Headlines: Four US troops were killed in Afghanistan yesterday after their helicopter was shot down. Also, today we look at a report of the record suicide attempts among Marines.

4 U.S. troops among 5 killed in Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — Four Americans and a Briton were killed in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, military officials said.

Marine Suicide Attempts at Record Pace

U.S. Marines are trying to commit suicide at a record pace this year, despite a program begun last year aimed at preventing such attempts, Corps data indicate.

Senate committee agrees to 1.4% pay raise

The Senate Armed Services Committee has sided with the Pentagon by providing a 1.4 percent military raise for 2011, committee chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., announced Friday.

Clinton: Iran Sanctions Toughest Ever

QUITO, Ecuador — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday called the proposed new U.N. sanctions against Iran’s suspect nuclear program the toughest ever, a day before the U.N. Security Council was expected to vote on the measure.

The Limitations of China’s Defense Industry

I thought that Russian military official’s slapdown of the Chinese knock off of their Su-33 carried based fighter (Chinese designation J-15) was really interesting. Now, as I mentioned yesterday, this could all just be posturing for the global arms market, a bit of tainting the competition if you will.

Akaka unveils plan for big changes to GI Bill

The chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee has unveiled his plans for improving the Post-9/11 GI Bill, including one change certain to please active-duty members using the new education benefits program.

Rig survivors: BP ordered shortcut on day of blast

(CNN) — The morning the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, a BP executive and a Transocean official argued over how to proceed with the drilling, rig survivors told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in an exclusive interview.

Militants Attack NATO Convoy in Pakistan

SANGJANI, Pakistan — Militants attacked dozens of trucks ferrying vehicles for Western troops in Afghanistan early Wednesday near the Pakistani capital, a bold assault that killed seven people and illustrated the vulnerability of a crucial U.S. supply line.

Can Afghanistan be compared to the Vietnam war?

Much has been made in recent media reports about the conflict in Afghanistan surpassing the length of the Vietnam War, becoming the United States’ longest war.   Some would dispute that, and few would suggest the two wars are comparable. 

Karzai Ousts 2 Top Pro-Western Ministers

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s intelligence chief and interior minister resigned Sunday to take responsibility for allowing militants to elude a massive security operation and launch an attack on last week’s national peace conference.

Policeman Shoots Unarmed Marine 13 Times

An off-duty Baltimore police officer shot an unarmed Marine 13 times outside a nightclub, killing him, police said.

City prosecutors will review details of the Saturday shooting to determine whether to file charges against the officer, a 15-year veteran whose name was not disclosed, The Baltimore Sun reported Sunday.