• The report by General Stanley McChrystal, date 30th of August.

• These three articles in the Economist ask whether to “surge” or to go “surgical”, thereby presenting the two opposing parties when it comes to the future strategy in Afghanistan. While the one side, represented by Vice President Joe Biden, Obama’s security adviser James Jones and a growing number of Democrats, the US should get out of Afghanistan and leave the Taliban the field while concentrating on terrorist hunting by unmanned drones.The other side, represented in the first place by secretary of defence Gates, the higest ranking military leadership and the Republicans are arguing for more troops, following McChrystal’s plan of regaining the initiative and destroying both, the Taliban and Al Qaida.

Article 1, Article 2, Article 3

• This Economist article examines the practical situation to McChrystal’s central appeal: A dramatic change in strategy by concentrating on the population, providing protection and efficient help, while making sure the government gains credibility.

• Michael Scheuer (Foreign Policy) arguing for an increase of troops, thereby arguing that although Al Qaida and the Taliban are two different entities, they share a common goal and are currently working together to achieve it: “to drive out the United States and NATO, destroy Karzai’s corrupt and incompetent regime, and re-establish their Islamist emirate”. If the ISAF leaves Afghanistan, it is just a matter of time until the Taliban regain power and will once again provide a “save haven” for Al Qaida and others.

• an article (Washington Post) on how McChrystal’s strategy of providing security to the population is already implemented: “As a Marine patrol walked through the bazaar on a recent morning, its presence prompted a group of men sipping tea in front of a motorcycle repair shop to voice concern — not that the Americans had arrived but that they might depart before the Taliban had been vanquished. ‘If you leave, everything will be the same,’ a middle-aged man who called himself Sayed Gul told McCollough. ‘If you guys stay for a long time, everything will be fine.”

• This Washington Post article describes a Marines Captain’s daily efforts to stay away being seen as an occupator.