review wants to set out clear guidelines on under what circumstances the strikes should be carried out and it "could change the pace and size of the program."
The NYT points out that Obama's plan to overhaul the federal regulations of the financial system "goes further than expected." And the WSJ highlights that Geithner's presentation to lawmakers today merely "represents an early salvo in what will likely be a long debate." The WP notes that it makes sense that these changes are coming now since the "nation's financial regulations are largely an accumulation of responses to financial crises," but it's still important to note that the administration's proposals amount to the "most significant regulatory expansion" since the Great Depression era. "In essence, the plan is a rebuke of raw capitalism and a reassertion that regulation is critical to the healthy function of financial markets," says the Post.
Most of what the Obama administration wants to put in place would require approval from Congress. What the WP describes as the White House's "signature proposal" involves giving one federal agency (probably the Federal Reserve) oversight responsibility across the financial system with the power to regulate the largest financial firms, including nonbank entities. Congress would have to pass legislation in order to determine which firms are considered so large that their failure would be a shock to the entire financial system, and then these companies would be required to meet much more stringent capital requirements to prevent them from running out of cash when the economy tumbles.
Unregulated investment firms, such as hedge funds and private-equity funds, would have to register for the first time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The administration also wants the SEC to have more power over money-market mutual funds to ensure they don't take on too much risk. The NYT predicts that the biggest fight will be over the administration's plan to regulate trading "in more exotic derivatives that trade privately," such as credit-default swaps. Geithner isn't expected to give much detail in how all this would work, but it's just the beginning.
The WP notes that over the next few months, the administration will present proposals to protect consumers, revise existing regulations to remove any flaws, and increase coordination with the international community. It is hardly a coincidence that the administration is launching the first stage in its plan mere days before Geithner and Obama are scheduled to meet with world leaders in London to discuss the crisis, as many European countries have said that reforming the financial regulatory structure is one of their top priorities.
When Obama went to lobby Senate Democrats on the budget yesterday, he kept the focus on the issues where there's much agreement between party members. "It was vintage Obama," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said. "He made us all feel content and inspired by where we need to go." Still, there are real divisions between the Democrats, but it seems Obama's most ambitious initiatives that he has identified as his priorities—education, health, energy, and deficit reduction—will remain in the budget. The NYT notes that these divisions among Democrats "bring to life a paradox of political success." As a party expands its base, it means that it's harder to maintain all of its members united.
China fury at US military report
China usually criticises the annual Pentagon report
Beijing has reacted angrily to a Pentagon report on China's military power, which claimed it was altering the military balance in Asia.
A foreign ministry spokesman called it a "gross distortion of the facts", and urged an end to "Cold War thinking".
In its annual report to Congress, the Pentagon said China was developing "disruptive" technologies for nuclear, space and cyber warfare.
It could be used to enforce claims over disputed territories, the report said.
Beijing was again criticised for a lack of transparency in reporting military spending and security policy.
"This report issued by the US side continues to play up the fallacy of China's military threat," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told journalists.
REYNOLDS' CHINA
Is there enough room for two military powers off the coast of China?
Read James' thoughts in full
He said Beijing had complained to Washington about it, and urged the US to "drop the Cold War thinking... to prevent further damage to the relationship between the two countries and two armies".
Tensions were heightened earlier this month after a confrontation between US and Chinese ships in China's exclusive economic zone south of Hainan, during which China accused the US of spying.
Projecting power?
The Pentagon reported that China was successfully managing to expand its arsenal of sophisticated weaponry, even though Beijing's ability to sustain military power at a distance remains limited.
Chinese "armed forces continue to develop and field disruptive military technologies", including "nuclear, space, and cyber warfare".
Some of these developments help China to participate in international peacekeeping, humanitarian and counter-piracy missions, the report acknowledged.
But they could also allow China to "project power to ensure access to resources or enforce claims to disputed territories," it said.
The Pentagon analysis said China was developing weapons that would disable its enemies' space technology such as satellites, boosting its electromagnetic warfare and cyber-warfare capabilities and continuing to modernise its nuclear arsenal.
It also noted a build-up of short-range missiles opposite Taiwan, despite a significant reduction in tension between the two in recent months.
