The U.S. backs the Afghan government’s plan to dissolve private security companies.  And, at the height of the Iraq war, data suggests hundreds of soldiers were misdiagnosed by the Army and dismissed.  

US Backs Afghan Plan to Dump Contractors

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military supports the Afghan government’s plan to dissolve private security companies and is tightening oversight of its own armed contractors in the interim, an official said Monday.

7 Special Forces soldiers to get Silver Star for Afghan valor

It’s been clear for months that the fighting in Afghanistan is more intense than it’s been since the war there started nearly nine years ago. Yet, from the midst of those increasingly violent firefights come some amazing stories of heroism.

Petraeus: No Success Without Taliban Talks

At a time when the bloodletting in Afghanistan is on the rise, the American commander there says success will mean sitting down and talking to Taliban fighters and others who have “American blood on their hands.”

Advocates See Woes for Misdiagnosed GIs

WASHINGTON — At the height of the Iraq war, the Army routinely dismissed hundreds of Soldiers for having a personality disorder when they were more likely suffering from the traumatic stresses of war, discharge data suggests.

SKorea: North must change, embrace reunification

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president urged North Korea to abandon military provocations and make a “courageous change” toward peace, using a speech Sunday marking the Korean peninsula’s liberation from Japanese rule to outline a path for its eventual reunification.

Lt. col. sues over ‘don’t ask’

An Air Force officer a year from retirement is suing to keep the service from kicking him out under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” ban on gay service members.

WikiLeaks Prepares to Release More Files

LONDON — WikiLeaks spokesman Julian Assange said Thursday his organization is preparing to release the rest of the secret Afghan war documents it has on file. The Pentagon warned that would be more damaging to security and risk more lives than the organization’s initial release of some 76,000 war documents.

US military to urge Barack Obama to slow down Afghanistan withdrawal

The US military is to urge Barack Obama to slow down the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, which is planned to start next year, it has emerged.

Tobacco Shipments to Troops to Resume

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The U.S. Postal Service said Thursday that it plans to resume shipping care packages with cigarettes and other tobacco to troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.