Colin H. Kahl, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, published this article in the online version of the popular Foreign Policy Magazine. It explains the responsible drawdown in troops that lead to the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the beginning of Operation New Dawn.

Be sure to check out the charts, illustrating the reduction in violence throughout the country.

“So far the focus has been on the organizations that are linked with militancy. Everybody believes that perhaps these are the ones which are doing the most in terms of providing aid to the flood victims. But that’s not a true perception,” said Rasool Bux Raees, a political scientist at Lahore University of Management Sciences. ”Militants are visible in relief activities not because of the reality on ground but because of the Western media’s sensitivity towards them.”

Whatever little they do is highlighted because of this attitude of the Western media and the good work of the rest of the general society and organizations remains unacknowledged.”

Maj. Gen. Steve Lanza explains how the mission in Iraq is changing. Stay tuned for the full story, coming soon.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Maulawi Jalaludeen Haqani: This warning goes to all students, teachers, and personnel of Mohammad Sedeque Rohi High School. This high school has violated Mujahedeen’s established standards for education. Since the high school has taken a negative stand against Mujahedeen, it is Mujahedeen’s final resolution to burn the high school to the ground or destroy it with a suicide attack, should any negative propaganda or information regarding Mujahedeen be discussed in the future at the school.

You may have heard of the term “night letters” in reports about Afghanistan. They are letters posted by the Taliban to deliver threats and target people who support stability in Afghanistan and stand by the legitimate Afghan government.

The night letters promise that the Taliban will kill those who don’t comply with their warning, as well as destroy their homes. The language in these letters is in stark contrast to the language they use to the outside world, whom they try
to convince they are fighting on behalf of the Afghan people. But as you can see in their night letters – and remember, this is their primary means of communication with the Afghan people – this is a fraudulent claim. People truly seeking the support of the people do not use constant threats of death for failure to obey demands. These are clearly terrorist tactics, aimed at maintaining influence over the people by instilling fear.

Mullah Omar, in one of his the night letters, said: “We will not leave you alone,” followed by the claim their message was sent “with peace.”

Night letters from Kandahar and Helmand provinces, attached here, clearly state the Taliban’s position:

Letter 1:  Attention to all Muslim brothers:
This the last warning to the people that are working for Americans, if you are driver or  a laborer stop working for these infidels otherwise you have no rights to complain.

Letter 2: Attention to all Muslim brothers:
This is the last warning from Mujahidin to the people that are working for Americans, if you are a driver, laborer or working with these infidels on a convoy, stop working for these infidels otherwise you have no right to complain.

Letter 3: Best Regard from all Mujahidin to all the Muslim brothers,
This the last warning to the people that are American drivers or are working with them as a laborer, if we capture you we will kill you without any question and you have no right to complain.

One letter even threatens the lives of the children for being in the same area as the “infidels.”

Some of these terrorist threat letters are aimed at individuals, while many threaten the whole population. They generally start with offering sanctuary, stating that the person must contact them and if he stops working with the Americans they will not hurt him. At times they ask the target to pay a very high dollar amount for their safety.  The Taliban want to create an image that they have are present everywhere and they monitor every action that takes place.

This rhetoric and messaging only demonstrates and confirms that the Taliban are the enemy of the people of Afghanistan and they stand in opposition to security and stability. The night letters and every single action the Taliban takes speaks to this fact. It was just last Thursday in the Sangin district of Helmand province that a road crew and security guards were killed. “A group of Taliban attacked the site with machine guns and rockets, killing 25 of my workers,” said an official from the Afghan construction company who identified himself as Aqa January.

Mohammad Mamaluddin, the Helmand deputy police chief, said later the death toll had risen to 30 and that another 17 were wounded. He said the attackers had also set fire to machinery and taken about 12 four-wheel drive vehicles.

Regardless of Taliban’s desperate attempt to terrorize the people of Afghanistan in order to regain power, ISAF, the UN and their Afghan partners will continue to accelerate development in Afghanistan and protect the innocent.

Afghanistan Islamic Emirate, Kandahar province: We Mujahidin received information that you and your son are working for Americans. You cannot hide from Mujahidin, we will find you. If you and your son do not stop working for Americans then we will cut you and your son's heads with the knife that you see in this letter. Anybody who is working with the American will be punished with the knife that you see in this letter.

Attention to all dear brothers: If the infidels come to your villages or to your mosques, please stop your youngsters from working for them and don’t let them walk with the infidels. If anybody in your family is killed by a mine or anything else then you will be the one responsible, not us.

Attention to all Muslim brothers: This the last warning to the people that are working for Americans, if you are driver or a laborer stop working for these infidels otherwise you have no rights to complain.

Attention to all Muslim brothers: This is the last warning from Mujahidin to the people that are working for Americans, if you are a driver, laborer or working with these infidels on a convoy, stop working for these infidels otherwise you have no right to complain.

Best Regard from all Mujahidin to all the Muslim brothers This the last warning to the people that are American drivers or are working with them as a laborer, if we capture you we will kill you without any question and you have no right to complain.

Al Jazeera English reports that Iraqi police are using the latest technology to take their training to the next level, and reports that as the U.S. military draws down the Department of State steps up to help Iraqis improve leadership and management in Iraq’s government ministries.

Click here for the video

Marines are trying to beat the odds and save as many people as possible from devastation brought by the floods in Pakistan. They told ABC News that the flooding was the worst destruction they’ve ever seen. Women and children, the lucky ones not killed, are seen taking refuge on hills as they wait for assistance.

Marines aid Pakistani flood victims

The Taliban has told Pakistanis to boycott Western aid.

It is mystifying how anyone who claims to care about the well being of the Pakistani people suffering during this crisis would call for such a thing, but should not be surprising, considering the amount of man-made destruction they have brought those same people.

Meanwhile, U.S. choppers picked up at least 2,700 flood victims in the Swat Valley over the past week, and delivered bags of flour and biscuits. We’re sending additional helicopters, too:

19 new heavy-lift helicopters — 12 CH-46E Sea Knights, four CH-53E Super Stallions and three MH-53E Sea Dragons — are aboard the USS Peleliu, part of a Marine expeditionary unit that has been positioned off the Pakistani coast to aid the effort. The new choppers will relieve four Chinooks and two Black Hawks, based in Afghanistan, that were sent here along with 90 troops on an emergency basis last week.

CENTCOM’s new commander, Gen. James N. Mattis, may have said it best:

“Pakistan is our friend, an ally, and in their time of need, we are committed to partnering with their government and military to support their efforts to bring relief to the millions of Pakistanis impacted by these floods.”

Meanwhile, in the article mentioned above, the Taliban said the flood was God’s punishment to Pakistani for accepting secular leaders.

It should be clear from the interaction we are seeing between our service members, and the Pakistani people with whom they come into contact in the course of these humanitarian efforts, that they do not share the animosity toward all things Western that the Taliban leaders demand. And for our part, we certainly believe those affected by the floods deserve all the support the world community is able to provide.