And while the report also welcomed the rise of a peaceful, stable and prosperous China, it added: "Much uncertainty surrounds China's future course, particularly regarding how its expanding military power might be used."
The report estimated China's military spending in 2008 was roughly double that of a decade ago.
Beijing insists its increased military spending is purely for defensive purposes and is still small in comparison with that of the US.
China has repeatedly said that the Pentagon's annual report on its military power unfairly portrays China as a military threat when it is committed to a "peaceful rise" as its economic power grows.
China's armed forces are undoubtedly undergoing a dramatic transformation from a poorly-equipped peasant army to an increasingly sophisticated modern military, the BBC's defence and security correspondent Rob Watson says.
But its level of training and co-ordination as well as actual war fighting capability is still in doubt, he adds.
Taleban tap into Swat's emeralds
By Syed Shoaib Hasan BBC News, Mingora, Swat
The government has not stopped the Taleban from mining
The Taleban in Pakistan's strife-torn district of Swat have taken over operations in its emerald mines.
The mines, which produce emeralds of international quality, were previously controlled by the Pakistani government.
They were taken over by the Taleban four months ago following a ceasefire between militants and the government.
Until then, Swat was the scene of 18 months of conflict between the security forces and Taleban militants fighting to implement Islamic Sharia law.
The mines, along with the Panjshir mines in Afghanistan, hold the largest known deposits of emeralds in South Asia.
Taleban sympathies
"It is for the benefit of the public that we have reopened the mines," a senior Taleban commander told the BBC during a visit to the operations.
"They are open to anybody who wishes to mine them as long as they follow our rules."
Swat's emerald mines are located in the mountains that ring the district's main town of Mingora.
The mines cover an area of nearly 8km (5 miles).
When fully operational, they yielded a quarter of a million carats of emeralds between 1978 and 1988, according to official statistics.
The last official estimate put the projected yield at about 13.2m carats.
Gemstone dealers say that most emeralds range from just under one carat to just over five.
Prices range from $1,000 to more than $100,000 for a cut stone, depending on the quality.
However, workers at the site told the BBC their average daily wage was only about 400 rupees ($5) per person, after money deducted for paying off the Taleban had been calculated.
"It's still a good deal as previously all this was going to waste," one worker said.
The Taleban say the mines provide a "great opportunity"
Taleban commanders too are positive about its benefits.
"It is a great opportunity for the people, as there is so much poverty and unemployment here," the Taleban commander said.
According to the terms of the deal, the Taleban take one-third of the yield of each set of miners.
The costs are shared equally by the Taleban and the miners.
The Taleban say they are not directly involved in the operations themselves.
But the rules, which include amputation for theft and strict adherence to Sharia rules, mean only those with strong Taleban sympathies are allowed to operate.
No photos of the workers or the operations were allowed.
But the Taleban did show us their yield for the day, a small packet of clear, dark green gems.
So far the government has made no move to contest the Taleban's control of the mines.
This is despite the fact that the funds from the emerald operations are likely to be a huge boost to Taleban coffers.
Exactly how those funds will be spent - by militants who believe that international jihad is the only real way of life - does not take a lot of working out.
Iran accepts US Afghan invitation
Iran and the US share an interest in a stable Afghanistan
Iran has confirmed it will attend a US-backed international conference on the future of Afghanistan next week.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Tehran had not yet decided who it would send to the one-day summit in The Hague.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier this month that Iran should attend the high-level meeting.
While the US and Iran are at odds over Tehran's nuclear plans, the two share an interest in a stable Afghanistan.
"We will participate in the Afghanistan meeting. At what level, I don't know yet, but we will participate," Mr Ghashghavi said.
Strategy review
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as well as delegates from more than 80 countries are due to attend next Tuesday's meeting.
During her visit to Europe earlier this month, Mrs Clinton proposed the summit and said Iran should be a part of it.
"There are a lot of reasons why Iran would be interested. So they will be invited," she said at the time.
"Obviously it is up to them to decide whether to come."
Confirmation of Iran's attendance is likely to be welcomed by Washington, which has not had diplomatic ties with Tehran for three decades.
Tensions have been high over Iran's nuclear work, which Washington says is aimed at building an atomic bomb and Tehran insists is a civilian energy programme.
President Barack Obama has said the US is ready to talk to Iran if it "unclenched its fist".
