Fabled Foreign Legion finds a new war to fight Nov 16, 2009
Home has been in many far-flung places for legionnaires during their storied 178-year history North Africa, the Far East, Mexico, and now the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan as part of NATO's U.S.-led International Security Force. advertisement. (MSNBC -- International)
New generation joins ranks of vets Nov 10, 2009
The high desert landscape even had a sagebrush-like plant and was framed by the Hindu Kush mountains. The world seemed smaller than if hed landed in the desert or jungle. (Cody Enterprise, WY)
Therapists deployed to war zone to fight stress disorders Nov 9, 2009
On a recent morning weeks before the Fort Hood shooting, psychologist and Air Force Capt. Sara Wright and mental health technician Catherine Lobbestael descend by helicopter out of the Hindu Kush mountains to touch down. Working as a Combat Operational Stress Control Team the same assignment slotted for Hasan Wright and Lobbestael immediately set about providing counseling to distressed soldiers at this tiny outpost. (USA Today)
Earthquake measuring 6.7 reported near Indonesia Nov 9, 2009
A strong earthquake hit Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountains Thursday, shaking large areas of the country and neighboring Pakistan, officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the quake, which struck at 10:14 p.m. (1744 GMT) and was centered in a remote part of the Hindu Kush mountains, about 160 miles (250 kilometers) north of Kabul. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Water-conserving Irrigation Strategies Minimize Overwatering, Runoff Nov 6, 2009
25, 2006) New research into climate change in the Western Himalaya and the surrounding Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains could explain why many glaciers there are growing and not melting. The findings suggest. (Science Daily)
U.S. Official Resigns over Afghan War Oct 28, 2009
This is exactly I was talking about the delusional and smoking brains amongst us who have never ever seen hindu kush mountains and talking about turning Afghanistan a parking lot. I hope a dimwit like you don't drive the way you park. (CBS News -- US)
A far corner Oct 25, 2009
Even when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, those hardened fighters did not make it to the furthest reaches in the north-east, the remote corner where the majestic Hindu Kush meets the soaring Pamir mountains. Our journey began as any Afghan journey should, sitting cross-legged on a carpeted floor, eating a Badakhshani breakfast - Shir Chai, a hearty brew of tea and milk, salt and walnut and enormous yellow biscuits as round, and I have to say, as hard as a saucer. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Earthquake Hits Afghanistan, Pakistan Oct 23, 2009
1 Magnitude Quake, Centered on Mountainous Hindu Kush Region, Rattles Buildings from Kabul to Islamabad ... (AP) A strong earthquake centered in the towering Hindu Kush mountains shook a wide area of eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan early Friday, swaying buildings in the Afghan and Pakistani capitals ... "Currently Al Qaeda?s presence made the U.S. forces shift their operation in the Hindu Kush mountain ranges.". (CBS News)
Strong quake strikes Afghan-Pakistani border Oct 23, 2009
KABUL, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- A powerful earthquake struck the Hindu Kush mountains along Afghanistan's northeast border with Pakistan early Friday. The quake was magnitude 6. (Xinhuanet, China)
Taliban Dig In as Pakistani Army Advances Oct 23, 2009
The real story today is that Al Qaida strongholds got nuked today in the Hindu Kush mountains. That will teach them to attack US/NATO troops that used to be in that area. (CBS News)
Strong Quake Strikes Afghanistan, Pakistan Oct 23, 2009
KABUL A strong earthquake centered in the towering Hindu Kush mountains shook a wide area of eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan early Friday, swaying buildings in the Afghan and Pakistani capitals. There were no initial reports of damage or casualties from the quake, which struck about 12:21 a.m. Afghan time. (Fox News)
Election officials deliver Afghan runoff ballots Oct 23, 2009
