Salma Yaqoob

Today’s news carries the shocking report that NATO airstrikes have killed 33 civilians in Afghanistan. Opposition to the occupation is growing, especially in those countries who have troops deployed there. Dutch troops are to be withdrawn following the collapse of the Dutch centre-right coalition over the issue of their deployment, raising a risk of a domino effect in other countries. There is an urgent need for the implementation of a peace process. The ever informative Juan Cole raises pertinent questions that examine NATO policy in Afghanistan in his ‘Five Questions for the Afghan Surge; Or, Getting Past the Hype’. It is well worth a read.