These are some interesting items from recent Stratfor Situation Reports:

• The Russian military has secretly positioned troops on the outskirts of Kabul for an assault on the Afghan capital with the opposition Northern Alliance forces, the Russian weekly Moscow News reported. Oct. 9. 2005 GMT, 011009
• A group of 40 Taliban military commanders and 1,200 troops reportedly defected to the opposition today, and took control of the only road linking the southern part of the country with the north, Reuters reported. 2002 GMT, 011009
• A man dispensed an unknown substance on a Maryland subway causing 15 people to become ill Oct. 9. The man struggled with a police officer before being arrested, the Washington Post reported. 1615 GMT, 011009
• An IRS office in Ohio has been evacuated after an envelope was opened that contained a suspicious soapy substance. Hazmat teams were seen decontaminating people outside of the building and crews had entered the building, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. 1700 GMT, 011009
• The United States has reportedly asked Israel for information on assassination techniques that Israel has perfected after many years of dealing with terrorist threats, IRNA reported. Israel has used a variety of methods to strike back at terrorist groups including Apache helicopter gunships, laser-guided bombs fired from fighter airplanes, car-bomb attacks and special forces operations. 1600 GMT, 011009