To the Point
Are Hearts and Minds Being Won or Lost in Afghanistan?
The latest US strategy against the Taliban calls for winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. But complaints of election fraud threaten the credibility of President Hamid Karzai, and contractors guarding the US embassy, have shocked Afghan sensibilities. We update developments as support in the US is on the decline for what’s called "Barack Obama's war." Also, Pfizer is fined $2.3 billion for illegal marketing of drugs, and reassessing piracy.
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenThe latest US strategy against the Taliban calls for winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. But complaints of election fraud threaten the credibility of President Hamid Karzai, and contractors guarding the US embassy, have shocked Afghan sensibilities. We update developments as support in the US is on the decline for what’s called "Barack Obama's war." Pfizer gets the largest fraud fine in healthcare history. On Reporter's Notebook, do some pirates really believe in a higher cause?
Banner image: A car drives by as a poster of President Hamid Karzai reflects on the window in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
In this episode
3 storiesPfizer Fined $2.3 Billion for Illegal Marketing of Drugs
The Obama Administration today announced the largest fine ever levied for fraud in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The $3.2 billion penalty is part of a settlement reached with the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer over illegal promotion of drugs, including Bextra, a painkiller that has been withdrawn from the market.
Read the story8 minAre Hearts and Minds Being Won or Lost in Afghanistan?
General Stanley McChrystal says success against the Taliban depends on support from the Afghan people, but public opinion is fast turning sour. Reports of election fraud could sap all confidence in President Hamid Karzai and, if he wins, political opponents might turn to violence.
Read the story38 minA New Look at the Pirates of Yore
In the interest of stable government, just about every nation supports the death penalty for captured pirates. But piracy flourishes where governments are not stable, and new research suggests it's more complex than reputation suggests. In 1719, pirates off Sierra Leone saved a captain when his crew said they “never were with a better Man.”
Read the story5 min
