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This Week in War. A Friday round-up of what happened and what’s been written in the world of war and military/security affairs this week. It’s a mix of news reports, policy briefs, blog posts and longform journalism.
The NATO summit is this weekend… and leaders are struggling to come together and present a united front on commitments.
Col. Michael D. Wirt, a brigade surgeon with the 101st Airborne, has meticulously cataloged a database of the wounds and injuries he’s treated in Afghanistan, with extensive accompanying details. His careful documentation highlights the otherwise scattered nature of our knowledge about the impacts of the last decade of combat.
NPR’s Morning Edition interviewed the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker.
As part of economic reconstruction efforts, Afghanistan plans to start pumping oil within five months. This will be the first time the country has done this.
Pakistan is making rumblings about allowing NATO to begin using the supply route to Afghanistan, which is getting it invited to the upcoming NATO summit. Pakistani negotiators suggested a $5000 per-truck transit fee, an amount which is a “sticking point” in talks.
The parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a US soldier held by the Taliban since 2009, are now speaking out about their son, and the negotiations process to get him back.
Nearly half a million Pakistanis have been forced to flee from border regions because of fighting spillover from Afghanistan and nearly a quarter million have registered for aid.
The Nation’s Jeremy Scahill was on NPR’s Fresh Air, interviewed by Terry Gross about Yemen, AQAP and US drone policy.
Yemen’s Press and Publication Court is trying two Sana’a-based journalists with Al Jazeera for covering the revolution in a suit filed by Saleh’s regime in June of 2011.
North Korea has resumed construction of a nuclear reactor.
The Free Syrian Army is receiving new, better weapons as of late — paid for by Persian Gulf nations and coordinated with assistance by the US.
The Atlantic’s In Focus photo blog gathered together a stunning and stomach-turning (no, seriously, very very graphic and the graphic photos are shown in full) post of recent photography from the Mexican drug war.
Researchers find striking neurological similarities between returning combat soldiers and career pro athletes when it comes to a degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is believed to be caused by blast exposure. Traumatic brain injury, confirmed in nearly a quarter million troops, is considered a precursor to CTE.
On Wednesday, the Army launched a probe of PTSD diagnoses and treatment at all of its medical facilities since 2001.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has introduced the Gender Equality in Combat Act, which, if passed, would require the Pentagon to set a date by the end of the year for allowing women on the front lines.
The top five recipients of GI Bill education funds in the 2010-11 academic were highly problematic for-profit institutions, known to target veterans.
The Hill is up in arms over the latest defense appropriations bill, the House GOP version of which abandons last year’s attempt at fiscal austerity and ups defense spending by $8m as well as increasing funding for nuclear weapons and slowing down the processes of force reductions. The President has threatened a veto.
Photo: Kabul, Afghanistan. A French soldier reads a book about Afghanistan while waiting at the airport for his flight out. Musadeq Sadeq/AP.

This Week in War. A Friday round-up of what happened and what’s been written in the world of war and military/security affairs this week. It’s a mix of news reports, policy briefs, blog posts and longform journalism.

The NATO summit is this weekend… and leaders are struggling to come together and present a united front on commitments.

Col. Michael D. Wirt, a brigade surgeon with the 101st Airborne, has meticulously cataloged a database of the wounds and injuries he’s treated in Afghanistan, with extensive accompanying details. His careful documentation highlights the otherwise scattered nature of our knowledge about the impacts of the last decade of combat.

NPR’s Morning Edition interviewed the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker.

As part of economic reconstruction efforts, Afghanistan plans to start pumping oil within five months. This will be the first time the country has done this.

Pakistan is making rumblings about allowing NATO to begin using the supply route to Afghanistan, which is getting it invited to the upcoming NATO summit. Pakistani negotiators suggested a $5000 per-truck transit fee, an amount which is a “sticking point” in talks.

The parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a US soldier held by the Taliban since 2009, are now speaking out about their son, and the negotiations process to get him back.

Nearly half a million Pakistanis have been forced to flee from border regions because of fighting spillover from Afghanistan and nearly a quarter million have registered for aid.

The Nation’s Jeremy Scahill was on NPR’s Fresh Air, interviewed by Terry Gross about Yemen, AQAP and US drone policy.

Yemen’s Press and Publication Court is trying two Sana’a-based journalists with Al Jazeera for covering the revolution in a suit filed by Saleh’s regime in June of 2011.

North Korea has resumed construction of a nuclear reactor.

The Free Syrian Army is receiving new, better weapons as of late — paid for by Persian Gulf nations and coordinated with assistance by the US.

The Atlantic’s In Focus photo blog gathered together a stunning and stomach-turning (no, seriously, very very graphic and the graphic photos are shown in full) post of recent photography from the Mexican drug war.

Researchers find striking neurological similarities between returning combat soldiers and career pro athletes when it comes to a degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is believed to be caused by blast exposure. Traumatic brain injury, confirmed in nearly a quarter million troops, is considered a precursor to CTE.

On Wednesday, the Army launched a probe of PTSD diagnoses and treatment at all of its medical facilities since 2001.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has introduced the Gender Equality in Combat Act, which, if passed, would require the Pentagon to set a date by the end of the year for allowing women on the front lines.

The top five recipients of GI Bill education funds in the 2010-11 academic were highly problematic for-profit institutions, known to target veterans.

The Hill is up in arms over the latest defense appropriations bill, the House GOP version of which abandons last year’s attempt at fiscal austerity and ups defense spending by $8m as well as increasing funding for nuclear weapons and slowing down the processes of force reductions. The President has threatened a veto.

Photo: Kabul, Afghanistan. A French soldier reads a book about Afghanistan while waiting at the airport for his flight out. Musadeq Sadeq/AP.