Pakistani residents stood outside a building yesterday in Islamabad after an earthquake centered in the Hindu Kush mountains shook a wide area of eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan ... Meanwhile, a strong earthquake centered in the towering Hindu Kush mountains shook a wide area of eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan early today, swaying buildings in the Afghan and Pakistani capitals. (Boston Globe)
America, condoms and the Taliban Oct 23, 2009
Surely, any "Afghanization" of the war in the Hindu Kush needed to be built around the phallic power of an alpha male - figuratively put, of course - and that has become impossible now ... As the Pakistani author Tariq Ali wrote, "The Hindu Kush mountains must have resounded to the sound of Pashtun laughter." ... To be fair, Obama has no reason to be on a revenge act in the Hindu Kush, as was the case with his predecessor eight years ago. (Asia Times Online)
Taliban Stepping Up Attacks on NATO Supply Convoys Oct 7, 2009
It goes something like this: Alexander the Great was marching across the Hindu Kush mountains on his way to India over 2,000 years ago. The Greek had heard that the Afghan tribes were fierce fighters, so he dispatched part of his force through the northwest, which was supposed to be the easier route, and he led the remainder of his army straight through the middle of the Hindu Kush. (Time.com)
Afghanistan Base Doomed? Oct 7, 2009
The base, located less than 10 miles from the Pakistan border and nestled in the Hindu Kush mountains, was attacked almost every day for the first two months it was opened, hit by a constant stream of rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. By the third or fourth month of the base's existence, resupply had been limited to nighttime helicopter flights because the daytime left helicopters and road convoys too exposed to insurgent attacks. (ABC News)
In Afghanistan, Life and Land Prove Harsh Oct 6, 2009
00004000 (CBS) The Hindu Kush mountain range, more than 500 miles long, splits Afghanistan. The range has nearly two dozen peaks taller than 23,000 feet. (CBS News)
8 Americans Dead in Fierce Afghan Battles Oct 5, 2009
at least three administrations -- Ronald Reagan's, George W. Bush's, and now Barack Obama's -- drew America's defense perimeter at the Hindu Kush in the rugged, mountainous lands of Afghanistan. Put another way, while Americans argue feverishly and angrily over what kind of money to put into health care. (CBS News -- World)
On The Ground: Impressions of Afghanistan Sep 30, 2009
While the Hindu Kush Mountains throw up a stunning vista, there is searing heat, choking dust and a dizziness that can only be described as altitude buzz. It doesn't take long to see this is a place of startling and uncomfortable contrasts. (CBS News -- 60 minutes)
Guess Who's Funding the Taliban? Sep 30, 2009
In late August, McClatchy News reported that the Taliban now controls districts in two key northern provinces along the new major supply route coming in from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, running through the Hindu Kush mountains and toward the U.S. military s massive Bagram Air Base. Yet supplies are getting through. (The American Conservative)
The US on a new mission in Pakistan Sep 24, 2009
winning the war against al-Qaeda, which has its headquarters along the Hindu Kush mountains that run through North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) up to southwestern Balochistan province. From here, al-Qaeda envisages wars in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India on the one side and in the Middle East and in North Africa on the other side. (Asia Times Online)
U.S. plans troop shift in Afghanistan Sep 22, 2009
Senior U.S. officials said the moves were driven by the realization that some remote regions of Afghanistan, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountains that range through the northeast, were not going to be brought under government control anytime soon. "Personally, I think I am being realistic about this," said Maj. (MSNBC -- Race)
5.5-magnitude earthquake hits Pakistan Sep 19, 2009
The epicentre was about 300 kilometres (185 miles) north of Peshawar in the remote Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan, and was registered at a depth of 187 kilometres, it said. Residents panicked in some parts but there were no reports of any casualties or damage, the official said. (India Times, India)
Tribute to a Soldier Sep 18, 2009