Details of a review of US strategy on Afghanistan, which is battling a growing Taleban insurgency, are expected to be released ahead of the conference.
Iran, which opposed the Taleban regime toppled by the US-led invasion in 2001, has experienced a rise in drug use as easily available heroin from Afghanistan flows across the border.
Early Bird summary
Thursday’s Early Bird leads with a piece from the New York Times reporting that the Taliban’s widening campaign in southern Afghanistan is made possible in part by direct support from operatives in Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, despite Pakistani government promises to sever ties to militant groups fighting in Afghanistan, according to American government officials.The support consists of money, military supplies and strategic planning guidance to Taliban commanders who are gearing up to confront the international force in Afghanistan that will soon include some 17,000 American reinforcements.Support for the Taliban, as well as other militant groups, is coordinated by operatives inside the shadowy S Wing of Pakistan’s spy service, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, the officials said. There is even evidence that ISI operatives meet regularly with Taliban commanders to discuss whether to intensify or scale back violence before the Afghan elections.
The Washington Post reports that after years of often testy cooperation with NATO and resentment over unequal burden-sharing, the United States is taking unabashed ownership of the Afghan war.President Obama's decision to deploy an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan this year will bring the number of foreign troops there to nearly 90,000, more than two-thirds of them Americans. Although many will technically report to NATO commanders, the U.S. force will increasingly be in charge.Even as the U.S. military expands its control over the battlefield, the number of American civilian officials will also grow by at least 50 percent -- to more than 900 -- under the new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy Obama will announce as early as tomorrow, according to administration officials. American diplomats and development experts plan to spread into relatively peaceful western and northern regions of Afghanistan that until now were left to other NATO governments. New U.S. resources and leadership also will be brought to bear over critical issues such as counter-narcotics efforts and strengthening local government institutions.
The Washington Post also reports that President Obama met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in the Oval Office on Wednesday and said afterward that he is confident that the alliance can be more effective in battling the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.The Obama administration has made clear that it wants NATO's help in carrying out a new strategy in that war. The administration has called for more troop contributions from its allies -- a sensitive subject for several European governments, which have said they are unwilling to send more soldiers. The administration is working on a review of the strategy in Afghanistan that is likely to result in streamlined goals for the mission.
U.S. and Pakistani intelligence officials are drawing up a fresh list of terrorist targets for Predator drone strikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, part of a U.S. review of the drone program, according to officials involved, the Wall Street Journal reports.Pakistani officials are seeking to broaden the scope of the program to target extremists who have carried out attacks against Pakistanis, a move they say could win domestic support. The Obama administration is weighing the effectiveness of the program against the risk that its unpopularity weakens an important ally.
The Islamic fundamentalist threat to Pakistan is reaching frightening proportions as Taliban militants infiltrate the key city of Peshawar, boldly attacking military headquarters and NATO supply routes and seeking to spread Islamic rule, according to the Washington Times.Taliban militants who have been tightening their control outside Peshawar for months have for the first time been patrolling inside the city of 3 million, several eyewitnesses told The Washington Times. The militants last week attacked NATO transit terminals on the Ring Road, a key thoroughfare, and kidnapped officials within the city, including a deputy superintendent of police.
The Washington Times also reports that China is continuing a large-scale military buildup of high-tech forces that includes “disruptive” anti-satellite missiles, new strategic forces, and computer attack weapons, the Pentagon's annual report to Congress on the Chinese military says.“China has made steady progress in recent years in developing offensive nuclear, space, and cyber warfare capabilities - the only aspects of China's armed forces that, today, have the potential to be truly global,” says the report titled “Military Power of the People's Republic of China (PRC)” that was released Wednesday.While noting that China has limited ability to sustain power far from its shores, the report warns that Beijing's communist-controlled armed forces “continue to develop and field disruptive military technologies, including those for anti-access/area-denial, as well as for nuclear, space, and cyber warfare, that are changing regional military balances and that have implications beyond the Asia-Pacific region.”
