Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Iraq and Afghanistan

Photo Gallery: Afghan Election

Afghans voted under the shadow of Taliban threats of violence to choose their next president.

The Latest News

Gibbs Slaps Coverage of Afghan Troop Surge

Turns out President Obama isn't ready to OK 40,000 new troops to Afghanistan as press has reported.

No More in Afghanistan

Don't stress the Army any more.

Foreign Policy by Contractor

Allison Stanger discusses One Nation Under Contract.

Obama's Honeymoon is Over

One year after Obama won the presidency, many are questioning him on the economy and Afghanistan.

Soldiers in the US Army's 172nd Infantry Brigade patrol in front of campaign posters in Mussayeb, Iraq.

Seeing a Way Out of Iraq

Building up Iraq's security forces has been a top goal. It's finally paying off.

US Army soldiers and Afghan National Policemen and Army ride on a Chinook helicopter during a mission along the Afghan-Pakistan Border.

U.S. to Recruit New Afghan Militias

The militias are aimed at improving security and modeled on a similar effort in Iraq.

Thumbnail Preview for Gates Confirmation Hearing Photo Essay

Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Gates Weighs Doubling Troops in Afghanistan

Commanders on the ground are anxious for more U.S. soldiers, but there are competing demands in Iraq.

A local Sons of Iraq member frisks a pedestrian after a bombing in northern Baghdad.

Is Iraq Ready for the U.S. to Start Leaving?

Violence is down, yes, but a fragile Iraqi government faces major tests in the coming months.

In Ghanzi province, a U.S. soldier stands guard after a bombing on the "ring road" highway.

A Wary U.S. Handoff in Afghanistan

As U.S. troops leave Ghazni province, they express concern that progress bought with their sweat and blood will be lost.

Col. Ahmed Hamid Sharqi, chief of the North Ramadi police precinct, sits in his office with his hatchet on his desk. He regularly meets with the marines from the 2/9 Weapons Company, who also monitor security in the city.

U.S. Needs Allies Like Hatchet-Wielding Iraqi

An Iraqi police colonel named Ahmed is typical of America's new partners in a once dangerous province.

A U.S. soldier keeps watch as a helicopter lands in the Maalistan district of Ghazani province.

A Grim Outlook for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan

The resurgent Taliban is drawing more U.S. forces into the battle.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates hands over the Multi-National Force Iraq flag to Gen. Ray Odierno while outgoing commander Gen. David Petraeus looks on during a Change of Command ceremony at Camp Victory on September 16, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq.

Challenges Petraeus Leaves in Iraq

Gen. Odierno must manage Sunni militias, a U.S. troop drawdown, the flashpoint of Kirkuk, and Sadr.

An Iraqi police officer searches bags of female pilgrims in Baghdad, Iraq. Three suicide bombers and a roadside bomb struck Shiite pilgrims taking part in a massive religious procession in Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 28 people and wounding 92, police said.

The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers

Terrorists recruit women who can slip through security checkpoints.

An Afghan woman walks with her children in Kabul.

Troubled Afghan Couples Seek Counseling

A counseling center, the nation’s first, tries to help battered wives and troubled husbands.

Jessica Lynch at the Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg WV.

Jessica Lynch at the Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg WV.

Jessica Lynch Recalls Her Captivity

Former POWs Lynch, Shoshana Johnson, and Patrick Miller talk to U.S. News about moving on.

Special Report

PHOTO ESSAY: Vermont's War. The state of Vermont, where nearly three quarters of residents oppose the Iraq war, has the nation's highest per capita death rate in the conflict. (Charlie Archambault for USN&WR)

Vermont's War

Known for liberal politics, the Green Mountain State has paid a heavy price in Iraq.

Special Report

Army Staff Sgt. Darrell Ray Griffin.

The Life and Death of a Soldier

Staff Sgt. Darrell Griffin spent two tours with the Army's Stryker brigade.

Test Your Knowledge

People visit graves in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery May 25, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. Section 60 is one of the main places where those who died while serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried.

Arlington National Cemetery

Soldiers from which wars are interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns? How many presidents are buried there?

advertisement

ALEX KINGSBURY'S IRAQ JOURNAL

Iraqi security forces stand by captured landmines laid out in rows in a street in the southern city of Amara in Maysan province, 365 kilometres south of Baghdad.

U.S. Troops Face Old Foe—Land Mines

On the border between Iraq and Iran, deminers try to keep explosives out of insurgents' hands.

Seen from a helicopter, the remains of a house that was destroyed by al-Qaeda members.

Iraqi Insurgents Build House Bombs

U.S. soldiers are discovering more "house-borne improvised explosive devices."

Col. Ahmed Hamid Sharqi, chief of the North Ramadi police precinct, sits in his office with his hatchet on his desk. He regularly meets with the marines from the 2/9 Weapons Company, who also monitor security in the city.

U.S. Relies on Hatchet-Wielding Iraqi Ally

An Iraqi police colonel named Ahmed is typical of America's new partners in a once dangerous area.

Capt. Dallas Shaw, commander of the 2/9 Weapons Company, meets with members of the Ramadi council.

In Iraq, U.S. Marines Adapt to Shaky Peace

"These guys are diplomats, social workers, and marines all at the same time," says their commander.

A U.S. marine watches children play in the Iraqi city of Ramadi.

Marines Ready To Step Back in Part of Iraq

Violence has plummeted in the insurgency's birthplace, but the fragile gains could be reversed.

U.S. Marine Maj. Gen. John Kelly is pictured at the government headquarters in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, 180 km west of Baghdad, Iraq.

Syrians 'Harbored' Al Qaeda in Iraq

Maj. Gen. John Kelly says Syria, once a conduit for terrorists to enter Iraq, is now a "sanctuary."

Marines from the 2-9 Weapons Company uncover an illegal power cable connecting a local police chiefs home to the Ramadi water treatment plant. Illegal power cables are a significant problem in Ramadi, where city power exists for only a few sporadic hours per day. The Marines return to the site to remove new power taps every three or four days.

For Marines in Iraq, It's Groundhog Day

Visits to a water treatment facility always turn up cables siphoning power from generators.

Recruits who want to be part of a new provincial security force listen to an Iraqi military officer during training at Camp Fallujah near Fallujah, Iraq.

A Key U.S. Military Base in Iraq to Close

U.S. combat troops will depart Camp Fallujah, which saw some of the conflict's bloodiest battles.


PHOTO GALLERIES

Rasheed Street is reflected on a black and white portrait of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. 2/26/2003

Five Years of War in Iraq

A look back after half a decade since Saddam's overthrow.

advertisement

Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.
Make USNews.com your home page.