No rubber stamping

Yesterday, the lower house of Afghanistan's parliament nearly unanimously rejected Afghan President Hamid Karzai's attempt to tighten his control over the country's electoral watchdog, after his February decree giving himself the ability to appoint all five members of the body (AP, BBC, NYT, WSJ, Wash Post, McClatchy, Pajhwok). However, this significant rebuke to Karzai's power grab and signal of a more activist legislature does not necessarily mean the end of his decree: the upper house still has to vote.

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Bicycle bomb in Helmand

As many as 17 Afghan civilians were killed earlier today when a remote-controlled bicycle bomb detonated in a crowded market outside Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, as farmers were receiving seeds to plant in lieu of the lucrative and pervasive poppy crops in Helmand (AFP, Pajhwok, AP, BBC).

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As reports emerge that Kandahar operations will begin in June, take another look at this FP photo essay featuring images of the U.S. troops and its allies preparing for the coming offensive in the Taliban's spiritual home.

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Summer of violence ahead

The NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan will reportedly begin major operations in Kandahar, the southern Afghan province that was once the seat of the Taliban's government, this June, with the aim of completing the "clearing phase" of the offensive by August for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (BBC, AP, Fox, Reuters, USAT). The Journal looks at the context around the Kandahar offensive, writing that the Afghan government has been "so weak, predatory, and corrupt that more and more Kandaharis have come to view the Taliban as a lesser evil" (WSJ).

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Surprise! The president's here

In his first visit to the country since being elected, U.S. President Barack Obama made a surprise trip to Afghanistan yesterday, landing in Kabul under the cover of darkness and meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry, and top Afghanistan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal (AP, Reuters, AFP, CNN, ABC, NYT, WSJ, Pajhwok, LAT, McClatchy). During Obama's six hour visit, which Karzai learned about three days in advance, Obama pressed Karzai about corruption in the Afghan government, which the Afghan leader had promised to address four months ago in his inaugural address (though U.S. officials say they have seen little change) (Wash Post, BBC). Obama also gave a rousing 20-minute speech to U.S. troops at Bagram Air Base, and invited Karzai to visit Washington on May 12 (video).

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The battle goes on

A day after Pakistani security forces claimed that military airstrikes left more than 60 militants dead in Orakzai, one of Pakistan's northwestern tribal agencies, some 150 Taliban fighters attacked and temporarily took control of a checkpost in the agency's main town (AP, AFP, AP, Reuters, Geo, Dawn). Five Pakistani soldiers, including a Frontier Corps lieutenant colonel, and at least 21 militants, including some Uzbeks, were killed in the ensuing gun battle as Pakistani forces regained control of the checkpoint. Yesterday, militants blew up a girls' school in Bajaur, another tribal agency, bringing the total number of schools destroyed there to 77 (Daily Times).

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A new day or another day?

Reports about the first day of the U.S. and Pakistan's 'strategic dialogue' talks in Washington were mixed: although the U.S. has agreed to speed up delivery of some $2 billion in back military aid and equipment for Pakistan's operations in the tribal areas, U.S. officials continue to be noncommittal about Pakistan's desire for a civilian nuclear deal mirroring the one reached by India and the United States several years ago (McClatchy, WSJ, AP, FT). Officials also danced around details about the touchy subject of Islamabad's ties with the Taliban and its involvement in the Afghan reconciliation process (Wash Post, Pajhwok).

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Only if it finally abandons its support for terrorism.

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