The Pentagon’s new Africa Command is still recovering from early missteps in explaining its missions and purpose, miscues that government investigators say have left lingering fears at the State Department, in Congress and on the continent that the Defense Department is militarizing the nation’s foreign policy in Africa, according to the New York Times.Investigators also reported problems with the command’s goal of filling its ranks with many more diplomats and civilians from the Treasury, Commerce and other federal departments than traditional military commands. The Pentagon originally planned to draw 125 people — or one quarter of the command’s staff — from other agencies; the number is now hovering at 52.
The Washington Post reports that a number of nomination hearings on important foreign policy and defense posts are being held on the Hill today, among them the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's hearing on Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry to be U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, where Eikenberry has served two tours of duty. The nominations of Rose Gottemoeller to be assistant secretary for verification and compliance and Philip Gordon to be assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs at the State Department also get a Foreign Relations hearing.The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on three Defense Department nominations: Ashton B. Carter as undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics; James Miller as deputy undersecretary for policy; and Alexander Vershbow as assistant secretary for international security affairs. And at 10 a.m., the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Jane Holl Lute to be deputy secretary of homeland security.
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: The New York Times leads with word that operatives from a secretive wing of Pakistan's military intelligence agency is providing direct support—including money, supplies, and strategic planning—to the Taliban as well as other militant groups in Afghanistan. (Slate Magazine)
2. China fury at U.S. military report: Beijing has reacted angrily to a Pentagon report on China's military power, which claimed it was altering the military balance in Asia. (BBC)
3. Taliban tap into Swat’s emerald mines: The Taleban in Pakistan's strife-torn district of Swat have taken over operations in its emerald mines. (BBC)
4. Iran accepts U.S. Afghan invitation: Iran has confirmed it will attend a US-backed international conference on the future of Afghanistan next week. (BBC)
Leading newspaper headlines
The New York Times leads with word that operatives from a secretive wing of Pakistan's military intelligence agency is providing direct support—including money, supplies, and strategic planning—to the Taliban as well as other militant groups in Afghanistan. The Washington Post leads with, and the NYT fronts, a preview of the Obama administration's plan to expand federal regulation over the financial system, which Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will begin to outline for lawmakers today. The plan would expand federal regulations to all financial derivative products and companies that have previously been free of such oversight, including insurance companies, hedge funds, and private-equity firms. The administration sees these new regulations as essential to restore faith in the financial system.
The Wall Street Journal leads its world-wide newsbox with President Obama lobbying Democratic lawmakers to maintain his priorities in the budget and stay united throughout the negotiations. But divisions are already emerging, and some centrist Democrats are pushing for a budget with less spending and fewer tax cuts in order to lower the deficit. The Los Angeles Times leads with Congress approving "the largest expansion of the wilderness system in 15 years," extending federal protection to 2 million acres in nine states. In what will be President Obama's first signing of an important conservation bill, almost as much land will be designated as wilderness as was done so throughout his predecessor's entire tenure. The measure would also initiate one of the largest river restoration projects and step up protection of scenic rivers. USA Today leads with federal accident investigators suggesting that the pilot was to blame for the crash that killed 50 people outside Buffalo last month. Weather was initially suspected to have been the culprit, but investigators said the crash was likely due to the pilot's decision to take the plane into a sudden steep climb that led to a loss of control over the aircraft.
The fact that Pakistan's spies help out the Taliban is hardly news, but the details revealed by the NYT today show "that the spy agency is aiding a broader array of militant networks with more diverse types of support than was previously known." No one thinks that Pakistan's top leaders have a hand in what's going on in the S Wing of Pakistan's spy service, but they also seem unwilling or unable to stop it. Pakistani officials say that Americans make too much of these ties, insisting they're just part of a strategy to maintain influence in Afghanistan after the U.S. troops have left.
The WSJ also hears word of this connection and adds that U.S. and Pakistani officials are drawing up a new list of targets for Predator drone strikes along the Afghan border, which is part of an American review of the program. Pakistani officials want to expand the program so it also targets extremists who have attacked Pakistanis, in the hope that it would help the government win some support domestically. Although the program is largely considered successful, so it's unlikely to change significantly, the WSJ notes that the review wants to set out clear guidelines on under what circumstances the strikes should be carried out and it "could change the pace and size of the program."
