The United States expects heavy fighting around the key Afghan city of Kandahar until late this year. And, claims of civilian deaths spark protest in Afghanistan.

Pakistan Floods may Help Taliban Regroup

ISLAMABAD – The floods ravaging Pakistan are generating fears that Taliban insurgents could regroup amid the chaos and destruction. The country’s already anemic economy is expected to weaken, increasing the poverty that is a factor in the militancy wracking the country.

End to Iraq combat role on track, Obama told

WASHINGTON — President Obama is satisfied that the United States can safely end its combat role in Iraq at the end of this month and meet the deadline for removing all U.S. troops from the country by the end of 2011, White House officials said Wednesday.

Claims of Civilian Deaths Spark Protest

KABUL, Afghanistan — A crowd of about 300 villagers yelled “Death to the United States” and blocked a main road in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday as they swore that U.S. forces had killed three innocent villagers, officials said.

Remains in Vietnam ID’d as soldiers

OKLAHOMA CITY — The remains of two U.S. soldiers, one from Oklahoma and one from Nebraska, who had been missing in Vietnam for nearly 40 years, have been identified, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

Heavy Fighting Expected in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The United States expects heavy fighting around the key Afghan city of Kandahar until late this year, a Pentagon official said Wednesday, dimming hopes for big gains in the war ahead of U.S. elections and a White House review of its war strategy.

Afghan forces target met 3 months early

NATO has reached its goal of expanding the size of Afghanistan’s army and police to 240,000 three months ahead of schedule, achieving a key measurement that will be used to gauge progress in the war.

Amputee veterans stand up to Mount Kilimanjaro and achieve peak condition

When U.S. Army Sgt. Neil Duncan got taken apart in the highlands of Afghanistan in 2005 — his vehicle ran over a buried explosive and it “blew up right under me” — he really wasn’t picturing life without his legs.

Iran’s Navy Gets 4 Homemade Subs

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s state media say the country’s navy has taken charge of four new Iranian-built submarines as part of Tehran’s efforts to upgrade its defense capabilities.

S Korea Probing if North Sent Mines

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea is investigating whether dozens of mines that washed up on South Korean shores and killed one man were deliberately floated by North Korea, officials said Wednesday.

Mission is Changing, Mullen Says

After nine years of constant combat, the U.S. military is shifting focus from executing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to helping the troops who’ve fought them adjust to life outside the war zone, the nation’s top officer said Monday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.