CFR's

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

- Germany promises investigation into airstrike.
- Taliban kills four Pakistani students.
- Israel approves new housing units in West Bank.
- Iran and Venezuela sign oil accord.

Top of the Agenda: Airstrike Controversy

The German government pledged to conduct a full investigation (Der Spiegel) into an airstrike in Afghanistan last Friday after reports emerged that many civilians were among the 125 people killed. The air raid, ordered by the German army, targeted two oil tankers hijacked by the Taliban.

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, questioned why German commanders did not immediately send an investigative team (WashPost) to determine whether civilians had been killed in the strike.

In an interview with Le Figaro, Afghan President Hamid Karzai denounced the airstrike (Reuters). Karzai also commented on widespread allegations of election fraud in the country, saying such fraud is "inevitable in a nascent democracy."

About 200,000 votes have been thrown out (WSJ) because of fraud, according to Afghan election officials. With results from 74 percent of polling stations released so far, Karzai is ahead with 48.6 percent, while opposition candidate Abdullah Abdullah has 31.7 percent. Karzai needs to beat 50 percent to avoid a runoff vote.

Analysis
The New York Times looks at the debate over a possible U.S. troop increase in Afghanistan.

TIME considers the potential impact of the airstrike on the upcoming German elections.

In an interview with CFR, Kabul-based analyst John Dempsey says U.S. officials should be prepared to commit more military and civilian resources to stave off resurgent Taliban forces.

Foreign Policy's Peter Bergen lists six signs of positive development in Afghanistan, including the fact that more than five million refugees have returned home since the Taliban's fall.

Background
A CFR Backgrounder looks at Afghanistan's national security forces.

This interactive CFR timeline traces the history of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

MIDEAST: Israeli Settlement Housing Units Approved

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the construction (Jerusalem Post) of 455 settler homes in the West Bank. The approval comes ahead of an anticipated deal to freeze settlement construction that the United States is pushing in an attempt to restart peace talks in the region.

Iran: Iran and Venezuela signed three oil investment deals (PRESS TV) in Tehran as part of a visit by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The countries agreed to reciprocal investments in Iran and Venezuela each worth $760 million. Included in the deal is a commitment by Iran to import twenty thousand barrels a day (WSJ) of gasoline from Venezuela beginning in October.

PACIFIC RIM: Japanese Emissions Cuts

Japanese Prime Minister-elect Yukio Hatoyama pledged a 25 percent cut (Japan Today) in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020, more than his predecessor Taro Aso, who had agreed to an 8 percent decrease.

In a Newsweek op-ed, CFR's Shiela Smith looks at Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan's campaign promises, and says it is "unlikely to make revolutionary changes to Japan's foreign policy."

Taiwan: Taiwanese Premier Liu Chao-shiuan resigned amid heavy criticism (Taipei Times) of the government's slow response to last month's Typhoon Morakot, which devastated parts of the country and killed at least six hundred people. Wu Den-yih, the secretary general of Taiwan's ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), will replace Liu (CNN).

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Students Killed in Pakistan

Four high school students were killed (Dawn) and three were wounded when Taliban militants ambushed a group of young Shia Muslims on their way to school in northwest Pakistan. Local tribesmen retaliated, killing at least two militants.

AFRICA: Zuma on Zimbabwe

South African President Jacob Zuma called on Zimbabwe's political parties to move forward in implementing their power sharing agreement (Mail & Guardian). Zuma was speaking at a meeting of the Southern African Development Community in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kenya: The New York Times reports on the devastating impact of a drought on Kenya's agricultural and tourism industries.

AMERICAS: Brazil-France Plane Deal

Brazil agreed to buy thirty-six fighter planes (LAT) from France, in a deal estimated to be worth more than $2 billion.

Venezuela: Globovision TV, a television station aligned with the opposition in Venezuela, says President Hugo Chavez's government has notified it that could be shut down (AP) for seventy two hours or lose its broadcasting license as a result of an investigation of alleged broadcasting law violations. The country's telecommunications commission said in a statement that the channel aired messages that "allude to violent acts," including a coup attempt against Chavez.

A CFR interactive timeline looks at the Chavez era in Venezuela.

EUROPE: Bomb Plot

A British court convicted three al-Qaeda operatives of plotting in 2006 to blow up at least seven passenger flights (Telegraph) from London to the United States and Canada using liquid explosives. The plot could have killed as many as ten thousand people, investigators believe.

EU-Tibet: European Economic and Social Committee President Mario Sepi will become the first head of an EU institution to formally visit Tibet (EUObserver) this week. Sepi will conduct a fact-finding mission to evaluate the economic and social conditions in the region, focusing on employment, education and healthcare.