Afghanistan

With the end to the American surge in Afghanistan, the 33,000 additional troops sent to the war-torn country two years ago by President Obama have returned home. This still leaves 68,000 troops there, with no foreseeable resolution in sight, and little attention paid by American politicians and the public to that area of the world.  This hour, NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman on the end and the effect of the surge, the recent increase in insider (the so-called “green on blue”) attacks, what’s next and why the topic is rarely discussed by candidates.

This conversation first aired April 2, 2012.

The news out of Afghanistan this year has been heartbreaking, particularly the massacre of Afghan civilians and the murder of American soldiers in reprisal for burning Korans. Lost in the headlines are the voices of Afghans who work quietly each day for progress in their country–and especially missing is news of what’s going on with Afghan women.

A bill before the legislature could change how Maryland deals with private contractors.

The Sauer Dump in southeastern Baltimore County is now a Superfund. So who cleans it up?

On Tuesday, retired four-star general Stanley McChrystal, former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, will be featured at the Meyerhoff as part of Stevenson University’s Baltimore Speakers Series. Today, he tells us what he sees as success for the U.S. in Afghanistan.

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck reviews the latest production at Everyman Theater, a drama from young playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney.

Yay! Maryland Day! Let’s sing the state song! Oh, wait…

Are budget cuts affecting the ability of firefighters in Baltimore to respond to fires quickly? We discuss the issue with Baltimore’s Fire Chief, James Clack.

Veteran copy editor and Baltimore Sun night content production manager John McIntyre on everything from the history of the semicolon to the pleasures of bourbon.

As his daughter leaves to volunteer in Alaska and the young West Baltimore man he mentored deploys to Afghanistan, Tom Hall brings us this essay about young people’s choices in Baltimore.