HATE preacher Anjem Choudary sparked new outrage last night – by telling the parents of British troops killed in Afghanistan that their children died in vain.

The fanatic is sending letters to the families of fallen heroes urging them to become Muslims “to save yourselves from the hellfire”.

The sick campaign comes days after The Sun revealed Choudary’s plan to protest in the town famed for honouring Britain‘s war dead.

Twisted Choudary yesterday refused to face The Sun over his sick letter-writing campaign, whingeing: “I’m the most hated man in Britain.”  Read more... (638 words, 1 image, estimated 2:33 mins reading time)

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — Secretive branches of the military’s Special Operations forces have increased counterterrorism missions against some of the most lethal groups in Afghanistan and, because of their success, plan an even bigger expansion next year, according to American commanders.

The commandos, from the Army’s Delta Force and the Navy’s classified Seals units, have had success weakening the network of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the strongest Taliban warrior in eastern Afghanistan, the officers said. Mr. Haqqani’s group has used its bases in neighboring Pakistan to carry out deadly strikes in and around Kabul, the Afghan capital.  Read more... (1147 words, 1 image, estimated 4:35 mins reading time)

Why has the nation not employed its traditional method of manpower procurement in the current situation now that there is CHANGE in administrations (no pun intended). Dr. Adrian Lewis told the Army Combat Studies Institute that he considers a number of politi­cal arguments and military explanations, and others points touch on social, cultural, and economic explanations against the draft.

Of note, these same arguments if proven accurate can also be used to call for the abolition of the Selective Service System and Selective Service Agency. Much as there was a call to abolish slavery in the 19th century. VT.Ed.  Read more... (6905 words, 1 image, estimated 27:37 mins reading time)

Despite ongoing troubles in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2009 was a moderately successful year for the U.S. in all three theaters of battle.

The United States spent 2009 at war again — with its own troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and as a major, indirect supporter of Pakistan in its internal counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism campaign as well. On balance, I would judge it a moderately successful year in all three places to varying degrees. But that is admittedly a subjective judgment and also obviously requires a great deal more discussion.  Read more... (1011 words, 1 image, estimated 4:03 mins reading time)

Major Bernard Broad has just one wish for Christmas – that he will walk again.

He is one of a record number of military admissions to Selly Oak Hospital this year.

The 43-year-old dad-of-two was blown up in Afghanistan and will tomorrow be told whether he will ever recover full mobility.

Because yesterday, three weeks after his armoured vehicle was blasted near Forward Operating Base Shawqat, in Nad-e-Ali, surgeons operated to assess his chances.

And, speaking from his bed before going into theatre, the infantryman of 27 years said: “My biggest fear is my feet. Being an infanteer, I’ve spent half my career on my feet.”  Read more... (781 words, 1 image, estimated 3:07 mins reading time)

Originally published September 14, 2009

A member of a commission investigating wartime spending says photos of private security guards in various stages of nudity at parties flowing with alcohol may be as damaging to U.S. interests in Afghanistan as images of detainee mistreatment at Abu Ghraib were in Iraq.

The Associated Press
WASHINGTON —

A member of a commission investigating wartime spending says photos of private security guards in various stages of nudity at parties flowing with alcohol may be as damaging to U.S. interests in Afghanistan as images of detainee mistreatment at Abu Ghraib were in Iraq.  Read more... (164 words, 1 image, estimated 39 secs reading time)

Originally published September 14, 2009

Manning a machine gun on a ridge overlooking this remote Afghan village, Marine Cpl. Steven Norman tried desperately to lay down covering…

By Jonathan S. Landay
McClatchy Newspapers

Manning a machine gun on a ridge overlooking this remote Afghan village, Marine Cpl. Steven Norman tried desperately to lay down covering fire for some 90 Afghan security forces and U.S. military trainers who were trapped in an ambush in the valley below.

Each time he’d raise his head to let loose a burst, however, the insurgents in the encircling mountains and the fortresslike hamlet itself would drive Norman down, drenching his position with cascades of machine-gun and rocket-propelled-grenade fire.  Read more... (1430 words, 1 image, estimated 5:43 mins reading time)

Originally published Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 9:01 PM

You may wonder how Thomas Gukeisen made it to lieutenant colonel, and by age 39 at that. He breaks Army rules and operates by his own rendition of counterinsurgency warfare whose arsenal includes Afghan poetry, chaos theory and the thoughts of a 17th-century English philosopher.

By DENIS D. GRAY

Associated Press Writer
ALTIMUR, Afghanistan —

You may wonder how Thomas Gukeisen made it to lieutenant colonel, and by age 39 at that. He breaks Army rules and operates by his own rendition of counterinsurgency warfare whose arsenal includes Afghan poetry, chaos theory and the thoughts of a 17th-century English philosopher.  Read more... (1055 words, 1 image, estimated 4:13 mins reading time)

Originally published Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 6:29 AM

Veterans of Iraq recall rolling to war along asphalted highways, sweltering in flat scrublands and chatting with city-wise university graduates connected to the wider world.

By DENIS D. GRAY

Associated Press Writer
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, Afghanistan —

Veterans of Iraq recall rolling to war along asphalted highways, sweltering in flat scrublands and chatting with city-wise university graduates connected to the wider world.

Now fighting in Afghanistan, U.S. soldiers invariably encounter illiterate farmers who may never have talked to an American as they slog into remote villages on dirt tracks through bitterly cold, snow-streaked mountains.  Read more... (1248 words, 1 image, estimated 4:60 mins reading time)

Editor’s note: Rep. Jared Polis, a Democrat, represents Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District and is appearing in CNN.com‘s “Freshman Year” series along with Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah.

Washington (CNN) — I recently attended the White House Christmas tree lighting and congressional holiday party. Christmas is traditionally a time of peace and love, quite a juxtaposition for a nation fighting three wars, one in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, and a global war on terror.

We went into Afghanistan eight years ago to oust the Taliban and capture their guest Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda associates. Eight years later, al Qaeda has largely been driven out of Afghanistan.  Read more... (850 words, 1 image, estimated 3:24 mins reading time)