Embattled U.S. troops in northeastern Afghanistan also paid homage to Monti Thursday by officially rededicating their isolated outpost in the Hindu Kush Mountains in his name. Thursday s ceremony in Afghanistan, at Combat Operations Post Monti in Kunar province, was attended by about 50 soldiers not on duty. (Fox News)
The road ahead Sep 12, 2009
" As the scenic Hindu Kush mountains appear in the distance, Mohammad switches on Pashto music, and one by one, the passengers are serenaded into a state of silent awe. SuspicionThe spell is broken when the bus comes to a sudden halt on a narrow road flanked by towering peaks and jutting shards of rock. Nearby, soldiers from the Afghan National Army are keeping a close eye on the road from within their Humvees. Their faces show an intense suspicion - a result of months of relentless violence.... (BBC News -- South Asia)
Why the US is afraid of 'Afghanization' Sep 12, 2009
Old Europeans see no reason why their youth should go and die in the Hindu Kush mountains to subserve the geopolitical agenda regarding NATO expansion. Rasmussen's outburst shows the hour of truth has come. (Asia Times Online)
Defining moment Sep 6, 2009
On a hill overlooking Kabul, where the mountains of the Hindu Kush loom in the distance, there is a terraced rose garden. It is a place of peace in a country still struggling with conflict. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Afghan polls get help from burros Aug 18, 2009
On Monday, donkeys loaded with election materials made their way through a washed-out road winding through the towering Hindu Kush range north of Kabul. No car or truck can traverse there. (MSNBC -- International)
Germany's combat revival Aug 8, 2009
The Bundeswehr's recent offensive in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountains is too timid for Washington, yet too bold for many in Germany ... But Berlin has just tiptoed over another red line, in the Hindu Kush mountains. (Christian Science Monitor)
China dips its toe in the Black Sea Aug 1, 2009
The Russian move poses a geopolitical challenge to the US, which has been monopolizing conflict-resolution in Afghanistan; keeping Russia out of the Hindu Kush; attempting to splinter the SCO-driven Sino-Russian convergence over regional security in Central Asia; stepping up diplomatic and political efforts to erode Russia's ties with Central Asian states; and expanding its influence and presence in Pakistan and steadily brining that country into the fold of NATO's partnership program. The tempo... (Asia Times Online)
The ravages of conflict Jul 27, 2009
From the air, the valley in the foothills of the Hindu Kush looks undisturbed. Green fields amid clusters of drab houses. (CNN -- International)
Pakistan fights for its tribal soul Jun 16, 2009
Safe havens in the Hindu Kush The Eastern Hindu Kush range, also known as the High Hindu Kush range, is mostly located in northern Pakistan and the Nuristan and Badakhshan provinces of Afghanistan ... Today, in many parts of the Hindu Kush corridor, centuries-old tribal systems and their connections with the Pakistani establishment through an appointed political agent have been replaced by a system of Islamic warlordism. (Asia Times Online)
Fighting the wrong fight in Afghanistan Jun 3, 2009
At dusk, the snow line of the Hindu Kush is flush with Apache attack helicopters and larger Chinooks. None of them are the key to victory. (Asia Times Online)
Sticks and stones May 25, 2009
With a rucksack packed with five litres of water I was struggling my way up the Hindu Kush mountain range, thousands of feet above sea-level. Behind me was a man carrying a yellow sack - a yellow sack packed with explosives, that is. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Al-Qaeda keeps its eyes on Afghanistan May 23, 2009
The first success has been in securing an area all along the Hindu Kush mountains from Terah Valley in Khyber Agency up to the Turban district of Pakistan's Balochistan province bordering Iran. The second target is to push Pakistani forces back beyond the Indus River. (Asia Times Online)
Slouching towards balkanization May 22, 2009
Any Afghan that believes the West is not behind this racket must be a stone statue in the Hindu Kush. United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Obama's AfPak envoy Richard Holbrooke are supposed to be very excited about the scheme. (Asia Times Online)
Afghanistan stalled on its land bridge May 16, 2009