The NYT points out that Obama's plan to overhaul the federal regulations of the financial system "goes further than expected." And the WSJ highlights that Geithner's presentation to lawmakers today merely "represents an early salvo in what will likely be a long debate." The WP notes that it makes sense that these changes are coming now since the "nation's financial regulations are largely an accumulation of responses to financial crises," but it's still important to note that the administration's proposals amount to the "most significant regulatory expansion" since the Great Depression era. "In essence, the plan is a rebuke of raw capitalism and a reassertion that regulation is critical to the healthy function of financial markets," says the Post.
Most of what the Obama administration wants to put in place would require approval from Congress. What the WP describes as the White House's "signature proposal" involves giving one federal agency (probably the Federal Reserve) oversight responsibility across the financial system with the power to regulate the largest financial firms, including nonbank entities. Congress would have to pass legislation in order to determine which firms are considered so large that their failure would be a shock to the entire financial system, and then these companies would be required to meet much more stringent capital requirements to prevent them from running out of cash when the economy tumbles.
Unregulated investment firms, such as hedge funds and private-equity funds, would have to register for the first time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The administration also wants the SEC to have more power over money-market mutual funds to ensure they don't take on too much risk. The NYT predicts that the biggest fight will be over the administration's plan to regulate trading "in more exotic derivatives that trade privately," such as credit-default swaps. Geithner isn't expected to give much detail in how all this would work, but it's just the beginning.
The WP notes that over the next few months, the administration will present proposals to protect consumers, revise existing regulations to remove any flaws, and increase coordination with the international community. It is hardly a coincidence that the administration is launching the first stage in its plan mere days before Geithner and Obama are scheduled to meet with world leaders in London to discuss the crisis, as many European countries have said that reforming the financial regulatory structure is one of their top priorities.
When Obama went to lobby Senate Democrats on the budget yesterday, he kept the focus on the issues where there's much agreement between party members. "It was vintage Obama," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said. "He made us all feel content and inspired by where we need to go." Still, there are real divisions between the Democrats, but it seems Obama's most ambitious initiatives that he has identified as his priorities—education, health, energy, and deficit reduction—will remain in the budget. The NYT notes that these divisions among Democrats "bring to life a paradox of political success." As a party expands its base, it means that it's harder to maintain all of its members united.
China fury at US military report
China usually criticises the annual Pentagon report
Beijing has reacted angrily to a Pentagon report on China's military power, which claimed it was altering the military balance in Asia.
A foreign ministry spokesman called it a "gross distortion of the facts", and urged an end to "Cold War thinking".
In its annual report to Congress, the Pentagon said China was developing "disruptive" technologies for nuclear, space and cyber warfare.
It could be used to enforce claims over disputed territories, the report said.
Beijing was again criticised for a lack of transparency in reporting military spending and security policy.
"This report issued by the US side continues to play up the fallacy of China's military threat," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told journalists.
REYNOLDS' CHINA
Is there enough room for two military powers off the coast of China?
Read James' thoughts in full
He said Beijing had complained to Washington about it, and urged the US to "drop the Cold War thinking... to prevent further damage to the relationship between the two countries and two armies".
Tensions were heightened earlier this month after a confrontation between US and Chinese ships in China's exclusive economic zone south of Hainan, during which China accused the US of spying.
Projecting power?
The Pentagon reported that China was successfully managing to expand its arsenal of sophisticated weaponry, even though Beijing's ability to sustain military power at a distance remains limited.
Chinese "armed forces continue to develop and field disruptive military technologies", including "nuclear, space, and cyber warfare".
Some of these developments help China to participate in international peacekeeping, humanitarian and counter-piracy missions, the report acknowledged.
But they could also allow China to "project power to ensure access to resources or enforce claims to disputed territories," it said.
The Pentagon analysis said China was developing weapons that would disable its enemies' space technology such as satellites, boosting its electromagnetic warfare and cyber-warfare capabilities and continuing to modernise its nuclear arsenal.
It also noted a build-up of short-range missiles opposite Taiwan, despite a significant reduction in tension between the two in recent months.
And while the report also welcomed the rise of a peaceful, stable and prosperous China, it added: "Much uncertainty surrounds China's future course, particularly regarding how its expanding military power might be used."
The report estimated China's military spending in 2008 was roughly double that of a decade ago.
Beijing insists its increased military spending is purely for defensive purposes and is still small in comparison with that of the US.
