阿富汗新战略出台后 美国防部长首次出访阿富汗
美国国防部长马蒂斯星期三抵达阿富汗，这次访问事先没有宣布，是白宫公布阿富汗新战略计划后马蒂斯首次前往阿富汗访问。
喀布尔是马蒂斯南亚之行的第二站，他刚刚结束对新德里的访问。
美国总统川普上个月宣布的阿富汗行动计划谈到，在打破阿富汗政府与塔利班反叛武装之间的僵局上，包括印度在内的亚洲国家应该发挥更大的作用。
马蒂斯在新德里访问期间，赞扬印度在阿富汗问题上做出了“不可估量的”贡献，并欢迎印度继续努力，推动阿富汗的民主、稳定和安全。
印度国防部长西塔拉曼保证加强与阿富汗的合作，但明确表示，不会向阿富汗派兵。
美国的阿富汗行动计划要求增加在阿富汗的驻军。马蒂斯最近宣布，美国将向阿富汗增派3千美军，使美国在阿富汗的驻军总人数超过1万4千人。
川普总统的计划还要增加炸弹的数量。军方的官方数字显示，美军8月份在阿富汗投掷的炸弹是2012年以来最多的一个月。
经过16年的战争，美军如今在阿富汗主要参加非战斗工作，为阿富汗部队和相关部门充当顾问，提供支持。
川普总统强调说，美军撤军要依阿富汗地面战况决定，拒绝向前任奥巴马总统那样，设定撤军的具体日期。
US Defense Chief in Afghanistan for First Visit Since New Policy
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis landed in Afghanistan Wednesday on an unannounced visit – his first since the White House unveiled a revised plan for the U.S.-led war here.
Mattis landed in Kabul, his second stop on a South Asia tour that began in New Delhi.
President Donald Trump’s Afghanistan plan, announced last month, envisions a greater role for regional players, including India, to help break the deadlock with Taliban insurgents.
During his stop in the Indian capital, Mattis praised India’s “invaluable” contributions to Afghanistan, and welcomed “further efforts to promote Afghanistan’s democracy, stability, and security.”
Mattis’ Indian counterpart, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, promised to strengthen cooperation with Kabul, though he ruled out sending any Indian troops there.
The U.S. plan calls for a larger military presence in Afghanistan. Mattis recently announced the U.S. would send another 3,000 American troops, bringing the total number in the country to over 14,000.
Trump’s plan also calls for more bombs. Official military figures show the U.S. dropped more weapons (503) on Afghanistan during August than in any other single month since 2012.
In a stalemate after 16 years of fighting, U.S. troops are involved primarily in a non-combat role, providing advice and assistance to Afghan defense forces and institutions.
Trump has stressed that the U.S. troops will only be withdrawn based on conditions on the ground, and has refused to set fixed withdrawal dates, as did his predecessor, Barack Obama.
沙特首次允许女性开车
沙特阿拉伯颁布皇家法令，首次允许女性开车。
沙特官方媒体星期二说，国王的法令要求，“不论男女，都要发放驾照。”
沙特驻华盛顿大使哈立德王子说，允许女性开车“是前进的一大步”，“沙特社会已经为此做好了准备。”
他在美国告诉记者说：“这是在正确的时间做了正确的事情。”
不论是伊斯兰律法还是沙特交通法规都不曾明令禁止女性开车，但是沙特以前是不向女性发放驾驶执照的，被发现开车的女性，会遭到拘留。
沙特通讯社说，这项法令2018年6月开始生效。
国际特赦组织说：这项法令“是多年来女权活动人士勇敢的见证，沙特政府终于让步了。”
美国总统川普对沙特的决定表示赞扬，并表示，美国会支持沙特继续健全社会和经济。川普的新闻秘书发表声明说：“这是推动沙特女性享有的权利和机会的积极进展。”
为庆祝法令的颁布，一些沙特女性在社交媒体上发图片，显示她们正在删除手机上拼车的应用。
Saudi Government Will Allow Women to Drive
Saudi Arabia will allow women to drive for the first time, according to a royal decree.
State media said Tuesday the king's decree called for the “issuance of driving licenses for men and women alike."
Prince Khaled bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington and the king's son, said letting women drive is a "huge step forward,'' one for which "society is ready.''
"This is the right time to do the right thing,'' he told reporters in the U.S.
Neither Islamic law nor Saudi traffic law explicitly prohibited women from driving in the past, but they were not issued licenses and were detained if they attempted to drive.
The state news agency SPA reported the order will go into effect by June 2018.
Amnesty International said the decree was a "testament to the bravery of women activists who have been campaigning for years [and] the government of Saudi Arabia has finally relented."
U.S. President Donald Trump commended Saudi Arabia for the decision and said the United States will support Saudi efforts to strengthen its society and economy.
"This is a positive step toward promoting the rights and opportunities of women in Saudi Arabia," said a statement from his press secretary.
In celebration of the announcement, several Saudi women posted images on social media showing them deleting ride-sharing apps from their mobile phones.