The idea entails transforming the mountains of Hindu Kush from a conflict zone into a trade hub between China, the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia - home to one-third of the world's population. The realization of such a vision, many Afghans believe, would do more to help restore peace and bring development to their impoverished country than any amount of foreign aid. (Asia Times Online)
Pipelineistan goes Af-Pak May 14, 2009
The agreement explicitly states that "Chinese interests" will not be "threatened from [Turkmenistan's] territory by third parties. In translation: no Pentagon bases allowed in that country. China's deft energy diplomacy game plan in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia is a pure winner. In the case of Turkmenistan, lucrative deals are offered and partnerships with Russia are encouraged to boost Turkmen gas production. There are to be no Russian-Chinese antagonisms, as befits the main... (Asia Times Online)
Obama could learn from Karzai May 6, 2009
They may lack Karzai's sartorial skill, English fluency, urbaneness and panache for diplomacy, but they stuck it out in the tangled mountains of the Hindu Kush through the entire 30-year civil war ... However, Obama has a long way to go in imbibing the lessons of democracy in the Hindu Kush, which has a fierce history of independence, as is evident from his press conference last Wednesday when he publicly berated the elected government of Pakistan. (Asia Times Online)
Quakes kill at least 21 Apr 18, 2009
Afghanistans Hindu Kush mountain range is hit by dozens of minor earthquakes each year. Many Afghan homes are made of dried mud, so even moderate earthquakes can cause many deaths and major damage. (Erie Times-News, PA)
Barbaric seal hunt Mar 29, 2009
Now, however, we hear about pterodactyl-like drones crossing the Hindu Kush Mountains and slaughtering and wounding rural villagers, and I have changed my mind about a technology-manipulated conflict. These drone-things have very often inferior construction and little accuracy and are controlled by computer-pilots with joy sticks somewhere in our Southwest. (NJ.com -- Times)
Afghan-Pakistan militant nexus Mar 26, 2009
In recent months, they are also reported to have crossed the Hindu Kush foothills to carry out attacks on foreign troops in the Sarobi, Tagab and Nejrab areas around Kabul. Oruzgan, Ghazni, Wardak, Logar. (BBC News -- South Asia)
The Afghanistan seldom seen Mar 19, 2009
Dragon Valley is a hauntingly beautiful place nestled high up in the heart of the Hindu Kush mountains. To get there from Kabul involves a bumpy, nine-hour drive on unpaved roads through Taliban country. (Asia Times Online)
Hostile attacks Mar 17, 2009
With the porous border of Pakistan just over the Hindu Kush, the elite brigade of "Chasseurs Alpins" or mountain infantry, is tasked with trying to stop insurgents coming into the valleys and blocking the supply routes to Kabul. The insurgent attacks are frequent and brutal - sometimes the battles last for four hours. (BBC News)
Afghanistan's Oscar Hopeful Feb 19, 2009
With the stunning vision of pink poppies swaying against the slopes of the Hindu Kush in mind, he finally obtained permission from the government to plant the illegal crop. Related. (Time.com)
Then and now Feb 15, 2009
Twenty years on Kabul remains threatened by rebels, cradled by the Hindu Kush, still very much in the eye of the storm. From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast on Saturday, 14 February, 2009 at 1130 GMT on BBC Radio 4. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Where Things Stand: Afghanistan in Turmoil Feb 10, 2009
From the back alleys of Kandahar to the mountains of the Hindu Kush to the streets of Kabul, Afghan pollsters have seen profound pessimism across the country. Watch "World News" TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m. ET for the full "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" report. (ABC News)
Mom and Pop Whitman track the elusive snow leopard Feb 8, 2009
They range amid the most formidable series of mountains on Earth: the Himalaya and Karakoram; the Plateau of Tibet; adjoining Kunlun; the Hindu Kush, Pamirs, and Tian Shan; the Altay, whose peaks define Mongolia's border with China, Kazakhstan, and Russia; and the Sayan chain west of Lake Baikal. One satellite-tracked leopard ranged between Pakistan and Afghanistan at elevations of from about 5,000 feet to almost 17,000 feet. (Weymouth News, MA)