China has repeatedly said that the Pentagon's annual report on its military power unfairly portrays China as a military threat when it is committed to a "peaceful rise" as its economic power grows.
China's armed forces are undoubtedly undergoing a dramatic transformation from a poorly-equipped peasant army to an increasingly sophisticated modern military, the BBC's defence and security correspondent Rob Watson says.
But its level of training and co-ordination as well as actual war fighting capability is still in doubt, he adds.
Taleban tap into Swat's emeralds
By Syed Shoaib Hasan BBC News, Mingora, Swat
The government has not stopped the Taleban from mining
The Taleban in Pakistan's strife-torn district of Swat have taken over operations in its emerald mines.
The mines, which produce emeralds of international quality, were previously controlled by the Pakistani government.
They were taken over by the Taleban four months ago following a ceasefire between militants and the government.
Until then, Swat was the scene of 18 months of conflict between the security forces and Taleban militants fighting to implement Islamic Sharia law.
The mines, along with the Panjshir mines in Afghanistan, hold the largest known deposits of emeralds in South Asia.
Taleban sympathies
"It is for the benefit of the public that we have reopened the mines," a senior Taleban commander told the BBC during a visit to the operations.
"They are open to anybody who wishes to mine them as long as they follow our rules."
Swat's emerald mines are located in the mountains that ring the district's main town of Mingora.
The mines cover an area of nearly 8km (5 miles).
When fully operational, they yielded a quarter of a million carats of emeralds between 1978 and 1988, according to official statistics.
The last official estimate put the projected yield at about 13.2m carats.
Gemstone dealers say that most emeralds range from just under one carat to just over five.
Prices range from $1,000 to more than $100,000 for a cut stone, depending on the quality.
However, workers at the site told the BBC their average daily wage was only about 400 rupees ($5) per person, after money deducted for paying off the Taleban had been calculated.
"It's still a good deal as previously all this was going to waste," one worker said.
The Taleban say the mines provide a "great opportunity"
Taleban commanders too are positive about its benefits.
"It is a great opportunity for the people, as there is so much poverty and unemployment here," the Taleban commander said.
According to the terms of the deal, the Taleban take one-third of the yield of each set of miners.
The costs are shared equally by the Taleban and the miners.
The Taleban say they are not directly involved in the operations themselves.
But the rules, which include amputation for theft and strict adherence to Sharia rules, mean only those with strong Taleban sympathies are allowed to operate.
No photos of the workers or the operations were allowed.
But the Taleban did show us their yield for the day, a small packet of clear, dark green gems.
So far the government has made no move to contest the Taleban's control of the mines.
This is despite the fact that the funds from the emerald operations are likely to be a huge boost to Taleban coffers.
Exactly how those funds will be spent - by militants who believe that international jihad is the only real way of life - does not take a lot of working out.
Iran accepts US Afghan invitation
Iran and the US share an interest in a stable Afghanistan
Iran has confirmed it will attend a US-backed international conference on the future of Afghanistan next week.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Tehran had not yet decided who it would send to the one-day summit in The Hague.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier this month that Iran should attend the high-level meeting.
While the US and Iran are at odds over Tehran's nuclear plans, the two share an interest in a stable Afghanistan.
"We will participate in the Afghanistan meeting. At what level, I don't know yet, but we will participate," Mr Ghashghavi said.
Strategy review
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as well as delegates from more than 80 countries are due to attend next Tuesday's meeting.
During her visit to Europe earlier this month, Mrs Clinton proposed the summit and said Iran should be a part of it.
"There are a lot of reasons why Iran would be interested. So they will be invited," she said at the time.
"Obviously it is up to them to decide whether to come."
Confirmation of Iran's attendance is likely to be welcomed by Washington, which has not had diplomatic ties with Tehran for three decades.
Tensions have been high over Iran's nuclear work, which Washington says is aimed at building an atomic bomb and Tehran insists is a civilian energy programme.
President Barack Obama has said the US is ready to talk to Iran if it "unclenched its fist".
Details of a review of US strategy on Afghanistan, which is battling a growing Taleban insurgency, are expected to be released ahead of the conference.
Iran, which opposed the Taleban regime toppled by the US-led invasion in 2001, has experienced a rise in drug use as easily available heroin from Afghanistan flows across the border.
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