In an announcement Wednesday, the Army said they are waiting until grave records are completely automated before examining gravesites in Arlington. Also we look into the capture of a Taliban district chief and the firing of Norfolk Naval Shipyard Commander.

Your view: Success in Afghanistan

The situation in Afghanistan is intensifying. This includes record coalition troop deaths in June, tumult and transition among the war’s leadership and another Taliban attack, this time on the Jalalabad airport.

Army: Checking each Arlington grave must wait

The Army is making “steady progress” toward resolving the myriad problems at Arlington National Cemetery, but it will not examine all of the 330,000-plus gravesites for improper markings and other issues uncovered by a recent investigation until graves records are completely automated, the service’s top civilian said Wednesday.

Israel hits weapons facility in northern Gaza

(CNN) — The Israeli air force hit a weapons manufacturing facility and “terror” sites in Gaza overnight, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman said Thursday.

NATO Captures Taliban District Chief

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan and international troops captured a Taliban district chief in a four-hour gunbattle in the southern province of Helmand, NATO said Thursday.

Intel Officials Estimate Al Qaeda Numbers Fewer Than 500 Operatives
At a conference yesterday held in the foreign policy hotbed of Aspen, Co., Michael Leiter, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, estimated that there were somewhat “more than 300” Al Qaeda leaders and fighters hiding in Pakistan’s lawless tribal region that borders Afghanistan.

Norfolk Naval Shipyard Commander Sacked

The commanding officer of Norfolk Naval Shipyard has been relieved of duty after a year on the job because of a loss of confidence in his ability to command.

Petraeus Leaves Room for Pullout Changes

WASHINGTON — Gen. David Petraeus left open the possibility of recommending that President Obama delay his plans to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan next summer if the new commander can’t turn around the stalemated war.

Taliban attacks airfield, while U.S. attorney general is in Kabul

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — Taliban insurgents attacked Jalalabad Airfield in eastern Afghanistan Wednesday, hitting the entrance of the facility with a car bomb, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, said a statement from NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.

Iran ready to resume nuclear talks in August, president says

Tehran, Iran (CNN) — Iran is prepared to resume talks over its nuclear program but will wait until late August as punishment for recently imposed U.N. sanctions, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday.

U.S. Toils To Build Police Force In Kandahar

A crucial part of the U.S.-led operation to take back southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar province includes training the Afghan police, a force that is very much a work in progress. Its ranks suffer from lack of education, high dropout rates and drug use.