General Patraeus reaffirms the conditions of US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2011. Also today we look at charges against 5 GI’s accused of murdering 3 Afghan civilians.

Why all the talk about minerals now?

Geologists working with the Pentagon have found vast reserves of untapped minerals in Afghanistan that could be worth $1 trillion, according to reports.

But there are a lot of questions about just how hard it would be to actually get the minerals out of there and even some questions about the timing of the announcement. The military didn’t just discover it. In fact, even though there was a lot of reporting about it on Monday, the report apparently was done years ago.

Outreach Key To U.S. Kandahar Mission

In Afghanistan, the battle for Kandahar may not have officially begun, but it is quietly under way.

The mission is different for every American military unit in the country. U.S. military police patrol in Kandahar city. In rural Kandahar province, American soldiers are preparing to strike at Taliban strongholds.

Petraeus reaffirms 2011 OEF pullout conditional

President Obama’s announced date for the start of U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan has confused some friends, allies and enemies alike, according to lawmakers.

5 Stryker GIs Now Charged With Afghan Murders

SEATTLE — Five Soldiers accused of murdering three Afghan civilians earlier this year allegedly threw grenades at them and shot them with rifles, according to charging papers released Wednesday by Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Funeral Home Fined in Arlington Problems

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — A Virginia funeral home accused of mishandling bodies awaiting burial at Arlington National Cemetery has been fined $50,000.

Gates: Obama not afraid to veto defense bill

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that lawmakers should not underestimate the Obama administration’s resolve to eliminate wasteful spending, and he renewed a vow to recommend a veto of defense legislation if key programs are not dropped.

Plan for Agent Orange cleanup released

HANOI, Vietnam — Thirty-five years after the Vietnam War, a $300 million price tag has been placed on the most contentious legacy still tainting U.S.-Vietnam relations: Agent Orange.

Marine in Iraq war crimes case returns to unit

SAN DIEGO — A Marine sergeant accused of killing an unarmed Iraqi man in a major war crimes case will return to his unit now that he has been released from a military jail, a Marine Corps spokesman said Tuesday.

3-star: Caution backfiring in Afghanistan

Commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan have been reluctant to launch more secret operations because of an excess of caution about violating military rules and international law, a top Army officer says.